I'm trying to install Ubuntu on a Lenovo LOQ 15IAX9E. The Ubuntu USB takes a long time to boot and the installer runs very slowly. More importantly, no internal SSD appears when Ubuntu asks where to install. The Windows installer also fails to show any drives, so this seems to affect both operating systems. I checked the BIOS but could not find a SATA or AHCI setting. What should I check to make the SSD detectable?
3 Answers
For Windows installation, download the storage/VMD or Intel Rapid Storage driver supplied for the exact laptop model from Lenovo’s support page. Extract it onto another USB drive, choose Load driver in Windows Setup, and select the VMD controller driver. Ubuntu may support the controller automatically with a recent release, but if it does not, disabling VMD in firmware is usually simpler. Avoid randomly installing generic IRST packages, since many are model- or Windows-version-specific.
The slow USB boot is probably a separate issue. Recreate the installer from a freshly downloaded Ubuntu ISO, verify the ISO if possible, and use a reliable USB 3 drive in a USB 3 port. A damaged or very slow flash drive can make the live environment feel unusable. Also check whether the SSD is visible in the BIOS; if it is not listed there either, the issue could be a loose or defective drive rather than an installer setting.
This sounds like the storage controller is configured for Intel VMD/RST rather than standard AHCI. That can make the SSD invisible to both Linux and the Windows installer. Look in the BIOS for settings named VMD, Intel Rapid Storage, RST, or Storage Controller and disable VMD/RST if the option is available. On some Lenovo models the setting is under an advanced configuration or storage section, and the exact label varies. Back up your data first, since changing the controller mode can prevent an existing Windows installation from booting unless Windows is prepared for the change. Installing an Intel RST driver package inside Ubuntu is generally not the solution, and a package that reports an unsupported platform is probably the wrong driver or intended for Windows.
I checked the BIOS and there is no obvious AHCI option. The SSD is missing from both Ubuntu and a fresh Windows installer, so I’m specifically looking for the VMD/RST setting or the correct Lenovo storage driver for this model.