Installing Windows can be a pain. And it gets much worse if you start running into problems during installation. One of such problems is hard disk not showing in Windows installation.

But don’t worry! There are solutions available to resolve this issue. Here’s how to fix hard drive not detected in Windows 10.

Windows 10 Installation Not Detecting Hard Drive: Possible Causes

There may be quite a few reasons why you are running into the hdd not detected” error on Windows 10:

  • Loose or improperly connected cables
  • Incompatible drivers
  • Incorrect BIOS or UEFI settings
  • Faulty hard drive
  • Unsupported hardware
  • Compatibility issues
  • Disk format or partition issues
  • Other hardware conflicts: Conflicts with other hardware components, such as RAID configurations or additional storage controllers, can prevent hard drive detection during installation.

Solutions for Hard Disk Not Showing During Windows Installation

1. Check Hardware Connections

You may be running into “hard drive not recognized” error if your hard drive is not properly connected. Make sure that the cables connecting the hard drive to the motherboard are securely connected:

  • Power off the computer.
  • Open the computer case and locate the cables connecting the hard drive.
  • Verify that the SATA/power cables are firmly connected to both the hard drive and the motherboard.
  • If necessary, disconnect and reconnect the cables to ensure a secure connection.

2. Update Hard Drive Drivers

Update or reinstall the hard drive drivers to ensure compatibility and proper detection:

  • During Windows 10 installation, when prompted for a disk selection, click on the “Load Driver” option.
  • Insert the disk or USB containing the updated hard drive drivers provided by the manufacturer.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to install or update the drivers.
  • Once the drivers are installed, proceed with the Windows 10 installation.

Also Read: [EASY GUIDE] How to Update Device Drivers on a Windows 10 PC?


3. Adjust BIOS/UEFI Settings

Verify and adjust BIOS/UEFI settings to ensure proper hard drive detection:

  • Power on the computer and access the BIOS/UEFI settings by pressing the designated key (e.g., F2, Del) during startup.
  • Navigate to the “Storage” or “SATA Configuration” section.
  • Ensure that the SATA mode is set correctly (AHCI is recommended for most systems).
  • Check for any other relevant settings, such as Legacy/UEFI boot options or secure boot settings, and adjust if necessary.
  • Save the changes and exit the BIOS/UEFI settings.

4. Fix Disk Format or Partition Issues

Disk format or partition issues may be the cause of hdd not showing up:

  • During Windows 10 installation, when prompted for a disk selection, click on the “Format” or “Delete” option.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to format the hard drive or delete existing partitions.
  • Create a new partition or partitions as per your requirements.
  • Proceed with the Windows 10 installation on the formatted or newly partitioned hard drive.

Also Read: A Beginner’s Guide to Disk Defragmentation


5. Check the Status of Your Hard Drive

Check the status of your hard drive, follow these steps:

If defragmenting a hard drive manually sounds time-consuming and complicated, you can use a tool like Auslogics Disk Defrag Ultimate to repair your hard drive automatically. 

Auslogics Disk Defrag Ultimate
  • Press the “Windows key + R,” and a “Run” window will appear.
  • Type “devmgmt.msc” in the Run window and press Enter.
Devmgmt.msc
  • The Device Manager window will open. Look for the “Disk Drives” category and click on it to expand the list.
  • Right-click on your hard drive from the list and select “Properties” from the context menu.
  • In the Properties window, navigate to the “General” or “Driver” tab.
  • Check the status of your hard drive. If it shows “This device is working properly” or a similar message, it indicates that the hard drive is functioning correctly.
Check the status of your hard drive in Device Manager

By following these steps, you can verify the status of your hard drive and determine if it is working properly or if there might be any issues affecting its functionality.

6. Boot from Windows 10 Install Media

If your drive is not showing up during Windows 10 installation, you can try booting from the Windows 10 Install Media using the following steps:

  • During the Windows 10 installation process, select “Install Now”.
  • Accept the License Agreement.
  • Choose the installation type and click on “Custom (Advanced)”.
  • Access Command Prompt (press Shift + F10 on your keyboard)
  • In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands one by one and press Enter after each command:

DISKPART

list volume

select disk *

clean

convert mbr

create partition primary

active

format quick fs=ntfs

  • Once you have executed the commands, close the Command Prompt window.
  • Proceed with the Windows 10 installation process as usual.

Also Read: How to Get And Use Windows 10 Media Creation Tool


7. Replace a Faulty Hard Drive

If your hard drive is confirmed to be faulty, replacing it with a new one is necessary.

  • Power off the computer and disconnect all cables.
  • Open the computer case and locate the faulty hard drive.
  • Disconnect the cables connected to the faulty hard drive.
  • Install the new hard drive by connecting the cables securely.
  • Close the computer case, reconnect all cables, and power on the computer.
  • Proceed with the Windows 10 installation.
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In Summary

If you run into this issue “Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed” during Windows 10 installation, don’t worry. We have provided solutions to help you resolve this issue. By checking hardware connections, adjusting BIOS/UEFI settings, updating drivers, fixing disk format or partition issues, and replacing faulty hard drives. Ultimately, if none of the solutions work on your PC and no hard drive is detected, consider seeking professional assistance to avoid further issues.

FAQ

To fix the issue of a hard drive not being detected, you can try the following solutions:

  • Check hardware connections.
  • Adjust BIOS/UEFI settings
  • Boot from Windows 10 Install Media
  • Update hard drive drivers
  • Fix disk format or partition issues
  • Replace faulty hard drive

Remember to follow the specific steps provided in each solution. If the issue persists, it may be best to seek professional assistance.

Possible reasons for Windows installer not detecting hard drive include: faulty or loose cable connections, incorrect or outdated BIOS/UEFI settings, outdated or incompatible drivers, disk format or partition issues, and a faulty hard drive.