HDD and SSD not recognized in BIOS

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cad10

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May 17, 2013
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Hey guys, I've been trying to build my sisters computer for her and i have come into some problems. After building everything I powered on the PC and the BIOS and everything else loads fine. The CPU, GPU and RAM all show up fine in the BIOS, however the 2 TB HDD and the 250GB (replaced with 500GB since i thought the 250 was faulty) SSD does not. The configuration is set to ACHI in the BIOS (only other option is RAID), but it says that all SATA Ports are "not present" and I cannot see either drives in both the boot priority or the actual storage settings.

Here are the solutions i've tried and have not worked:
Tried with different Sata cables (although i used the same cable and it still lights up the light strips in the case fine so im pretty sure its not that)
Tried with different Data cables
Replaced with a different brand motherboard
Replaced BOTH SSD and HDD and they still don't show up
Tried different Sata ports

I really don't know why they aren't being recognized. I've tried fiddling with as many settings but none of them seem to do anything at all and I can't figure out why.

Any help is appreciated.
Thanks for reading
 
Solution
A
As to 1. above, since you have a working PC available, couldn't you partition/format the SSD first (MBR scheme) and then attempt to install the OS onto it in the new PC?

You might want to try this as another trouble-shooting step here...(we're grasping at straws now!)...

Since you have a working PC, use a disk-cloning program to clone the contents of your boot drive (regardless of the OS) to the SSD. (I'm assuming you have some experience and/or knowledge of utilizing a disk-cloning program.)

Assuming the cloning operation is successful, install the SSD in your sister's PC and determine if it can boot to the OS.
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cad10

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May 17, 2013
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SSD- First one was samsung EVO 850 250GB, the one i replaced it with was a 500GB

HDD- Western Digital Blue 2TB.

ill try clearing the cmos and test the other drives on another pc.

thanks for the suggestions
 
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Geef

Geef

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Sep 12, 2006
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This isn't really a fix for your problem, but a suggestion. While you set up the new system only plug in the drive you plan on installing the OS to and once your totally done getting it installed then plug in the second drive. This way you can deal with any trouble you have one at a time.
 
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cad10

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May 17, 2013
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I haven't installed the OS yet. I thought i would need them to show up in the BIOS otherwise they wouldn't be recognized if I tried to install an OS right?
 
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cad10

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May 17, 2013
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Even though I have built my own pc already i feel like im being an idiot right now. I can try to install the OS without the drives showing up in the bios and see if it will be recognized as I'm doing it?
 
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cad10

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May 17, 2013
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but the thing is I can't! none of the drives are showing up in the BIOS and when I try to install Windows it cannot find the drives either. This has happened with 2 mobos (both different brands and with 2 different HDDs and SSD)

I don't understand why they aren't showing up.
 
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ArtPog

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Sep 17, 2014
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Do us both a favor and forget the "BIOS" for a moment, OK?

Your objective to install the Win 10 OS using the Windows Media Tool (that's what you're referring to when you mention "through USB", right?) that contains the Win 10 setup files is excellent.

Now with the PC shutdown, and with ONLY the drive on which you plan to install the OS connected in the system, and with the USB flash drive installed, power-up the PC.

As the system begins to boot, access your boot menu by pressing the appropriate key (usually one of your "F" keys - check your motherboard manual if you don't know which one or there may be a screen reference to the appropriate key during the bootup), and select the USB flash drive as the boot drive.

NOTE: The flash drive may be listed twice on the boot menu - one listing as a USB device, the other listing as a UEFI device. Select the listing for the USB device. I'm assuming the drive on which the OS will be installed will be MBR-partitioned.

The system should boot to the Win 10 installation screen.

If you run into any problems or difficulties let us know (including the make/model of your motherboard).

 
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cad10

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May 17, 2013
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Hey, sorry for the late reply, I was at Uni. I did try to install Windows 10 that way already and once it got to the installation screen after I typed in the key, it could not find any drives to install on. The model of the motherboard is MSI Z170A Gaming M5
 
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ArtPog

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1. When the system boots to the Windows 10 Setup screen and you click the Install button, what precisely happens?

What do you mean when you say "I typed in the key..."? You mean you clicked the Install button?

2. What is the precise message - the PRECISE message - Windows displays?

3. You boot with ONLY the SSD installed? Is the 2 TB HDD also installed at the time? If it is, disconnect it when you attempt the OS installation process.

4. Are both the SSD & the HDD new disks?

5. You're pretty sure you've properly connected the SSD to a SATA port?

6. Since you have a working PC could you test the SSD just to ensure it's not defective? Probably not, since you apparently had the same difficulty with an earlier SSD. And test the HDD as well while you're at it.

7. I just noticed from your initial post that the IDENTICAL problem occurred with a DIFFERENT motherboard? Is that right? And with the same components as this one?

 
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cad10

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May 17, 2013
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Sorry for the lack of clarification. I appreciate the help you are giving me.

1. I meant as in I entered in the Windows license Key. I got all the way through the installation till it would normally ask you to choose/make a partition on a drive for the OS however it could not recognise any drives to do this with.

2. I'm not able to check right now but I might be able to soon, depending on how soon I can get home. There was no message. Just that there were no drives to be able to install windows onto.

3. Yes only the SSD was connected. The HDD was not connected when I attempted the install of Windows 10.

4. Yes. First I bought a 2tb HDD and a 250GB SSD. Both did not show up. I replaced it with a 500GB SSD and another (WD 2tb) HDD thinking that was the problem.

5. Yes I am sure the SSD is connected to a Sata Port and I have tried other ports too.

6. Hopefully ill be able to test the SSD and HDD tonight,

7. yeah, at first I thought it was the first Motherboards sata ports weren't working. However, I purchased a new one (also didn't really like the old one that much) and the same problem persists. All other components are the exact same.
 
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ArtPog

Admirable
Sep 17, 2014
2,951
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8,965
As to 1. above, since you have a working PC available, couldn't you partition/format the SSD first (MBR scheme) and then attempt to install the OS onto it in the new PC?

You might want to try this as another trouble-shooting step here...(we're grasping at straws now!)...

Since you have a working PC, use a disk-cloning program to clone the contents of your boot drive (regardless of the OS) to the SSD. (I'm assuming you have some experience and/or knowledge of utilizing a disk-cloning program.)

Assuming the cloning operation is successful, install the SSD in your sister's PC and determine if it can boot to the OS.
 
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