SSD Replacement

[jwk2295]

The SSD in my laptop experienced a catastrophic failure and I lost everything on it. I am trying to replace it with a new SSD, however, I am having problems installing Windows 11. I formatted (Ex-Fat) the new drive with a MacBook I have and installed it in my HP. BIOS recognizes the drive, but when I run Windows install from a USB I created, Windows can't find the drive. I know the drive is good because I can read and write to it from my Mac.

Any ideas why Windows install can't/won't see the drive?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

If your notebook has an Intel 11th gen core processor, there is a special process needed to clean install W10/W11 on notebooks with the Intel 11th gen core processors...

See the info at the link below.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-15-f2000-laptop-pc-series/35900344/model/35900346/document/c...

Here is the link to the driver you need...

This package contains the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver for the supported notebook models and operating systems. The Intel Rapid Storage Technology is designed to provide functionality for the Intel Storage Controllers. The driver improves Serial ATA (SATA) disk performance with Native Command Queuing.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp135501-136000/sp135979.exe 

There is an error in that document, and that is where HP tells you to right click on the Intel driver file and select Extract to

When I ran through the steps, I don't get an Extract to option when I right click on the file.

You will probably have the same issue.  Download and install the free 7-zip file utility from the link below.

The 1st file at the top of the page is for 64 bit.

7-Zip (7-zip.org)

Then you can right click on the exe file, select 7-Zip from the menu, and select Extract to:  and let it extract the file into its folder name (sp135979), and copy that folder to your USB flash drive, and continue with the instructions.

Then you can install the drivers and available software from the support page.

HP Pavilion Laptop PC 15-eg0000 (9WF74AV) Software and Driver Downloads | HP® Customer Support

[jwk2295]

Thank you for your reply.

I followed the steps outlined in your post, however, I was still unsuccessful.

The step for downloading the IRST driver was a little different than you wrote, though, I don't know if it makes a material difference. The driver downloaded as a .exe file instead of a .zip so I did not have an option to extract it. I simply copied it to my USB.

After creating the USB as you instructed and copying the driver to the drive, I started the setup process on the laptop. All proceeded as expected until the screen asking me to browse for a driver. I navigated to the folder on the USB where I stored the .exe file, but I got a message saying "No signed device drivers were found". I also tried running the file from the command prompt and was told that the file was not compatible with the version of Windows I was trying to install.

I verified that the laptop has an 11th Gen Core i7 processor so it seems like your solution should have worked. Am I doing something incorrectly?

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

You are 100% correct.

The file is an exe file and not a zip file.

You have overlooked an essential step you need to perform to turn the exe file into a driver folder, and that is to use the free 7-Zip file utility to do that.

"There is an error in that document, and that is where HP tells you to right click on the Intel driver file and select Extract to

When I ran through the steps, I don't get an Extract to option when I right click on the file.

You will probably have the same issue.  Download and install the free 7-zip file utility from the link below.

The 1st file at the top of the page is for 64 bit.

7-Zip (7-zip.org)

Then you can right click on the exe file, select 7-Zip from the menu, and select Extract to:  and let it extract the file into its folder name (sp135979), and copy that folder to your USB flash drive, and continue with the instructions."

No matter.  I have done the work for you and zipped up and attached the raw driver file below.

Just unzip the file to its folder, copy the folder to your USB flash drive and browse to it.

[jwk2295]

Thank you, Paul Tikkanen!

Your instructions were detailed, easy to follow, and fixed my issue (once I did exactly what you told me to do)!

I appreciate your help.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime. 

Glad to have been of assistance.