Jump to content
Corsair Community

Windows 7 doesn't recognize 128GB SSD


king21092

Recommended Posts

Check my specs for all the system parts I'm using.

 

First off, I bought the SSD from Newegg and read hundred and hundreds of reviews, pretty much all of them say you basically plug it up, turn on the power and it is instantly recognized. This is my exact problem, Windows 7 refuses to recognize the SSD (it also isn't recognized in Parted Magic off the USB boot drive). My SSD is able to be seen in BIOS just fine. AHCI is enabled..

 

I've been scouring the forums for over 4 or 5 hours and have yet to find something that fully explained how to get it recognized in Win7.

 

I'm stumped at this point, honestly. If there are any tips or anything that you think I've missed, please, post them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What do you mean by "Windows 7 refuses to recognize the SSD"?

 

Does it appear as an unused volume if you go to Computer > Manage > Disk Management?

 

Does it appear under "disk drives" in Computer > Manage > Device Manager?

 

Is AHCI enabled in BIOS, and also in the registry? (See my recent thread on this for various helpful suggestions from other users.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, I see everything but the SSD under Disk Management.

 

Also, let me add that I have swapped Sata cables as well as tried multiple different Sata ports, one of which is being used by my mechanical HDD.

 

EDIT:

 

Does not show up in Device Manager. Yes AHCI is enabled (had to do the whole registry fix to get it to work, but it has working).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't know if this applies to you, but the following is a cut-and-paste that Ram Guy posted in my recent thread on MSAHCI

 

How to enable AHCI in Windows 7 after Instalation:

 

There is one way to fix this, although you need to have knowledge of registry editing. The detailed steps from Microsoft are as follows:

 

1.Exit all Windows-based programs.

2.Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

3.If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.

4.Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetServicesMsahci

5.In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.

6.In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.

7.On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.

 

After this you’ll have to restart your computer, go to BIOS and enable AHCI. When you log in to Windows again, you’ll notice the installation of drivers for AHCI. Another restart will be required to finish the driver installation.

 

These steps are provided at your own risk and not suggested unless you know and understand the risks. You will want to make sure the controller driver and MB BIOS support this option before you enable it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, Stewart1, that is the guide I followed (actually found another link to the MS site to verify) to enable it in BIOS.

 

One thing I'm curious about is, from what I can tell, people haven't had any problems with there SSD being recognized, whether it is set to AHCI or IDE. They just seem to have performance issues.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's true - I didn't have a problem with it being recognised by Windows 7 either in IDE or AHCI mode. I only posted that because I thought perhaps you had enabled it in BIOS but not in the registry.

 

Sorry but my meagre expertise in this area is now exhausted. Hopefully others may be able to help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I only posted that because I thought perhaps you had enabled it in BIOS but not in the registry.

 

This is what I had originally done... ending up finding out it's just an infinite BSOD cycle. Searched around and found that post/guide to fix that problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to recap so I understand your problem...

 

1. Is the SSD is physically connected to an internal SATA port?

2. Is this SSD your boot drive?

3. This SSD does not show up in the Disk Management (be it assigned or not)?

4. And did you indicate you can access this drive at all?

5. What is the SSD firmware (this makes no difference as far as I know right now)

7. Which version of Windows 7 are you using?

8. What other drives are in your system?

9. If the SSD is not your boot drive, have you tried it as a boot drive? Did a full install of Windoze 7 to is as the sole drive in the machine?

 

I'm just trying to get a feel for the problem so you will have a better chance to solve the problem you are having.

 

Also, I'm not sure if you need to go the AHCI route unless you have other hard drives that benefit from this instruction set because in my opinion the SSD doesn't benefit in a desktop configuration. The power saved in so minimal on a SSD. Stick with IDE if you can, at least until you can see the drive, then you could make the registry change and then change the BIOS setting.

 

-Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to recap so I understand your problem...

 

1. Is the SSD is physically connected to an internal SATA port?

2. Is this SSD your boot drive?

3. This SSD does not show up in the Disk Management (be it assigned or not)?

4. And did you indicate you can access this drive at all?

5. What is the SSD firmware (this makes no difference as far as I know right now)

7. Which version of Windows 7 are you using?

8. What other drives are in your system?

9. If the SSD is not your boot drive, have you tried it as a boot drive? Did a full install of Windoze 7 to is as the sole drive in the machine?

 

1. Yes, it is connected to an internal M/B sata port (have tried multiple ports[1-6]).

2. No, but I am trying to run the setup from my current Windows 7 OS(from the mechanical drive) and install it to the SSD, then go into BIOS and switch the boot options to make the SSD the boot drive.

3. No

4. I have found no way to see, or access, this drive at all besides BIOS(it sees it at least).

5. I have no clue how to check it as I can't see it in any form outside of BIOS.

6. You skipped 6 :P

7. Windows 7 Ult x64

8. Just my DVD/CDrom drive and my other 400gb HDD.

9. See #2.

 

I will burn a copy of the installation to a CD and try it as the sole drive, hopefully that will work, but for now the above information is correct.

 

--------------------------------------

 

EDIT: as of 11:57AM

 

Amazingly, using the disc actually worked and it detected the SSD. I was able to install Windows 7 just fine, now to do all the.... stupid updates.

 

If I have any other questions I will be sure to post back, but for now this thread has done its purpose.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Corsair Employee
With Windows 7 and most O.S. since Windows 95 you can only have one active drive in the system at one time and that may have been why it was not showing up. But you also need to delete any partitions on the drive or it will not show as available in the install.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...