Windows Setup reaches the drive-selection screen, but your SSD is nowhere to be found. That does not necessarily mean the drive has failed. On some PCs, the installer cannot see storage attached to an Intel Volume Management Device (VMD) controller until the right Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) driver is loaded.

The safest first move is to check how the SSD appears in firmware, then load the PC manufacturer’s storage driver. Avoid changing VMD or RAID settings as a shortcut if the computer has an existing Windows installation: changing the storage controller configuration can leave that installation unable to boot.

This guide applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11 installation media. Allow roughly 25 minutes if you have another working PC and a USB drive available; finding the right driver or diagnosing hardware can take longer.

A Windows installation guide shows loading an Intel VMD storage driver so Setup can detect an SSD. Before you start​

You’ll need:

  • The affected PC’s exact model or motherboard model.
  • Windows installation media that boots successfully.
  • Another working PC with internet access, if you need to download a driver.
  • A USB drive for the extracted driver files. Some manufacturers also document placing them on the Windows installation USB.
  • A backup of important files, if the SSD contains data you want to keep.

If the existing installation uses BitLocker or device encryption, make sure you can access its recovery key before troubleshooting firmware or boot changes. If this is a work-managed device, check with your IT administrator before changing firmware settings or reinstalling Windows.

Important: Getting the SSD to appear does not require deleting partitions or formatting the drive. Those actions can destroy data. Microsoft also warns that a clean Windows installation removes personal files, apps and settings.

1. Check whether firmware can see the SSD​

Restart the computer and enter its UEFI firmware settings. The startup key varies by manufacturer and model; consult the PC or motherboard manual if it is not shown on screen.

Look for a page that lists storage devices, NVMe devices, drives or an Intel RST storage configuration. Menu names vary. Check the device list rather than only the boot-priority list: a new or unbootable SSD may not appear as a boot option.

Note the drive’s model and capacity if they are shown. Also record any relevant storage setting, such as VMD, Intel RST, RAID or SATA operation. Do not change it yet.

  • SSD is listed in a storage or RST device page: A missing Setup driver is a plausible cause. Continue to the driver section.
  • SSD is not listed: Check the manufacturer’s instructions for the relevant port or RST device view. If it remains absent, investigate the SSD connection, slot compatibility or hardware health before assuming a Windows driver will solve it.
  • The firmware provides no clear physical-drive list: That result is inconclusive. Consult the system manual or manufacturer rather than treating an empty boot list as proof of failure.

Intel notes that an SSD managed through RST remapping can require an RST driver during Windows installation. It also recommends consulting the system or board manufacturer about appropriate NVMe settings if the drive is still not visible.

In short: Firmware visibility is a useful clue, not a complete diagnosis. Do not reset firmware settings or switch storage modes merely to see what happens.

2. Download the correct storage controller driver​

On a working PC, visit the support page for the affected computer or motherboard. Find the driver downloads for the exact model and look for an Intel RST, Intel VMD, storage controller or F6 driver suitable for the Windows version and architecture you are installing.

An F6 driver is the installation-time driver package—not necessarily an instruction to press F6 on a modern Setup screen. Choose the package intended for your platform; a driver that works on one Intel generation is not automatically compatible with another.

Download the package and extract its contents onto a USB drive. Windows Setup generally needs the extracted driver files, including an .inf file and its associated files—not just a zipped archive or a standalone installer executable. If the download is an .exe, follow the PC manufacturer’s extraction instructions; the method varies by package.

Keep the extracted folder structure intact. Intel’s general procedure is to unzip the appropriate F6 driver package to USB and load it during Setup.

Intel’s documentation identifies iaStorVD.sys as a VMD driver file in one RST package layout. That is a useful clue, but do not assume every manufacturer package uses the same folder structure or displayed driver name.

3. Load the driver in Windows Setup​

  1. Connect the USB drive containing the extracted driver files to the affected PC.
  2. Boot from the Windows 10 or Windows 11 installation media and proceed to the screen asking where to install Windows.
  3. Select Load driver. Depending on the Setup interface, you may need to use Browse to locate the files.
  4. Browse to the extracted storage-driver folder on the USB drive and confirm the selection.
  5. Select the compatible controller driver offered by Setup, then choose Next.
  6. Return to the drive list. The SSD or its available partitions should now appear if the missing controller driver was the cause.

Compare the displayed capacity with the SSD you intend to use before continuing. If the drive holds files you need and you have no verified backup, stop here rather than experimenting with its partitions.

Intel documents this load-driver process for both Windows 10 and Windows 11 and advises trying the device manufacturer’s RST driver if an initial driver does not detect the drive.

If Setup still cannot see the SSD​

  • No compatible driver appears: Recheck the exact PC model, Windows version and architecture. Confirm that you extracted the package and selected the folder containing the driver files.
  • The USB drive is not visible: Try another USB port and confirm on the working PC that the extracted files are actually on the drive.
  • The driver loads but no SSD appears: Return to the manufacturer’s storage documentation and verify that the package matches the controller and platform. A driver load is not proof that the SSD itself is healthy.
  • The SSD appears but Setup reports a partition or installation error: That is a separate problem. Read the exact error before changing partitions or boot settings.

Loading the controller driver is a targeted fix for a missing storage path—not a universal repair for every SSD or installation problem.

4. Check VMD settings without putting Windows at risk​

Intel VMD can place supported storage devices under an RST-managed controller. That is why Setup may need a VMD driver even though the physical SSD is present.

Firmware controls vary by manufacturer, and some PCs do not expose a VMD switch at all. Intel advises consulting the system vendor before changing BIOS or RAID/Optane configurations.

For an existing Windows installation, leave the current setting in place unless you have a manufacturer-supported migration procedure and a recovery plan. Switching VMD, RAID or controller modes changes how Windows reaches the boot drive. If the installed Windows environment lacks the appropriate driver for the new configuration, it may fail to start.

If you already changed a storage setting and Windows no longer boots:

  1. Return to firmware setup.
  2. Restore the exact original setting you recorded.
  3. Save the change and try starting Windows again.
  4. If Windows still does not start, or you do not know the original setting, consult the device manufacturer or your IT administrator. Have the encryption recovery key available if requested.

Do not disable VMD on a RAID or Optane configuration as an experiment. Likewise, do not remove a working RST VMD driver from an installed system: Intel warns that doing so can cause an inaccessible-boot-device error and potential data loss.

After the SSD appears​

Once Setup sees the correct drive, proceed only after deciding what should happen to its existing data. A visible SSD does not mean it is safe to delete its partitions.

After installation, check the PC manufacturer’s guidance for any remaining storage and chipset drivers, then use Windows Update for applicable updates. If you are installing Windows 10, account for its support status: Microsoft’s free security updates ended after October 14, 2025.

The practical takeaway is simple: check the storage device view, load the model-specific controller driver, and treat VMD settings as part of the existing boot configuration—not as a mystery switch to flip.

 

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