Computer will not detect new SSD

Dreadbeard

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Aug 5, 2012
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Im helping my friend to finish his PC, and he bought a 120GB SSD for his pc, i plugged it in made sure the connections were solid both to the power and mobo, but for some odd reason the pc will not tell us the SSD is there.
It seems to detect that there is something in the SATA port, as it attempts to install drivers for it. But even when it does that it wont detect the SSD. Ive gone through BIOS and tryed to find the cause from there but i cant seem to find it in there either.
In Device manager the PC shows the SSD is there, and its being displayed correctly, but when checking "my computer" the only drives are the internal HDD and an external HDD.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks.
 
Solution
If on windows 7: click start and right click computer and go to mange. Inside of computer management on the left side expand STORAGE and click disk management. When you do that you might get a pop window for the new drive if not then go to the middle of the screen where it lists all your drives at the bottom and see if it is in there, Should be a black box that says unallocated space, right click on it and format the drive.

For windows 10 just right click on the start button and go to disk management, the bottom part of the screen will list all your drives. See if the drive is listed in there, if it is the right click and format.
If on windows 7: click start and right click computer and go to mange. Inside of computer management on the left side expand STORAGE and click disk management. When you do that you might get a pop window for the new drive if not then go to the middle of the screen where it lists all your drives at the bottom and see if it is in there, Should be a black box that says unallocated space, right click on it and format the drive.

For windows 10 just right click on the start button and go to disk management, the bottom part of the screen will list all your drives. See if the drive is listed in there, if it is the right click and format.
 
Solution
faalin is on the right track but if this is a brand-new "virgin" 120 GB SSD that you're installing in the PC as a SECONDARY drive, I'm sure you're aware that you have to first initialize the drive and then create one or more partitions and format the drive. Naturally you can do that in Disk Management, but since you're apparently an experienced PC user (been with this "Forum" for about five years), you surely know all this.

So there must be something else that's involved here, no?

And then there's the question of installing an OS onto that SSD (which I assume is the ultimate objective, no?)
 

Dreadbeard

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The PC is maybe 2 months old, was a new build.



I will attempt this and see what happens.



I have been here a long time for sure :) but unfortunatly im no expert. I come here mostly for advice, less to give it :)
As for installing the OS onto the SSD i dont beleive thats what he wants to do, even though i know it would be the better idea.

 

Dreadbeard

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Just letting you guys know, i did manage to fix it, thanks for your help. The issue was as Faalin said, i had to go through disk management and sort it there. My friend is now very happy. Thank you.