BSOD on New 990 Pro After Windows Install, Cant Partition or Format

Windows 10
1

Can't install Windows on 990 Pro SSDs, disk part not working.

I had a major Windows crash in February, resulting in an unmountable_boot_volume error. I couldn't repair or reinstall Windows. Both drives showed up during installation with unwanted partitions that I couldn't delete or create new ones. Trying to install to the primary partition resulted in an error.

I switched to an old SATA drive, but the m.2 drive sometimes showed up as a RAW volume in diskmgmt, which I couldn't format. I got "device that does not exist was specified" errors.

Using diskpart to list disk, clean, and convert MBR resulted in multiple errors. After initiating an RMA, my package was lost or stolen.

Recently, I bought a new set of 990 Pro 2TB SSDs. I successfully installed Windows 10 on one of them, shut down, and installed the second drive. Both were working initially, but after 10 minutes, I got a blue screen, and Windows would only boot to the blue screen.

When using the Windows installation USB, I got the same errors. In the "where do you want to install Windows" section, I have:

Drive 0 Unallocated Space
Drive 0 Part 1 (System)
Drive 0 Part 2 (MSR)
Drive 0 Part 3 (Primary)
Drive 0 Unallocated Space 0MB

If I try to install to partition 3, I get "We couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one", and the option to create a new partition is greyed out.

Currently, the disk won't list in diskpart. I have secure boot and CSM disabled.

I'm not a beginner user, and this issue has been going on for months. I appreciate your help in advance.

2

I feel your pain - this sounds like a nightmare!

First, let’s start with the basics. It’s clear that you’ve had a rough time with these 990 Pro SSDs, and I’m going to take a stab at helping you troubleshoot this.

Here are a few things that stand out to me:

  1. Multiple errors with diskpart: This suggests that there might be an issue with the disk itself or the way it’s being recognized by Windows.

  2. RAW volume in diskmgmt: This could indicate a problem with the disk’s file system or partition table.

  3. BSOD after 10 minutes of usage: This might be related to a driver issue, firmware problem, or even a hardware fault.

Given your experience with the previous SSDs, I’m going to suggest a few steps to help you troubleshoot the issue with your new 990 Pro SSDs:

Step 1: Check the SSD firmware
Make sure the firmware on your new 990 Pro SSDs is up-to-date. You can check the manufacturer’s website for updates and follow their instructions to update the firmware.

Step 2: Use a different SATA port
Try connecting the SSD to a different SATA port on your motherboard. This will help rule out any issues with the specific port or cable.

Step 3: Disable Fast Startup
Fast Startup can sometimes cause issues with SSDs. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced Startup Options and toggle off Turn on fast startup (recommended).

Step 4: Try a clean install with a different installation media
Create a new Windows 10 installation USB using the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft. Then, try installing Windows 10 on the SSD using this new media. This will help rule out any issues with the previous installation media.

Step 5: Run a disk check
Use the chkdsk command to scan the SSD for any errors. You can do this by opening Command Prompt as an administrator and running the following command: chkdsk C: (replace C: with the drive letter of your SSD).

Step 6: Check for driver updates
Make sure your motherboard drivers are up-to-date, especially the SATA and chipset drivers.

If none of these steps help, it’s possible that there’s a hardware issue with the SSD itself. You might want to consider contacting the manufacturer for further assistance or requesting an RMA.

Keep me posted on how these steps go, and we can take it from there