How to Fix M.2 Not Showing Up in BIOS on Gigabyte Motherboards

Now, listen, if ya got one of them fancy M.2 SSDs, and it’s nowhere to be found in your BIOS on a Gigabyte motherboard, well, there’s a few reasons why that might be. So, let’s walk through it nice and easy-like.

First things first: Make sure that little M.2 drive is plugged in proper. I know it sounds simple, but ya’d be surprised how many times folks just don’t seat it right. Gotta make sure it’s nice and snug in that M.2 slot, hear?

Now, if it’s in there proper but still not showin’ up, here’s a few things to check. These modern machines got all kinds of different boot settings, and if them settings ain’t just right, well, you’ll be lookin’ at a blank screen all day long. So, let’s go step by step on what you can do.

1. Check the Boot Mode – UEFI or Legacy

Alright, this part’s important. Some computers out there are set to boot in UEFI mode only, and if your SSD was set up with an MBR partition instead of GPT, that M.2 might just be invisible. Ya see, UEFI doesn’t like MBR; it’s gotta have GPT to work. But if ya got an older system set to Legacy mode, it’s the other way ’round – needs MBR, not GPT. So, if you ain’t sure, just go into your BIOS settings and check if it’s on UEFI or Legacy.

Now, how do ya do that? Easy:

• Restart your computer and keep pressin’ that DEL key or F2 (depends on your model) to get into the BIOS.
• Go find the boot options. Look for anything that says UEFI/Legacy Boot Mode and see what it’s set to.
• If it’s on UEFI, and ya got an old MBR partition, well, ya might need to reformat that SSD to GPT. And if it’s on Legacy, but ya got GPT, you’ll need to switch it to UEFI mode or reformat to MBR.

2. Enable the CSM (Compatibility Support Module)

Sometimes, ya gotta go into the BIOS and turn on somethin’ called the Compatibility Support Module (CSM). Now, CSM lets your computer be more friendly with older stuff, like Legacy boot mode. If this CSM thing’s off, well, that might be why you’re not seein’ that M.2 SSD. Just go on and turn that on.

To do that:

• Head over to BIOS again by pressin’ DEL or F2 when you boot up.
• Look under the Boot or Advanced settings for CSM.
• If it’s off, flip that to Enabled. Save and restart.

3. Update Your BIOS

Now, let me tell ya, BIOS updates can be a bit tricky, but sometimes these motherboards – especially Gigabyte boards – need a little firmware boost to see them new M.2 drives. If your BIOS is old, it might not have the right “drivers” to see that SSD. So, head over to the Gigabyte website, find your motherboard model, and look for any new BIOS updates.

Careful though! Updating the BIOS ain’t no joke. Follow the instructions on the Gigabyte site, and if you’re unsure, ask someone who knows their way around these things. A bad BIOS update can make the whole system stop workin’.

4. Check M.2 Slot Compatibility

Gigabyte motherboards, well, sometimes they’re picky about which slot works with which drive. They got multiple M.2 slots, and some only work if ya got certain types of SSDs. Maybe it’s only one slot that supports NVMe, while another supports SATA, and it won’t pick up the drive if it’s in the wrong slot. So, go check your manual or Gigabyte’s website for which slot goes with your M.2 type.

5. Update SSD Firmware and Drivers

Just like the BIOS, them SSDs sometimes need updates, too. If your drive’s firmware – that’s like its own little operating software – is outta date, it might not show up right. Check the SSD maker’s website (Samsung, Western Digital, or whoever made your drive) and see if they got firmware updates. Usually, they got a tool ya can download to update it right from Windows, if ya can see the drive there.

6. Reset BIOS to Default

If all else fails, ya can always reset the BIOS back to its default settings. Maybe ya changed a setting somewhere that’s causin’ the issue. When ya reset it, everything goes back to factory, and maybe that M.2 will finally show up.

To reset:

• Go into BIOS.
• Look for an option like Load Optimized Defaults or Reset to Default.
• Click that, save, and restart the machine.

Final Words

So there ya go, a few steps to get that M.2 showin’ up in your BIOS on a Gigabyte board. It might take a bit of fiddlin’, but most times it’s one of these simple settings causin’ the trouble. Take it step by step, be patient, and you’ll get that drive up and runnin’ in no time!

Tags：[M.2 SSD, BIOS Settings, Gigabyte Motherboard, Troubleshooting]