It’s probably no more news that Solid-state drives or SSDs pose more benefits over traditional magnetic hard drives or HDDs. It’s not surprising that many people are upgrading to SSDs because of their superiority.
SSDs have a prevalent problem of not being detected by the motherboard and windows OS. Despite being appropriately connected, your SSD might not be seen and won’t display on the computer.
Are you in this present situation with your MSI motherboard? Then worry no more. This article contains comprehensive guides on how to fix the problem and ensure your motherboard recognizes the SSD.
But first, let’s establish why the Motherboard does not recognize your SSD.
MSI Motherboard Not Detecting SSD: Likely Causes
The most common causes of the MSI motherboard not detecting SSD are:
- Incorrect connection
- Faulty hardware components
- configured SSD settings in BIOS
- Corrupted or outdated system driver
- Uninitialized SSD
MSI Motherboard Not Detecting SSD: How To Fix
We’ve curated below proven troubleshooting methods to resolve the MSI motherboard not detecting SSD problems. Ensure you follow the steps the way they are listed until you find the one that fixes your motherboard problem.
1. Troubleshoot Hardware Components
An incorrect connection or faulty hardware can prevent your motherboard from detecting SSD. So not only do you have to inspect the connection, but you must also double-check the hardware parts, including SSD and corresponding port, to be sure everything is working fine. Check that your SSD is plugged into the right motherboard connector. You can also switch between different SSD ports to see if BIOS will detect it.
If you’re confident the SSD parts and ports are working efficiently, you can move to the cables. You should check if the SATA cable makes full contact with the motherboard.
Have you checked if the cable is in good working condition? Your SATA cable is prone to defects. You can use the guide below to troubleshoot the cable and hardware components
- Detach the SSD from your motherboard
- Clean the SATA cable endings. Also, don’t forget the motherboard connection pins too. Try to clean it.
- Straighten all bends or curves in the cable. Ensure there are no creases too
- Inspect that the PSU is receiving sufficient power to support the SSD
- Tighten the SATA cable firmly and ensure it snaps or clicks very well
2. Verify BIOS Detects SSD
To continue troubleshooting the hardware components, you must check if the BIOS detects your SSD. If the connection is proper, the BIOS should detect the SSD. The BIOS boots the control and controls important tasks between the operating system and its peripherals.
You can make the verification as follows
- Restart your computer
- Open the BIOS menu on your computer when it starts booting. Note that the function differs according to the computer. Generally, F2, F7, or Del key will open the BIOS menu.
- When the BIOS menu appears, find the Boot menu and check if the SSD is among the options.
- If it isn’t listed there, there may be faulty hardware.
If it is listed, then configure the SSD settings in the BIOS menu.
3. Configure The SSD settings in BIOS
If the SATA controller mode isn’t set correctly, your motherboard might not detect the SSD. The SATA controller is the hardware interface that connects the SSD with the motherboard. You can configure the SATA controller settings in BIOS with the steps below:
- Restart your computer
- Press either the F2, F7, or Del key immediately after the first screen appears to enter the BIOS menu
- Press the Enter key to jump to Config
- Choose Serial ATA and confirm your choice with Enter key
- The SATA controller mode will appear. Choose the IDE compatibility Mode.
- Confirm your choice and save the changes
- Restart your computer and check if the motherboard can now detect the SSD
4. Update System Drivers
If there’s a missing driver on your computer, it can hinder the motherboard from detecting the SSD. Similarly, corrupted and outdated drivers can also affect the mother. You should ensure you have the latest version of drivers on your computer.
You can update your computer drivers from the manufacturer’s website or third-party applications. We recommend you visit your manufacturer’s website, search for hardware device drivers, and install the latest available driver version. However, ensure you only download drivers compatible with your system.
5. Initialize The SSD
If your SSD is a new one, you might need to initialize it before the motherboard can recognize it. An uninitialized SSD will correctly not display in the Disk Management utility and file explorer. You can initialize your SSD with the steps below if you haven’t before:
- Go to the search menu and search for Disk Management.
- Right-click on the top match and choose Run as administrator.
- Locate the SSD and right-click on it. Then select Initialize Disk
- From the dialogue box displayed, choose the SSD disk you wish to initialize.
- Pick the partition style and click on Ok to start the process
- Return to Disk Management and right-click on the SSD volume
- Select the new volume and follow the on-screen instructions.
The instructions will help you assign a new SSD volume. Once completed, restart your computer and check if the SSD is not detected.
6. Update Storage Controller Drivers
The storage controller must have the latest version of drivers. An outdated driver can hinder the device’s functionality and cause the motherboard not to detect the SSD. Follow the steps below to update your storage controller drivers:
- Go to the Start Menu and search for Device Manager
- Click on the top result to prompt the Device Manager menu
- Search for the Storage controllers so you can expand the tab
- Right-click on the Storage controller. Now, select Update driver from the tab
- Follow other on-screen instructions
Windows should automatically install the latest updates. Once completed, restart your computer and start File explorer to check if your motherboard can now detect the SSD.
7. Contact Your Manufacturer’s Support
In situations where none of the above troubleshooting methods could fix your MSI motherboard so it can detect your SSD, do not hesitate to contact the Manufacturers support or a professional for further diagnosis.