m.2 SSD and BIOS

Bought an m.2 SSD to add to an Asus laptop, and I'm having a problem.

After installing the SSD, BIOS and Windows fail to see it.

Looks like the Samsung 960 EVO devices don't like RAID mode
in the BIOS, and this Asus X756 laptop came with that set,
instead of AHCI.

If I set SATA mode in BIOS to AHCI, Win 10 won't boot.

DO I need to wipe the HD and reinstall Windows (with the reset
BIOS) just so I can see and use the the SSD?

I don't mind (a lot) having to do it, but would obviously
rather not, if it's not necessary.

wrote:
Bought an m.2 SSD to add to an Asus laptop, and I'm having a problem.

After installing the SSD, BIOS and Windows fail to see it.

Looks like the Samsung 960 EVO devices don't like RAID mode
in the BIOS, and this Asus X756 laptop came with that set,
instead of AHCI.

If I set SATA mode in BIOS to AHCI, Win 10 won't boot.

DO I need to wipe the HD and reinstall Windows (with the reset
BIOS) just so I can see and use the the SSD?

I don't mind (a lot) having to do it, but would obviously
rather not, if it's not necessary.

You'd better slow down and figure out *why* it shipped
in RAID mode. That doesn't happen by accident, and some
feature other than RAID is why it was done.

And actually, on Intel, RAID/ACHI is kinda a combined driver.
If a storage device doesn't have RAID metadata on it, it should
run on its port, in AHCI mode.

There are different types of M.2. The keying in the socket
should be keeping some of this stuff straight.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M.2

I don't own any M.2 kit, so cannot advise on exact "first steps".

1) Check BIOS screen for:

a) Device Detection - does the BIOS see it in any sense ?
does the Vendor String get printed on the screen at POST ?

b) Controller settings. Is there anything specific that might be
needed for the "flavor" of M.2 you bought ?

2) Boot a Linux LiveCD on USB key. You can "dd" a hybrid Linux LiveCD
onto a USB key.

http://www.chrysocome.net/downloads/dd-0.6beta3.zip

You can boot that OS, as long as Secure Boot isn't enabled on
your portable device.

From a Terminal, you could try "lspci", "lshw", "inxi" and other
various utilities, to see if you could detect your new hardware.

3) Win10 - it needs "driver re-arming", but only for boot purposes.
And in your case, you are not even able to see the M.2 as a data
drive. So you're not in need of such things quite yet.

You can check Device Manager, and see if any sign of the device
is present there. Like maybe a yellow triangle or whatever.
If you right-click Start, Device Manager is in the list.

OK, the one here is NVMe.

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...82E16820147593

Samsung has an NVMe driver for 960 EVO listed. Why, I don't know.

http://www.samsung.com/semiconductor.../consumer.html

http://www.samsung.com/global/busine..._Driver_22.zip

There is also an installation guide PDF file.

http://www.samsung.com/global/busine...uide_Rev22.pdf

I don't even think you're going to get your
hands dirty fixing this one :-) You haz installation guide :-)
Even if it is short on details.

HTH,
Paul