Alienware r7 adding SSD problems please help

Here are some more tips (if you have been trying to clone) and also how/why to truly make the SSD raw and blank again.

Windows does some weird stuff when it sees two copies of bootable Windows hooked-up. It might be security related or SecureBoot related.

https://www.dell.com/community/Inspiron-Desktops/Dell-Inspiron-3256-AIO-unable-to-boot-from-new-SSD-install/m-p/6064243#M4257

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@Motions13wrote:
1. an intel 545 512 GB SSD to go in the 2.5 inch bay.

2. It shows up in my bios and on my devices

2b. but not in disk management where I can configure it.

3. It even shows up on the firmware update software I downloaded from intel

4. I have tried switching to AHCi, loading windows from a USB with just my SSD plugged in

5. and it won’t even show on the set up there.

6. I have tried switching SATA ports and cables. 

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1. OK, a standard 2.5inch SATA SSD.

2. Right, shows in BIOS and hopefully the proper size is reported. So, physically ... it's connected or wired properly and not dead (ie a bad one).

2b. In might not be completely raw and un-initialized any more (you've been messing around).  

3. It should NOT need a firmware already. Don't over-complicate things.

4. Right. With only this SSD connected ... UEFI and AHCI is what you want.

5. Won't show-up where?

6. According to #2 above, the SATA port/cables was already OK. It should be on lowest SATA port number (usually either 0 or 1).

Stay calm and don't get frustrated.

Do you have something weird installed or hooked up? You don't have anything in the M.2/PCIe/NVMe Slot, do you?

I've written this up so many times lately. OK, here it is again.

- Connect only the SSD (or drive you wish to use as bootable C: )

- Set BIOS to UEFI and AHCI

- Be sure machine passes ePSA Diagnostics.

- Press F12 to boot Microsoft.com Windows-10 Media-Creation flash-drive

- Install Windows-10 (64bit) to blank drive

- Do Windows-10 first-time setup

- I suggest you DO NOT install Intel-RST when finished (or ever ... just use the included Microsoft drivers instead).

- On newer Dell machines, the Windows serial-key is stored in BIOS. Check that Windows-10 is automatically Activated as legit.

- Turn-on SecureBoot in BIOS if not already on. After rebooting a couple of times, run msinfo32 and check its status.

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-General/fixed/td-p/5627124

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@Motions13wrote:
1. Yeah I wish I could get to the point to clone but I can’t even initialize the drive.

2. I haven’t tried booting in secure yet and will try it but someone suggested that I may have downloaded or installed something that may be interfering with my ssd but if it’s not even showing up on the windows 10 setup when I try to do a clean set up VIA USB

3. I don’t see that being the case since I detach my HDD while doing the win10 setup via usb..

4. sorry I know that’s a lot

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1. Actually, to clean-install or Clone/Image the SSD should be UN-Initialized. The only reason to Initialize it in Disk-Manager is if you wanted to use it as a secondary data-drive D: or similar. And you don't, so stop trying-to or worrying about it.

2. You want UEFI-Mode and AHCI. Since you are using an (Authorized Boot-Kit like the) Windows-10 Media Creation Flash-Drive, you can turn-on SecureBoot in BIOS early if you want. It should not matter either way. No, there is no extra software to install for SecureBoot. Try it both ways if you want.

3. Right, for a clean-install, only your future C: drive (SSD) should be the only fixed-disk hooked-up.

4. Yeah, you are kinda rambling. :Smile:

It helps if you read carefully (are you reading this on a phone or something)? I get the impression that you aren't because (for example) you didn't even answer this question. 

1. Do you have something weird installed or hooked up? Is your motherboard's M.2/PCIe/NVMe Slot empty?

And here is another:

2. Do you want to Clone/Image or Clean-Install? Decide now.

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@Motions13wrote:
1. I have nothing in the m.2 NVME slot (and) the SSD shows up in the bios

2. and no it doesn’t matter to me to clone since I only game and can redownload everything.

3. I have tried to boot in secure with the USB

4. with win10 plugged in and the SSD and I don’t get anything on the options to install Windows. 

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1. Good.

2. Clean-Install it is

3. I guess just keep SecureBoot Off for now.

4. Understood. Yeah, I've heard of that. Actually, I saw it myself ... but I was in RAID mode and needed to be in AHCI mode. Yours is working opposite from most users. I think it might be because it's a genuine Intel SSD (on Intel controller).

So, I usually recommend UEFI and AHCI in BIOS (and no Intel-RST ever installed in Windows) and it works fine. Many SSD-upgraders report that AHCI was "the fix" for them since Dell ships the Aurora machines with RAID on instead (ie Single Disk RAID Mode). Dell also pre-installs Intel-RST and that all works fine together. See the pattern there?

 Are you doing this? If not, you need to:

If having problems ... before each new attempt, the destination-disk should be completely erased and left raw/uninitialized. I like to use "DiskPart Clean" ... but be very careful with this command (it's easy to erase the wrong disk). A convenient way to do this (with a non-booting Windows machine) is with the PE on the Macrium Rescue flash-drive boot-disk.