Fix New SSD Not Showing Up Windows 10

SSDs or Solid State Drives works similar to the hard drives but comparatively faster in function which adds various advantages for the users. However, with any other device, SSDs can also show up several issues. New SSD not showing up is one of the frequently occurring errors that Windows 10 users often come across. If you are struggling with this problem after buying a new SSD device, then you might be searching for appropriate ways to solve it. If this is the case, then you can read this article till the end. This article will provide you complete information regarding the topic which you may be enquiring online.

What Causes New SSD Not Showing Up Issue?

There are several causes which are often encountered by the users causing the new SSD not showing up problem. The reasons are as follows:

  • A Virus attack
  • Improper way of installing SSD
  • Loose cable attachments

No matter whatever be the cause, but solving it with the proper methods will be the first priority for the users after they stuck with the error. So, check out the below section to grab the proper information of the methods with which you can fix the error.

New SSD Not Showing Up Windows 10: Know How to Solve It With Proper Solutions

Below we have listed a list of methods by the application of which many users were able to fix the new SSD not showing up issue. So, you can try them as well. For this, the best thing is to read this article till to the end at first and then try to apply them one-by-one until you get the issue resolved.

Method 1: Initialize and Format your SSD

If you have bought a new SSD for your PC, then at first, you need to initialize and format the device before you use it. However, the steps to follow to perform this task are as explained below. So, check them out.

  1. Press the Windows and the letter R key at a time to open the Run bar.
  2. After that, on the Run bar, type “diskmgmt.msc”.
  3. Next, click on OK/ Press down the Enter button. This will open up the Disk Management window on the screen.
  4. If you have not initialized the SSD, then you will get the “Not Initialized” message on the Disk Management screen. Right-click on the disk and then choose the “Initialize Disk” option from the menu.
  5. After that, select the partition style for the chosen disk. Next, enable the checkbox for “GPT (GUID Partition Table)”, if you are a Windows 10 user, or else “MBR”.
  6. Next, click on the OK button to initialize SSD.
  7. Again, right-click on the disk and this time you should choose the “New Simple Volume” option from the Menu window.
  8. After that, follow the pop-up window to complete the setup process. During the process, set a drive letter which must be a different one, and must not are already present on your PC. Also, you need to enable the checkbox for “Format this volume with the following settings” and then set the NTFS for the File system.
  9. Once the setup of SSD is successfully done, now you are eligible to use it.

Method 2: Troubleshoot Hardware and Devices

This is one of the effective methods to fix the new SSD not showing up Windows 10 issue. So, try this method once, if are facing the glitch.

  1. Firstly, press down the Windows and the letter R key at a time, to open the Run bar.
  2. Next, on the Run bar, enter “Control”, without the quotations.
  3. After that, click on the “OK” button. This will open the Control Panel window on the screen.
  4. Then, on the search bar (which is at the top-right corner) of the Control Panel window, type “Troubleshoot” without the quotations.
  5. Now, from the search result of the Control Panel window, select the “Troubleshooting” option to continue.
  6. After that, from the left-hand side panel of the Control Panel window, click on “View all” option.
  7. Next, from the available options on the next window, search for “Hardware and Devices” and double-click on it.
  8. Further, on the popup window that is the Hardware and Devices window, select the “Next” button. After that, following the on-screen instructions to start the Troubleshooter. Once the Troubleshooter scanning gets over, click on the “Apply this fix” link from the next window.

Once the fixing process gets over, close all the windows open on your PC. Next, restart the computer. These are the overall steps that you need to follow, after which you can fix the issue.

Method 3: Assign Another Letter for SDD

Few times due to the conflicting issue with the drive letter, the new SSD not showing up problem arises. If this is the case, then to solve this issue, you need to follow the steps listed below.

  1. First of all, proceed to the path as follows: Win+R> diskmgmt.msc> OK/ Enter.
  2. Now, on the Disk Management window, right-click on the SSD disk. Now, from the Menu window, select the “Change Drive Letter and Paths” option.
  3. After that, select the pre-drive name set for SSD, from the window.
  4. Next, click on the “Change” option.
  5. Further, enable the checkbox for “Assign the following drive letter”. Besides the “Assign the following drive letter” section, click on the drop-down arrow and set a different letter which should not match with the pre-installed drives and then select “OK”.

Now, close all the windows and restart your computer. Furthermore, check if the problem gets sorted or not.

Method 4: Scan for Virus

Sometimes a virus infection on PC can cause bad effect for new SSD installation and this results in the new SSD not showing up problem. To fix this issue, you need to run a virus scan. Windows Defender is also very effective to fix the virus issue on Windows 10. The steps you need to proceed with to run a virus scan using Windows Defender are as follows:

  1. First of all, navigate the mouse pointer onto the Windows logo which is present at the extreme below the left-hand corner. Then, right-click on it.
  2. After that, from the Menu window, select the “Settings” option.
  3. Now, from the available options under the Settings window, click on “Update & Security” option.
  4. Then, choose the “Windows Defender” option from the left-hand side panel.
  5. Next, click on the “Open Windows Security Center” button from the right-hand side panel of the window.
  6. After that, from the “Open Windows Security Center” window, click on the “Advanced scan” link which is present below the “Scan now” button.
  7. Next, enable the “Full” option under the Advanced scan window.
  8. Then, click on the “Scan now” button, to start the scanning activity.
  9. Once the antivirus scanning is over, check if the issue gets resolved.

Method 5: Update the Motherboard Storage Controller and IDE ATA Controllers Drivers

This is one of the most effective and result-oriented methods to fix the new SSD not showing up Windows 10 issue. The steps that you need to follow to perform this method are explained below. So, check them to begin the process.

  • Press the Windows and the letter R key both at a time to open the Run bar.
  • Next, on the Run bar, type “devmgmt.msc”, without the quotations. Here, we use quotations to differentiate the text which you need to write on the Run bar.
  • After that, click on OK, or hit the Enter button to open the Device Manager window.
  • Now, under the Device Manager window, go to the “Storage Controllers” section and double-click on it to expand.
  • Next, from the expanding options, right-click on the controller that you are using and then, select the “Update driver” option under it.
  • Further, select the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option for “How do you want to search for drivers?”.
  • After that, it will start scanning the internet to get the most updated drivers for the controller. Once the scanning gets over, download the drivers and then install them. After that, continue with the steps below.

Now, from the Device Manager window, navigate to the “IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers” section, double-click on it to expand. Then, from the expanded options, right-click on the controller and select the “Update driver” option for it. Further, follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the update. Once all these steps are completed, restart your computer and then check if the issue gets fixed.

Method 6: Format SSD via Windows Installation Media

If your SSD is not present in Disk Manager, then this will sum up you to the new SSD not showing up glitch. In this situation, you need to format the SSD with the help of Windows Installation Media to resolve the matter. So follow the steps stated below.

  1. At first, insert the Windows installation media on your PC, it may be in the form of disk or USB drive.
  2. Next, shut down the computer.
  3. After that, press and hold the Power button to turn the PC on. Once the window opens, you need to press the key, which displays on the screen to boot the PC.
  4. Further, set your Language, Time and currency format, and Keyboard or input method on the Windows Setup window.
  5. Then, tap on the Next button.
  6. After that, select “Install now” option.
  7. Next, follow the on-screen instructions to continue to set-up configurations, until you reach the point where you will see the disks of the computer.
  8. From the disks list, select your SSD, and then click on the “Format” option.
  9. Now, you need to follow the on-screen instructions to complete formatting.
  10. Once the SSD formatting process is done, restart your computer. After that, check if the new SSD not showing up problem gets resolved.

Method 7: Run Windows Memory Diagnostics

Lastly, you can try this method to fix the new SSD not showing up issue. Check out the steps below for it.

  1. At first, press down the Windows button to get the search bar active.
  2. Next, on the search bar, type run.
  3. Now, from the search results, click on “Run”, which is probably the topmost option.
  4. Then, on the Run bar, enter “mdsched.exe”.
  5. Next, click on OK/ press down the Enter button. After following these steps, you need to open the “Windows Memory Diagnostic” window. On the window, you will get two different options to Check your computer for memory problems and they are as follows:
  • Restart now and check for problems
  • Check for problems the next time I start my computer

Click on the “Restart now and check for problems”, if there is not an important task that you are performing. Else, you can select the other option which will delay the process to get completed. Then, continue with the on-screen instructions to complete the process. Once it’s done, now check if the issue gets fixed.

All these above-mentioned processes are the best workarounds to solve the new SSD not showing up issue. Hopefully, like other SSD users, you can also fix this glitch by following these methods. If you have any query regarding SSD, then you can post it to the comment section provided below to get the solutions.

Maria Colombo
Maria Colombo
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