Rog Strix z790-e Wifi - Samsung 960 Pro shows in BIOS but not in Windows 11

[spandadk]

I've just completed a completely new build with the Rog Strix z790-e Wifi motherboard and paired it with a new:
Samsung 990 Pro SSD PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2.
- Installed in socket: M.2_2 (E)

Everything runs perfect (so far) and fast.

From my old build I have a:
Samsung 960 Pro SSD PCIe 3.0 NVMe M.2 (a lot of files on there I want to acces).

My ISSUE:
Now i've installed my old SSD (Samsung 960 Pro) (installed in socket: M.2_5 (C)).
However it's not showing up in the Windows 11. It is showing up in BIOS though.

Furthermore I experience the following big issue after installing this:
- Boot suddently takes painfully 4minutes! (it's just "stuck" loading at the gamers republic boot screen for ages)

When I take out the Samsung 960 Pro everything is running perfectly fast and smooth again.

I've also tried:
- Some of the other sockets, but same thing
- Installing a Samsung 960 pro driver (from the magician site)
- Removed and added the drive again under: Device management

Motherboard drivers etc.

I've updated all drivers + chipset, BIOS (1202), MEUpdateTool

via Armoury Crate +

https://rog.asus.com/motherboards/rog-strix/rog-strix-z790-e-gaming-wifi-model/helpdesk_download/

Screenshots
Attaching various screenshots from BIOS and Windows 11

What can I do to access my old Samsung 960 Pro?

[JohnAb]

Have you tried checking the drive for errors in Windows? I assume that's the one showing as drive E: ? 

On second thoughts that appears to be your SATA connected drive right? The 850 Pro SSD?  Can you put the 960 Pro back in your old PC and check it for errors in that machine?

[spandadk]

Thanks for chippin’ in John - appreciate it!

Exactly, the E: drive is just and even older non-NvMe harddisk.

the issue is that the “second” NvMe is not showing up anywhere in Windows 11. (Only BIOS)

Sadly my old computer is stripped and sold, but the Samsung 960 pro Nvme was running perfectly as my main drive on that (old) computer.

[JohnAb]

Hmmm. Not sure then. Seems odd. I can only think that it might be corrupted. You could try putting it into an external USB/NVME enclosure to do a Windows drive check. Expect to pay around £20. I have a Sabrent one and it works very well. If you do that, get a tool-less one, much quicker and easier to change the drive if needed. Maybe you could also try a partition management tool to see if the drive shows up, but if you can't see it in Windows at all, I don't think any other software will see it either. My first thought was to go into Disk Management, but I assume if it's formatted already, that's unlikley to be the cause. Have a look anyway.  Might be the same with an enclosure - that it still won't be visible. Not sure that I have any other suggestions, sorry.  Really odd that the BIOS can see it. That's why I think that it's probably working, but that the file system might be corrupted. Disk Management might see it and then you can initialise it. If it needs to be formatted after that, you might be able to recover the files again using recovery software. I've had an NVME drive get corrupted, it does happen. 

[JohnAb]

Hang on, did you clone the 960 Pro drive for your new PC? If you did, it might be a drive ID issue in that Windows thinks it is seeing the same drive twice and has disabled the 960. If that guess is correct, then Drive Management might tell you. One other solution might be to try a fresh install on the 990 and then the 960 might show up. Then you can grab the data and reformat it afterwards to clean it up.   

[spandadk]

Yea, it is indeed very weird with it showing up in BIOS - thats also why im thinking it's working. I can touch it and it's "hot" aswell = it's atleast not dead.

Sadly I already did a fresh install on the 990 Pro a few  times already and also looked at disc management,- but no 960 Pro appearing.

I didn't do anything to the 960 Pro,- I (carefully) unplugged it from my last computer and seated it in the new one. It was the first time in the 960 Pro life span that it was moved around.
Would be a crazy surprise if that would have corrupted the drive.

A bit of a mystery to me. Guess I need to try and splash out for a new Nvme

[JohnAb]

OK, makes sense. Just try reseating it again then. Could be out of alignment in the socket slightly or there is some dirt/dust on the contacts or in the socket. Now I'm really out of ideas 🤔