NemesisChild wrote:
Have you looked into a possible firmware update for the Adata M.2 SSD?

Do you have another M.2 drive to test in the bios?

Hi,
here is an update for anyone in a similar situation:

Yes I installed the latest firmware on the SX8000 drive. But despite that It wasn't even being detected by windows install media. Even though it was showing in windows disk manager! Unfortunately II don't have another M.2. I can test with.

Cloning my current windows install onto the NVME failed multiple times with different tools. I think something to do with MBR type not being compatible with NVME drives.

However:

I eventually managed to get it working by using Windows disk management to format to GPT and then assigning it a drive letter. Then disconnected all my other drives, booted to a USB with Windows 10 install creation media on and putting a fresh install of windows 10 on.

This was working fine and I was going about installing my programs and restoring my files when Windows 10 decided to hijack the computer for an automatic update..... when it was done I was back to square one - I couldn't boot as the drive was not being detected in the BIOS. Tried clearing cmos, using F8 to select boot device, attempting a repair with windows creation media... no luck.

So at this point I think there are 3 possible issues:

1) I have a faulty NVME drive.
2) I have a faulty motherboard.
3) Despite being on the QVL there is some kind of incompatibility or driver issue with SX8000, windows 10 and the ASUS bios.

I'm returning the drive. I wasted hours trying to get this damn thing to work for what will be minimal speed gains anyway.

I may REM the motherboard too because the number 1 M.2. slot heat shield has been screwed on so tightly I cannot get it off to access it.

I'm going to get a regular sata cable SSD in replacement. M.2. is simply not worth the hassle. The internet is full of people having issues. I already added a second sata cabled SSD for game storage and it took literally seconds to get it up and running.

daydreamer1 wrote:
Hi,
here is an update for anyone in a similar situation:

Yes I installed the latest firmware on the SX8000 drive. But despite that It wasn't even being detected by windows install media. Even though it was showing in windows disk manager! Unfortunately II don't have another M.2. I can test with.

Cloning my current windows install onto the NVME failed multiple times with different tools. I think something to do with MBR type not being compatible with NVME drives.

However:

I eventually managed to get it working by using Windows disk management to format to GPT and then assigning it a drive letter. Then disconnected all my other drives, booted to a USB with Windows 10 install creation media on and putting a fresh install of windows 10 on.

This was working fine and I was going about installing my programs and restoring my files when Windows 10 decided to hijack the computer for an automatic update..... when it was done I was back to square one - I couldn't boot as the drive was not being detected in the BIOS. Tried clearing cmos, using F8 to select boot device, attempting a repair with windows creation media... no luck.

So at this point I think there are 3 possible issues:

1) I have a faulty NVME drive.
2) I have a faulty motherboard.
3) Despite being on the QVL there is some kind of incompatibility or driver issue with SX8000, windows 10 and the ASUS bios.

I'm returning the drive. I wasted hours trying to get this damn thing to work for what will be minimal speed gains anyway.

I may REM the motherboard too because the number 1 M.2. slot heat shield has been screwed on so tightly I cannot get it off to access it.

I'm going to get a regular sata cable SSD in replacement. M.2. is simply not worth the hassle. The internet is full of people having issues. I already added a second sata cabled SSD for game storage and it took literally seconds to get it up and running.

I am sure nothing is wrong with your M.2 device. Problem is you are missing some important steps to get it to work. First of all in Bios you must confgure your BIOS boot settings to UEFI and secure Boot.
Then you have to disable all other drives but M.2 before installing Windows. Remember this: UEFI in BIOS! Then after Windows 10 instal you have to download M.2 driver for you M.2 device....not Windows generic driver.

You missed the last issue...nr.4. YOU!

I have never had any issue with M.2 devices. You have to use some time to learn how to configure BIOS and set it up so your M.2 device works. When you configure your BOOT sequense in BIOS, your m.2 device must use Windows Boot Manager as boot option nr. 1

emsir wrote:
I am sure nothing is wrong with your M.2 device. Problem is you are missing some important steps to get it to work. First of all in Bios you must confgure your BIOS boot settings to UEFI and secure Boot.
Then you have to disable all other drives but M.2 before installing Windows. Remember this: UEFI in BIOS! Then after Windows 10 instal you have to download M.2 driver for you M.2 device....not Windows generic driver.

You missed the last issue...nr.4. YOU!

I have never had any issue with M.2 devices. You have to use some time to learn how to configure BIOS and set it up so your M.2 device works. When you configure your BOOT sequense in BIOS, your m.2 device must use Windows Boot Manager as boot option nr. 1

Of course it could be user error but ask yourself how I got windows up working (albeit briefly) if I couldn't manage basic steps required to get windows installed in the first place?

You have never had issues, good for you. That doesn't mean other people haven't. Do a search... my issue is far from unique.

I spent ages trying various bios settings, disabling and enabling stuff. Why do you think I was so damn exasperated with it all. I tried every recommended step and configuration as well as experimenting with anything half way likely. It simply would not work properly.

My regular SATA SSD arrived from Amazon this morning. I installed the software and drivers, cloned my drive, changed the boot settings and it was all up and running in just over an hour.

chevell65 wrote:
Are you trying to install Windows 10 to this drive or Windows 7 which requires some extra steps.

Originally I was trying to clone the drive. Then I just wanted to get the damn thing to even register in the BIOS / windows environment. Finally I tried a clean install as above.

None worked properly. I have never had such issues before. So much wasted time :mad: