Check the connection and firmware
Power down before checking a SATA cable, power connector or M.2 installation. In BIOS/UEFI, confirm whether the drive is detected. For M.2 slots, verify the motherboard supports the drive's NVMe or SATA protocol; the same physical size does not guarantee compatibility.
Look in Disk Management
In Windows, press Win+R and run diskmgmt.msc. A brand-new drive may appear without a volume or drive letter. Existing drives may be Offline. Compare capacity and identification carefully before taking action; multiple drives can look similar.
Only initialize a truly new, empty SSD
If the drive is new and contains no files, initialization and creating a volume may make it available. Microsoft describes Disk Management and GPT for modern UEFI systems. Never initialize, delete a volume, or format a disk containing files you need: these actions can prevent normal access to the data.
When to stop and seek help
If the drive vanished after an error, makes repeated disconnect sounds, or previously held important files, stop writing to it. Try an alternative known-good cable or port if safe, and consider specialist recovery. A missing disk in UEFI is not fixed by simply assigning a drive letter in Windows.
Information for general education. Check device specifications and manufacturer instructions before changing hardware.
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