My M.2 SSD containing Windows failed yesterday and no longer appears in the motherboard's BIOS. I've ordered an external enclosure in case I can recover data from it. I installed a new SSD and created a Windows 11 USB installer, but Windows Setup displays "Load driver to show hardware" and does not show the new drive. I initially tried downloading Wi-Fi drivers, but Setup could not see those either. I also switched the BIOS to UEFI, but the result was the same. The installer USB was created on a Linux laptop, so I'm wondering whether that could be the problem. Could this be related to Intel VMD/IRST, AMD RAID, AHCI, or BIOS settings rather than a failed SSD?
3 Answers
That message usually means Windows Setup cannot access the storage controller, not that it needs Wi-Fi drivers. On an Intel system, download the Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST/VMD) driver from your motherboard manufacturer, extract it to the installer USB, and load the appropriate driver during Setup. Alternatively, disable VMD or Intel RAID in the BIOS if you are not using it. On AMD systems, check whether RAID mode is enabled and turn it off if it is unnecessary.
Because the USB was created from Linux, recreate it using a Windows PC if possible. Some Linux tools or ISO-writing methods can produce installers that behave incorrectly on certain systems. Use Microsoft’s official Windows 11 installation media tool, then boot the USB in UEFI mode.
Check the BIOS storage settings before changing anything else. If SATA or storage mode is set to RAID, switch it to AHCI only if you do not need an existing RAID setup. Also verify that the new M.2 drive is supported in that slot and appears in the BIOS. A CMOS reset could have reverted storage-controller settings, which would explain why the installer suddenly cannot find a drive.
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