Windows 10 & 11 can not see drive.

[Mzee]

My Lenovo G2 laptop has Mint 21.1, and Windows 10 Pro on it.
Today I tried to do a clean install of the Windows 10 as it was getting a bit unstable. I used the same USB/Rufus stick that I installed it with before. It could not see the drive. I tried again with Windows 11, same problem, and again with Windows 10 Ultralight, no luck. I have a Macrium back up so used that.
    Why should this happen? The computer works perfectly.

P.S. Just tried again with the latest Windows 10, same result. Secure boot is disabled. CSM not in BIOS. UEFI only.

[Wainuitech]

Had similar problems with drives that have had linux installed. Had to use partition software ( bootable CD) and remove all Linux entries / Partitions, one I had to reformat the drive then Windows saw the drive.

[king1]

Doe the linux maybe install a grub bootloader that messes things up for windows? haven't looked at dual booting for years so not really up to date with it

[Wainuitech]

Doe the linux maybe install a grub bootloader that messes things up for windows? haven't looked at dual booting for years so not really up to date with it

Dont play about with linux to much, but every drive I've had that's had Linux, usually flashes up looking for grub loader ( or similar wording).

These days its just as easy to run various OS's from a VM, that way you don't need to worry about dual booting. One workshop PC has ( from memory) 6 different OS's, just run which ever I need to through Hyper-V.

If its only to test something ( in Windows) I use the inbuilt Sandbox, that way if it screws something OOPS --OK wont try that

[king1]

Doe the linux maybe install a grub bootloader that messes things up for windows? haven't looked at dual booting for years so not really up to date with it

Dont play about with linux to much, but every drive I've had that's had Linux, usually flashes up looking for grub loader ( or similar wording).

These days its just as easy to run various OS's from a VM, that way you don't need to worry about dual booting. One workshop PC has ( from memory) 6 different OS's, just run which ever I need to through Hyper-V.

If its only to test something ( in Windows) I use the inbuilt Sandbox, that way if it screws something OOPS --OK wont try that

mainly use virtualbox myself

[Mzee]

I installed a driver to the USB with Gigabyte Tool. Still couldn't see the Samsung NVME SSD.
Last week I had Windows 10 running in VMWare, sharing a couple of Data partitions. The partition containing websites would no longer open files, I restored it with Macrium. Maybe the other partitions have been corrupted.
  I will restore the whole drive & see what happens. I really don't want to do a complete reinstall.

P.S. I restored the whole drive with a Macrium backup made two months ago. Still the same, both Windows & Linux Ok, but USB installer still doesn't see the NVME SSD. This doesn't effect the performance, but it shouldn't be happening!

[Mzee]

I have updated the BIOS, then cleared the NVME SSD by replacing the Partition Table. Windows USB's still don't see the drive. Linux USB's do.
The Samsung 970 NVME SSD is in the BIOS..
Have installed Mint 21.1 Cinnamon in the normal way, but had to restore the Windows 10 with Macrium.
This problem must be recent, otherwise I couldn't have installed Windows in the first place!

[king1]

I usually use a partition manager to wipe the drive completely in these situations ie by writing ones or zeros across the drive ... i've used partition wizard home edition does the trick, then let the windows installer partition it as it sees fit. Then it should work...

Maybe what you are replacing the the partition table with is not windows friendly, or the drive is stuffed but that would be odd for a Samsung... I'd also stick to using the Windows USB installer tool rather than rufus
https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software.../windows10

and for dual booting you should install windows first
https://linuxmint-installation-guide.rea...iboot.html

[Mzee]

I have found two drivers used in the Macrium 8 rescue iso. They do the trick. Still don't know why it does it. My son's MSI laptop has the same problem.