The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Alienware 17 R3 ssd not showing up?

    Discussion in '2015+ Alienware 13 / 15 / 17' started by TrumpisGodincarnate, Jul 24, 2016.

  1. TrumpisGodincarnate

    TrumpisGodincarnate Newbie

    Reputations:
    5
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    6
    I have Windows installed on the ssd, but I want to do a clean install. It won't let me. The hdd doesn't show up for partitions to create under the ssd either, but it shows up for clean installing Windows, unlike the ssd. Ok, so I installed Windows also on the hdd, and I can't find the ssd anywhere unless I go to the bios and boot directly from the ssd. How the hell can I format it? This is driving me nuts. The bios sees it fine, but nothing else does.

    Now since I have formatted the hdd again, it won't boot at all to the ssd.

    Now I get
    INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE.

    Ok whatever, I trashed it, smashed it with a ****ing hammer. I'll just buy another.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 25, 2016
    TrumpisGodincarnate, Jul 24, 2016
    #1
  2. rinneh

    rinneh Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    854
    Messages:
    4,897
    Likes Received:
    2,191
    Trophy Points:
    231
    There are forum threads how to do it. Its an nvme drive. You have to change some bios settings or preload an nvme driver during windows setup.

    Use the search.
     
    rinneh, Jul 25, 2016
    #3
  3. Alienware-L_Porras

    Alienware-L_Porras Company Representative

    Reputations:
    3,658
    Messages:
    6,874
    Likes Received:
    969
    Trophy Points:
    281
    You could also try disabling secure boot.
     
    Alienware-L_Porras, Jul 28, 2016
    #3
  4. Alienware-L_Porras

    Alienware-L_Porras Company Representative

    Reputations:
    3,658
    Messages:
    6,874
    Likes Received:
    969
    Trophy Points:
    281
    You could also try dissabling secure boot.
     
    Alienware-L_Porras, Jul 28, 2016
    #4
  5. dodgehemi0

    dodgehemi0 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    34
    Messages:
    622
    Likes Received:
    80
    Trophy Points:
    41
    This does not work


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    dodgehemi0, Sep 9, 2016
    #5
  6. dodgehemi0

    dodgehemi0 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    34
    Messages:
    622
    Likes Received:
    80
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Man I'm in the same boat as you. Same thing is yapping to me after I upgraded the bios. So pissed,


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    dodgehemi0, Sep 12, 2016
    #6
  7. quickboat22

    quickboat22 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Mine never recognized the ssd in the bios but would boot from it if it was the lone drive. That was with 1.2.8 bios. I could not upgrade the bios and neither could Dell. They say now I need a MB because of it.
     
    quickboat22, Sep 21, 2016
    #7
  8. dodgehemi0

    dodgehemi0 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    34
    Messages:
    622
    Likes Received:
    80
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Good luck man. They said the same thing to me. It's been 27 days since mine went down. They sent 2 motherboards and still the same issue. I finally got it replaced 5 days ago. The replacement did not work out of the box all I had to do was reinstall Windows though. I will say the replacement they sent me was amazingly loaded from my original one. . Just stick with it.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    dodgehemi0, Sep 21, 2016
    #8
    quickboat22 likes this.
  9. rinneh

    rinneh Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    854
    Messages:
    4,897
    Likes Received:
    2,191
    Trophy Points:
    231
    You can put the bios exe file on a fat32 formatted usb stick. Press f8 during the bios boot to open the boot menu and start the flash from there.
     
    rinneh, Sep 21, 2016
    #9
    quickboat22 likes this.
  10. quickboat22

    quickboat22 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Thanks for the input. What do you mean "stick with it?" Keep plugging away or stick with my original MB? Sorry we are from all over the world here and slang is not always clear.;-)
     
    quickboat22, Sep 21, 2016
    #10
  11. quickboat22

    quickboat22 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    6
    I used that method and it worked. I still do not see the 950Pro ssd in my bios but it booted up fine and seems to be running ok. Do I still want to replace the MB?
     
    quickboat22, Sep 21, 2016
    #11
  12. rinneh

    rinneh Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    854
    Messages:
    4,897
    Likes Received:
    2,191
    Trophy Points:
    231
    Regarsing yhe 950 pro i have no idea. It seems to be a bit problematic drive.
     
    rinneh, Sep 22, 2016
    #12
    quickboat22 likes this.
  13. Daniel1983

    Daniel1983 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    52
    Messages:
    380
    Likes Received:
    187
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Read through THIS thread-all the answers on how to get it working are in there.
     
    Daniel1983, Sep 23, 2016
    #13