HP 14-dq2078wm cannot detect SSD during Windows 10 installation (No partitions found)

[Dirtyharry44]

Hey everyone — I picked up an HP 14-dq2078wm and wiped the drive because I want to put Windows 10 on it instead of Windows 11. Ever since wiping it, the Windows installer won’t detect the SSD at all.

Here’s what I’ve already tried:

• Wiped the drive in GParted and made a fresh GPT partition table
• SSD shows up fine in GParted and in BIOS
• SATA mode is AHCI (no RAID or RST options on this model)
• Tried Secure Boot on and off
• Used the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool USB (multiple times)
• Also tried Windows 11 just to test — same issue
• Setup keeps saying no drives found or no device drivers found

Basically: BIOS sees the SSD, GParted sees the SSD, but Windows installer does not.

Does this laptop need a specific storage driver, or is there a trick to getting Windows 10/11 to detect the internal SSD on this model?

Any help appreciated — I’ve been stuck on this forever.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Yes, the notebook needs to have a specific Intel storage controller loaded at the point where Windows cannot find any drives as is the case of all PCs that come with Intel 11th > 13 gen core processors.

I have zipped up and attached the Intel storage controller drivers you need, below.

Unzip and copy all of the files in the folder in the attachment to a USB flash drive.

Have the flash drive and your Windows installation media plugged into USB ports.

Boot from the Windows installation flash drive.

When you get to the screen where no drives can be found, click on the Load driver option, browse to the flash drive with the storage controller drivers on it.

If you check the box, it will only include the compatible driver.

If Windows still can't find the drive, uncheck the box to include the compatible driver and try any of the ones listed.

[Dirtyharry44]

This worked. Exactly what I needed. Thank you for the assistance 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.