Win11 Install doesn't detect NVMe Drive

[BFreita01]

Hi, today i ask for the wisdom of this community in a rather problematic case.

So i recently bought my dad new PC parts and today we finally had the time to start the installation of Windows 11. Everything was fine till the point where we had to decide on which Drive we wanted to install Win11 and the Setup showing that no drives were detected. 

The only drive currently installed is a NVMe one (for safety and ease of install) which to work needs a fitting driver - Intel RST, but here is were the problems gets even worse, as we bought a brand new 14th gen CPU and Intel RST currently has no version for 14th gen CPUs (at least i didnt find one).

So i tried to get it ro run with the old RST (that we only get the .exe is a whole nother can of worms). Nothing as its not compatible (who would have thought -_-).

Any tips on what to do? Is the Intel RST even needed with Gen 14 or is this another seperate Problem?

FYI: Intel i7 14700K / Gigabyte Z790 Gaming X / Crucial P3 NVMe

Regards

BFreita01

[n_scott_pearson · Accepted solution]

First of all, NVMe does not need a driver. The driver is built into Windows 11 (as it was in Windows 10).

Secondly, NVMe requires that you use UEFI boot; you cannot use Legacy. Make sure you boot the Windows installer in UEFI mode and, during the Windows installation, make sure that you delete all existing partitions on the System drive (to ensure GPT partition table written to drive).

Next, do you have plans to use RAID? If not, you do not want RST enabled! In BIOS Setup, set the SATA Mode to AHCI and/or disable anything to do with RST.

Hope this helps,

...S

[BFreita01]

There are no plans to use Raid but my search predominantly showed RST as being the problem. In the End it was probably the UEFI Boot.

Reflashed the Bios with a newer Version which supports 14th gen CPUs (with some minor trouble, Black Screen) and after I got it running again everything was there.

Guessing it had something to do with 14th gen not being support in Version F3 for this Mainboard, thus not showing the M.2 as Mainboards are just that boards with no brains.

Thank you for the help.

[Habb]

hi, i have similar case, but my problem is

i am new and try to install windows with rufus method, at first everthing is fine. my nvme is detected and i make partition of it, after installing i dont have wifi/ethernet but weirdly, windows cant continue without it so i find a way and some solution to do the “oobe/etc i forgot”

its basically restarting the installation and we can continue without internet, BUT

suddenly my pc didnt detect the NVME like there is no drivers at all (i only install nvme no others drivers like ssd or hdd)

so im confuse now?? how can i make my nvme read again

[marcmulder70]

Hi, I bought the exact same nvme ssd storage device (wd black sn770 2Tb) to replace a faulty storage device, for a HP 17-cn0843nd laptop, but whatever I try and do, the device does not show up when installing Windows 11, or 10 for that matter. I tried MBR, GPT, formatting or leaving the device unallocated, it just does not show up when installing. It is visible in the BIOS and all settings are AHCI. Do you or anybody else have an answer?

[marcmulder70]

Hi, in the mean time I did find a driver to make the nvme storage visible during installation. It was NOT on the Windows 11 cd/usb install folder! I loaded the driver from a usb drive et voîla...

[jaime64]

. NVME drives definitely do  need a driver.  most of the time it  runs off a generic driver during install . Ive run a  computer repair shop for over a decade and i see  this issue  a dozen  of times per month . most of the time i direct the win 11 install wizard to browse the installation media  for a folder ive put there  that contains  the Intel RST VMD controllers   at which point it displays  the VMD drivers and i can select the corrct one or just go down the list untill it  it works 

[SEAN_WESTGATE]

Thanks this worked for me!  Needed to set SATA mode to AHCI and then the drive was visible.
Thanks!

[n_scott_pearson]

Let me reiterate, if you,

• Have Intel RST enabled (in BIOS Setup) and do not provide the RST drivers during the installation process, or
• You do not install using UEFI Boot mode, or
• You are using MBR partitioning on the drive (which forces Legacy Boot mode),

then your drive is not going to be recognized by the Windows 11 installer.

...S