Installing windows to an M.2 SSD using my Laptop and an NVME enclosure

[InkyBGhost]

Insignia M.2 NVMe TO USB-C SSD enclosure

WD_Black SN850X NVMe SSD

I have an HP OMEN 30L desktop that had it's SSD fail so I bought a new one above. Now I need to install Windows 11 to the new drive before I can put it in my PC. So using my laptop I planned to do that, but my laptop is not reading the drive in File Explorer. I downloaded the Western Digital desktop tool and it recognizes that the drive is plugged in and says the device is connected and working properly, but when I go into BIOS the drive has an exclamation point next to it. I don't know what next step to take and my knowledge of computers is quite limited. 

Thank You

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

@InkyBGhost,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

You're on the right track, but it sounds like your laptop is recognizing the WD_Black SN850X NVMe SSD through the enclosure but not mounting it properly for use. Here’s what to do next.

Check Disk Management

Since Windows File Explorer doesn't show the drive, check if it appears in Disk Management:

1. Press Win + X and select Disk Management.
2. Look for a disk that says Unallocated or Not Initialized.
3. If the disk is present:
   • Right-click it and choose Initialize Disk.
   • Select GPT (GUID Partition Table) if prompted.
   • Create a New Simple Volume, assign a drive letter, and format it as NTFS.

If Disk Management doesn’t detect the SSD, move to the next step.

Check Device Manager

1. Press Win + X, then choose Device Manager.
2. Expand Disk Drives and look for the SSD.
   • If it has a yellow triangle or exclamation mark, right-click and select Update Driver.
   • If that doesn’t work, right-click and select Uninstall Device, then unplug and replug the enclosure.

Check BIOS Settings

Since your laptop's BIOS shows an exclamation mark, there might be an issue with how it's detecting the drive. Try the following:

1. Restart your laptop and enter the BIOS (F10 for HP).
2. Look for Storage or Boot Configuration.
3. If there's an option like PCIe Storage Configuration, make sure it's set to AHCI instead of RAID.
4. See if Secure Boot is enabled—if so, try disabling it temporarily.

Try a Different Port or PC

• If your HP ENVY x360 laptop doesn’t recognize the drive, try a different USB-C port.
• If possible, connect the NVMe enclosure to another PC to see if it’s detected.

Use the Windows Installation Media

If your goal is to install Windows onto the SSD before putting it into the OMEN 30L, you can create a bootable Windows installer directly on the drive:

1. Download the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool.
2. Use Rufus (a free tool) to create a bootable drive targeting your new SSD.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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