There are several hardware errors you may encounter while owning a PC, but none are quite as frustrating as storage device errors. Most people upgrade their PCs with SSDs to ensure that their PC’s data is safely and efficiently stored. But while SSDs are much more durable than HDDs (since a Solid State Drive doesn’t incur risk from internal moving parts like the classic drives had) they are still susceptible to errors that can stop your device from working properly.
Strain can be caused by constantly writing new operations to your aging SSD, making it vulnerable to bad sectors, corruption, and other issues. Luckily, there are a few terminal commands, DIY fixes, and third-party apps that can help you diagnose and restore your SSD. This article will cover each method to help you salvage your malfunctioning drive.
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How to fix the SSD not recognized error in Windows
Use these steps to fix the “SSD not recognized” error when using windows 11 devices
How to check the SSD for errors in Windows
Windows has a built-in utility that’s good enough for basic SSD troubleshooting. Using the steps below, you scan your SSD and look for any errors.This method is the same for both Windows 10 and 11.
1. Open File Explorer.
2. Right-click on the faulty drive and choose Properties.
3. Navigate to the Tools header and select Check under the Error-checking section.
4. Choose the Scan Drive option from the pop-up window.
After you have scanned the SSD, it will give you an SSD report. Read over this file to see what kind of error is causing your SSD not to work. If this report doesn’t show any errors, or if you can’t access the drive’s properties, then your next step is to try a third-party application.
How to check the SSD for errors using CrystalDiskInfo
If the previous steps didn’t give you enough information, then you can get a more detailed error report using a tool like CrystalDiskInfo to check your SSD’s health.
1. Go to the CrystalDiskInfoofficial website and download the application.
2. Run the installer and then open the application as administrator.
3. You can see the Health Status of the drive in the top-left corner of the app.
4. If the app shows your SSD health as “Good,” then you’re in the clear. But if the drive health indicator reads “Caution” or “Bad,” you should back up the data on your PC since the drive is unreliable.
CrystalDisk Info should also provide a thorough error report log that will help you identify the problem.
How to fix your SSD by updating the drivers and firmware
Installing the latest drivers is the first thing you should do for any malfunctioning hardware, including the SSD.
1. Right-click on the Start button of your PC and select Device Manager.
2. Click on the Arrow next to Disk drives.
3. Right-click on the SSD of concern and select Update driver.
4. Click on Search automatically for drivers and wait for Windows to install the latest drivers for the SSD.
Next, you should update the firmware to its latest version. You can copy the model name of the SSD from the Device Manager and then browse the manufacturer’s website for the latest firmware that’s compatible with your drive.
How to fix your SSD using the power cycle method
If your SSD doesn’t even show up on your PC, or updating the drivers and firmware doesn’t fix it, you can try using the power cycle method. It’s a simple yet effective solution to soft reset the SSD without deleting the user data stored within. If you are using an NVME SSD, skip to step 3.
1. Power off your PCunplug the AC adapter to fully disconnect it from the power source, and remove the side panels of its case to gain access to the SSD.
2. Remove the SSD data cable but leave the SATA power cable plugged in.
3. Now, reconnect the AC adapter and turn on your PC. Continually press your BIOS keyin this case the Delete key, until it enters the BIOS.
4. Now leave your PC on the BIOS menu for 30 minutes.
5. Unplug the power cable from the SSD for a minute or two.
6. Insert both the SATA data and power cable back into the SSD. After you’ve done this, your SSD should be recognized by your PC.
If you’re using an NVMe SSD, then you can skip to step 3. Once you’ve left your PC running for an hour, shut it down, and remove all residual power by holding the power button for 30 seconds.
Once the PC reboots, you should be able to access the drive. Even if it doesn’t fully repair your SSD, this DIY hack can revive it long enough for you to back up all your important data to another storage device.
Alternatively, you can repeat the process by changing the SATA cable and plugging it into a different port on the motherboard. If you have more than one NVMe interface on your motherboard, you can try plugging your M.2 drive into the other slot.
How to fix your SSD using BIOS settings
In case your PC doesn’t recognize the SSD even after the power cycle method, the drive may be set to a different storage interface than the one it’s intended to be used with. You can use the BIOS settings to switch to a different storage mode on the motherboard.
1. Restart your system, and keep tapping the Delete key as it boots up.
2. Change the SATA Mode from AHCI to RAID (or vice versa, if RAID was set as the default option).
Save the BIOS settings, and restart your PC normally. Your SSD should be recognized by your PC now.
How to fix your SSD using the CHKSDK command
The Terminal in Windows 11 supports certain useful commands to diagnose and repair your SSD. The CHKDSK method is ideal for troubleshooting the drive, and it even includes certain parameters (/f, /r, and /x) to get rid of corrupted data.
1. Right-click on the Start button and select Terminal (Admin).
2. Type the following command and press Enter. (replace drive_name with the driver letter of the faulty SSD)
chkdsk drive_name: /f /r /x
How to fix your SSD using TestDisk
If there’s an issue with the MBR and recovery partitions of your boot drive, you can recover them using the TestDisk utility. Since it’s not included in the Terminal by default, you’ll have to manually download TestDisk and launch the Terminal from its folder.
1. Download TestDisk from the official website and extract the contents of the .zip folder.
2. Run testdisk_win.exe as an administrator.
3. With the Create option highlighted, press Enter to create a log file.
4. Choose the malfunctioning SSD from the list of drives and hit Enter to proceed to the next step.
5. Pick Intel as the partition table type and press Enter.
6. Switch to Analyse and tap Enter.
7. Select Quick Search and, after pressing Enterwait for the app to scan the partitions.
8. Once TestDisk loads the partitions, you’ll notice the deleted partitions have a D prefix. Use the arrow keys to change the prefix from D to P, and press Enter.
9. Switch to the Write option and hit Enter.
10. Tap Y when prompted for confirmation and press Enter one last time.
How to fix your SSD using Disk Management
If none of these methods fix your SSD, the drive may have bad sectors. While it’s easy to resolve these issues on hard drives, bad sectors are especially harmful to SSDs as they are difficult to fix and almost always lead to drive failures. But if you want to continue using the drive, you can format its contents as a last resort.
1. Right-click on the Start button and select Disk Management.
2. Right-click on your defective SSD and choose Format.
3. Since we want the drive to check for bad sectors, deselect the Perform a quick format option and press OK.
Is your SSD working properly?
If you’ve followed the steps carefully, your SSD should be functional again. However, there’s no certainty when the errors may crop up again, and the best “fix” for a malfunctioning SSD is to replace it with a new one as soon as possible, and to back up all your important files just in case. Luckily, SSDs have been steadily decreasing in price over the years, so you may be able to buy a new SSD with double the storage and half the price of your original one.