Hey there! I recently built a new PC after my ASUS ZenBook failed to stay on for more than two minutes, which was quite frustrating. Now, I'm trying to recover data from the M.2 SSD that was in the laptop. The issue is that the SSD doesn't appear in File Explorer, but it shows up in Disk Management as unallocated space and prompts me to initialize it. I've also attempted to use Macrium Reflect to transfer everything to my new PC, but the SSD isn't recognized there either, even though it's visible in Disk Management. I'm a bit confused because I've read conflicting information regarding the initialization process; some say it's necessary for formatting and will erase data, while others claim it just assigns a letter to the disk for access. I'm reaching out to see if anyone can clarify if initializing is a safe option that would allow me to access my old files or if it risks losing everything. Thanks in advance for your help!
2 Answers
Have you checked Device Manager? Go to it and look for disk drives or storage drives. If there are any issues, you might find some error codes in the properties under the General tab. You should also check if the drive appears in the BIOS.
In Disk Drives, it shows this image: [screenshot link]. It might shed some light on the issue.
Could you share screenshots of your Disk Management? It would help to see exactly what's going on with the partitions.
I just uploaded a screenshot in my comment.
Just added a comment with a screenshot; I’ll check the BIOS next!