I'm trying to get my Windows 11 installation completely fresh and stable again. My RTX 4050 had a detection problem earlier, but it is working now and isn't the issue.
I first attempted a clean installation from a USB drive, but the SSD did not appear on the screen where I was supposed to choose an installation drive. I also tried running DISM with `DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth`, but it stayed stuck for hours. Mounting a Windows 11 ISO and launching setup resulted in a Safe OS boot failure, and Windows' built-in repair/reinstall option also failed after running for a long time. Windows Update now reports error `0x8007042b` for the Windows 11 25H2 repair version.
I don't need to preserve any files and would prefer to erase the drive completely and install Windows 11 from scratch. I have a genuine product key. Could BitLocker affect this, and what is the safest correct procedure from here?
2 Answers
If this is a laptop, the SSD may be hidden because the system is using Intel RST, RAID, or VMD storage mode. Download the exact storage/RST driver for your computer model from the manufacturer, extract it onto the Windows installation USB, and use “Load driver” on the drive-selection screen. Select the compatible driver and check whether the SSD appears.
You can also check the firmware settings for VMD or RAID. Switching to AHCI may make the drive visible without an additional driver, but changing that setting can prevent the current Windows installation from booting, so it’s best used when you’re already planning to erase the drive or after confirming the manufacturer’s instructions. BitLocker usually doesn’t prevent a clean install, but the existing encrypted partitions will be erased.
Since you don’t need anything on the drive, do a proper clean installation rather than another repair attempt. In the firmware settings, check whether storage is set to RAID/VMD and either load the correct storage driver or switch to AHCI if your computer supports it. Be careful not to change this casually on an existing installation.
Boot from a freshly created official Windows 11 USB. At the disk-selection screen, identify the internal drive—not the USB installer—and delete every partition on that drive until it shows only as unallocated space. Then select the unallocated space and click Next; Windows will create the required partitions automatically. A firmware “Secure Erase” option can also be used first if available, but double-check the selected disk because this permanently destroys all data. Your activation should normally return automatically if the device already has a digital Windows license; the product key can be entered later if needed.
I tried loading the RST drivers I found, including both options shown by the installer, but the SSD still didn’t appear. I’m not sure whether I’m selecting the wrong file or missing a step.