Question:

How to access an SSD that is not recognized by disk management or file explorer?

I have an SSD that was previously working fine on my laptop, but suddenly stopped booting. I removed the SSD from the laptop and connected it to my PC using a SATA cable. The SSD appears in the device manager, but not in the disk management or file explorer. I need to access the data on the SSD and repair any possible errors. What steps should I take to troubleshoot this issue?

Answer:

Solid state drives (SSDs) are fast, reliable, and energy-efficient storage devices that can store your data and run your operating system. However, sometimes they may encounter problems that prevent them from being detected or accessed by your computer. This can be frustrating, especially if you have important files on the SSD that you need to recover or backup.

In this article, we will explain some common causes of SSD recognition issues, and provide some solutions that can help you access your SSD and fix any errors. We will focus on the scenario where the SSD appears in the device manager, but not in the disk management or file explorer, which means that the SSD is physically connected and recognized by the system, but not assigned a drive letter or partition.

Possible causes of SSD recognition issues

There are several factors that can cause your SSD to not show up in the disk management or file explorer, such as:

• Corrupted or missing file system: The file system is the structure that organizes and manages the data on the storage device. If the file system is corrupted or missing, the SSD may not be readable by the operating system, and thus not appear in the disk management or file explorer.
• Outdated or incompatible drivers: Drivers are software components that enable the communication between the hardware and the operating system. If the drivers for the SSD or the SATA controller are outdated or incompatible, the SSD may not function properly or be detected by the system.
• Incorrect BIOS settings: BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is the firmware that controls the startup and basic functions of the computer. If the BIOS settings are incorrect, such as the SATA mode or the boot order, the SSD may not be recognized or initialized by the system.
• Hardware issues: Hardware issues, such as a faulty SATA cable, a loose connection, a damaged SSD, or a malfunctioning motherboard, can also prevent the SSD from showing up in the disk management or file explorer.

Possible solutions to access and fix the SSD

Depending on the cause of the problem, there are different solutions that can help you access and fix the SSD. Here are some steps that you can try:

• Check the SSD connection: The first thing you should do is to make sure that the SSD is properly connected to the PC. You can try to reconnect the SATA cable, use a different SATA port or cable, or connect the SSD to another PC to see if it works. If the SSD still does not show up in the disk management or file explorer, you can move on to the next step.
• Update the SSD and SATA controller drivers: The next thing you should do is to update the drivers for the SSD and the SATA controller. You can do this by going to the device manager, right-clicking on the SSD and the SATA controller, and selecting “Update driver”. Alternatively, you can download the latest drivers from the manufacturer’s website and install them manually. If the SSD still does not show up in the disk management or file explorer, you can move on to the next step.
• Change the BIOS settings: The next thing you should do is to change the BIOS settings to make sure that the SSD is compatible and bootable. You can do this by restarting the PC and pressing the designated key (usually F2, F10, F12, or Del) to enter the BIOS setup. Then, you should check the following settings:
• SATA mode: The SATA mode determines how the SATA controller communicates with the SSD. There are three main modes: IDE, AHCI, and RAID. IDE is the legacy mode that supports older devices, but has lower performance and compatibility. AHCI is the standard mode that supports most modern devices, and has higher performance and compatibility. RAID is the advanced mode that supports multiple devices working together, but requires special configuration and drivers. You should set the SATA mode to AHCI, unless you have a specific reason to use RAID or IDE.
• Boot order: The boot order determines the priority of the devices that the system tries to boot from. You should make sure that the SSD is the first or second device in the boot order, depending on whether you have another bootable device connected. You can change the boot order by using the arrow keys and the +/- keys, or by following the instructions on the screen.
• Boot mode: The boot mode determines the type of firmware that the system uses to boot the devices. There are two main modes: Legacy and UEFI. Legacy is the older mode that supports older devices, but has lower security and compatibility. UEFI is the newer mode that supports newer devices, and has higher security and compatibility. You should set the boot mode to UEFI, unless you have a specific reason to use Legacy.

After changing the BIOS settings, you should save the changes and exit the BIOS setup. Then, you should restart the PC and see if the SSD shows up in the disk management or file explorer. If the SSD still does not show up in the disk management or file explorer, you can move on to the next step.

• Initialize and format the SSD: The final thing you should do is to initialize and format the SSD. This will create a new file system on the SSD and assign it a drive letter, making it accessible and usable by the system. However, this will also erase all the data on the SSD, so you should only do this if you have a backup or you don’t care about the data. You can do this by following these steps:
• Open the disk management by pressing Windows + R, typing diskmgmt.msc, and clicking OK.
• Find the SSD in the list of disks. It should be labeled as “Unknown” or “Not Initialized”.
• Right-click on the SSD and select “Initialize Disk”.
• Choose the partition style for the SSD. There are two main styles: MBR (Master Boot Record) and GPT (GUID Partition Table). MBR is the older style that supports up to 4 primary partitions and 2 TB of disk size, but has lower compatibility and security. GPT is the newer style that supports up to 128 primary partitions and larger disk sizes, and has higher compatibility and security. You should choose GPT, unless you have a specific reason to use MBR.
• Click OK to initialize the SSD.
• Right-click on the unallocated space on the SSD and select “New Simple Volume”.
• Follow the wizard to create a new partition on the SSD. You can choose the size, drive letter, file system, and volume label for the partition. The file system is the structure that organizes and manages the data on the partition. There are several file systems to choose from, such as NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, etc. NTFS is the most common file system for Windows, and has higher performance and security. FAT32 and exFAT are more compatible with other operating systems and devices, but have lower performance and security. You should choose NTFS, unless you have a specific reason to use another file system.
• Click Finish to create the partition and format the SSD.

After initializing and formatting the SSD, you should see it in the disk management and file explorer, and be able to access and use it normally.

Conclusion

In this article, we have explained some common causes and solutions for SSD recognition issues, focusing on the scenario where the SSD appears in the device manager, but not in the disk management or file explorer. We hope that this article has helped you access and fix your SSD, and recover or backup your data. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading! 😊

Disclaimer:

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Please consult a qualified technician or expert before attempting any of the solutions mentioned in this article. We are not responsible for any damage or data loss that may occur as a result of following this article.