I've been trying to set up Linux on my older laptop, but I'm facing a frustrating problem. My NVME SSD (a Samsung 500GB Gen3 OEM drive) isn't showing up during the installation process. I booted from a USB stick to troubleshoot, and while the drive appears in the BIOS and the 'disks' overview, it doesn't show in the installation screen or GParted. I even attempted to create a partition using the 'disks' tool, but that didn't work either. When I tried using NVME-CLI to format the drive, it gave me a permission error. Oddly, the same issue happens with a new Lexar 1TB drive.
I've considered a few potential causes for this:
1. The drive might not be formatted properly for Linux (it also doesn't boot Windows).
2. It could be encrypted, possibly due to a failed Windows installation.
3. Both drives might be defective, which seems unusual since they are visible on Windows.
4. There may be a problem with the NVME controller itself, especially since the problem persists across different drives. Would using an external adapter help test this theory?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated as this issue has been weighing on my mind!
4 Answers
Double-check your BIOS settings and ensure that options like Intel RST, VMD, or any "RAID" features are disabled. These settings can sometimes prevent drives from being recognized properly during installation.
I suggest checking the BIOS for any hidden settings related to storage, especially if you’re using an ASUS motherboard. Some important options can be tucked away in menus that aren’t obvious.
Try removing any existing partitions on the drives entirely and then see if they appear during installation afterward.
If you've disabled Secure Boot and TPM, make sure to delete any TPM keys and reset the settings to factory defaults. This can sometimes resolve issues with drives not being recognized.
I looked for RAID options, but since it's an AMD system, I couldn't find anything. I'm thinking about using an old external HDD for installation to see if that gives me more control.