Internal SSD Data Drive not recognised - no hardware changes

milesmuso01 · 18 Feb 2017

Hi,

I run a laptop with Win 7 Home PE. I have one 256GB HD for the OS and Program files (C - running fine) and a second internal 1TB Crucial SSD for data (D)

During a session, all instances of the 2nd drive (D) suddenly were not showing in Windows. I had not re-booted, nor had I installed any software or applied any Windows updates. One minute the drive and files were there, next minute they weren't. Here's what I've tried so far:

Second drive DOES show in BIOS
Second drive does not show in 2 different sysinfo reporting applications (1 windows, 1 chrome)
Second drive does not appear in Safe Mode
Second drive does not appear after successful System Restore
Second drive does not appear in Explorer
Second drive does not appear in Computer Management, Disk Management or Device Manager
Second drive does not appear in Mini Tool Partition Manager
Second drive does not appear in Crucial Storage Management Software
Second drive does not appear after MWB full scan.
Second drive does not appear in any applications that reference that drive - just missing file dialogs

The laptop has not been moved or jogged, so my guess is not a hardware fault (although maybe the drive has just catastrophically failed all of a sudden - but if so it wouldn't appear in the BIOS). The second drive is less than 18 months old.

Please can anyone help - I have files on that drive worth over £5000 (I have a backup, but nowhere to back up to!).

Many thanks

Miles Forman

milesmuso01 · 18 Feb 2017

OK, so I rebooted and the drive then failed to show up in BIOS. Nightmare! So then I took it out and put it in a caddy. It worked! Then I put it back in the laptop, and it's now working perfectly. Pretty-much the hardware equivalent of switch it off and then switch it on again. Problem solved.

Mellon Head · 18 Feb 2017

Miles, can you go into Disk Management and post a picture of what you see there. Use the snipping tool, and upload the image to the forum so that we can see it, please. That will give us a better idea of what is going on.

Also, please check the cabling to and from the drive. I know that it can be seen in BIOS, but it never hurts to try. You could also try the drive in a different SATA port and see if Windows can see it there. Also, check in device manager to see if there is a yellow triangle next to the drive. That means that Windows can see it, but can't use it as there may be driver corruption.

You might have to prepare yourself for the very real possibility that the drive's controller has failed somehow, even though it can still be seen in BIOS. It's a good thing you have a backup!