My ThinkPad T14 was running Pop!_OS normally yesterday, but now it freezes at the Lenovo splash screen whenever I power it on. I've already removed and reseated the battery, SSD, RAM, and CMOS battery. The SSD is detected when connected to another computer, but when I boot from a Pop!_OS installer USB to perform a clean installation, the internal drive doesn't appear. The laptop has an Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor and 16 GB of DDR4 RAM. What should I check next to determine whether this is a firmware, storage-controller, or SSD problem?
2 Answers
Since it hangs before the operating system loads, start by separating a firmware problem from a disk problem. Try entering the BIOS/UEFI setup and check whether the SSD is listed there. If the BIOS itself is slow or freezes, disconnect the SSD and test again; a failing drive can sometimes stall hardware detection even if another computer can still read it. Also try Lenovo’s built-in diagnostics and reset BIOS settings to their defaults. If the SSD is absent in BIOS but works externally, the drive, connector, or storage mode may be involved. If it appears in BIOS but not in the installer, check the storage-controller setting, such as Intel VMD/RST versus AHCI, and make sure the installer supports that configuration.
Because the SSD is readable on another computer, back up or image it before doing anything destructive. You can boot a Linux live USB and inspect the drive with tools such as lsblk and smartctl, or use a disk-imaging utility. If the drive’s health data shows errors or the system freezes whenever it is installed internally, replacing the SSD is likely the practical fix. If the laptop still freezes at the Lenovo logo with the SSD removed, the issue is more likely related to firmware, the storage slot, memory, or the motherboard.
A live Ubuntu USB is a good next step, but first test with the internal SSD completely removed. If the machine reaches the boot menu normally afterward, reconnect the drive and check whether the behavior returns.