Computer won't see my new SSD

[js6969]

Hi, I have Windows 10 working fine on an MSI P55A-G55 mobo with my 1TB HDD. However to try and speed up boot times I bought a Sandisk SD Plus 240GB SSD. But when I install it it isn't seen in the BIOS or My Computer.
I've tried using different SATA cables, a different power cable, a differnt power cable socket on the PSU and also changing the SATA socket on the mobo. But still no joy.

Although, strangely, I've just noticed that Belarc found it as:
SanDisk SDSSDA240G (240.06 GB) -- drive 1, s/n 153993403353, rev Z22000RL, SMART Status: Healthy

And poking around further, when I rightclik my C drive and choose properties then hardware I see it there and the device says 'wroking properly' and the drivers are up to date.
Screencap attached.

The SSD is blank and I need to clone by OS to it.

Any ideas please?
Thanks.

MSI P55A-G55
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. V1.3 09/15/2010
2.80 gigahertz Intel Core i5 760
12mb RAM
Windows 10 (x64) (build 10240)

 

[PP Mguire]

Probably need to initiate it. Right click my computer, click on manage, and click disk management. If it's in there initiate/partition/format and you should be good to go.

 

[1etherer]

Probably need to initiate it. Right click my computer, click on manage, and click disk management. If it's in there initiate/partition/format and you should be good to go.

Yup, always first thing to check

 

[js6969]

The webpage i followed for 'how to install your os to a new ssd drive' never mentioned that!
Thanks both, will try that tomorrow...

 

[js6969]

The webpage i followed for 'how to install your os to a new ssd drive' never mentioned that!
Thanks both, will try that tomorrow...

 

[js6969]

OK... Can now see the new SDD in My Computer and have cloned my other HDD to it. Thank you soooo much so far.

However, I still can't see the SSD in the BIOS. So I doubt I can boot from it and wipe my current boot drive (the HDD).
Do I need to update the BIOS? I think my MOBO predates SSD drives for desktops.
MSI P55A-G55
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. V1.3 09/15/2010

Photo attached of what I see when I enter the BIOS. DVD and HDD there but no SSD.

Any more ideas? Thanks!

 

[Yami]

See if there's an option somewhere in the BIOS to use AHCI rather than IDE Mode for the drives. It might show up after that.

 

[PP Mguire]

OK... Can now see the new SDD in My Computer and have cloned my other HDD to it. Thank you soooo much so far.

However, I still can't see the SSD in the BIOS. So I doubt I can boot from it and wipe my current boot drive (the HDD).
Do I need to update the BIOS? I think my MOBO predates SSD drives for desktops.
MSI P55A-G55
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. V1.3 09/15/2010

Photo attached of what I see when I enter the BIOS. DVD and HDD there but no SSD.

Any more ideas? Thanks!

See if there's an option somewhere in the BIOS to use AHCI rather than IDE Mode for the drives. It might show up after that.

This. I ran SSDs with my P55 boards, and no it doesn't predate SSDs.

 

[js6969]

Progress, but still not entirely there!

I found a message on MSI's page from someone else with a similar problem. MSI said SSD's don't work on the P55A-G55's SATA mobo connections 1-6 so I put it in #7 instead and it appeared in the BIOS.
I also did some more Googling and rather than Control+M, which appeared on startup just after the MSI splash screen as 'how to enter the BIOS setup', in fact I had to hit the Delete key to go into the detailed BIOS.
Where I found the section to change from IDE to AHCI. Whixh I did.

Then, having cloned my old HDD with the OS onto the new SDD, I disconnected the old HDD and re-booted. Changed the 1st boot device to the SSD. Then got Spalsh screen, BIOS number screen, then black screen and flashing _ top left but wouldn't open into Windows.

So, connected old HDD again then changed back to IDE and it re-booted from the old drive and into Windows.

I had noted that in' My Computer' the SSD (with the cloned-from-HDD OS) was showing labelled as A drive. Whereas the drive holding the OS is normally the C drive (the one still on my HDD).

Do I have to re-label the SSD from A to C before it will boot from the SSD.
But if I re-name my C drive to something else to do this, am I stuffed if it fails again then I have to re-connect the old HDD and start from boot form there again??? Which is now no longer the C Drive.

Any further advice please?

 

[PP Mguire]

That's because you need to change your Windows over to AHCI instead of IDE. You need to keep it in IDE mode then boot into your SSD. After that follow this guide.

Neowin Guide: How to change from IDE to AHCI without reinstalling Windows