SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2 no longer readable

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Just bought a 1 TB SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2. Loaded it from my older (Windows 10) desktop, and connected it to my new HP laptop Windows 11 - all good. Was able to read and write from the drive - mapped as D:
Today ( a couple of days later), it no longer recognizes the SSD and says I need to format to continue.

WHY did this happen? I used the SSD straight away and it had no issues. I only put data files on it, and now it’s dead…

Thank you

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You may want to consider posting on the SanDisk forums where someone may have already encountered this or can help you out: https://forums.sandisk.com

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Before we begin with the possible fixes, you want to make sure your SSD is correctly connected and is detected by the BIOS (basic input/output system). The BIOS is the program that boots your computer. It also controls essential tasks between the operating system and the numerous attached devices.

To open the BIOS menu on your computer, you usually need to press the correct function key just as the computer is booting. The specific key required can vary for different manufacturers.

Configure SSD Settings

If your BIOS menu did not list the SSD, you might need to reconfigure your SSD settings. The SATA controller is the hardware interface that connects the motherboard to the hard drive. If the BIOS does not detect your SSD, you can try changing the SATA controller mode.

The BIOS menu differs for different manufacturers, so try to look for similar settings in your manufacturer-specific BIOS menu.
To configure the SATA controller settings:

  1. Restart your PC and enter the BIOS menu by pressing the appropriate function key.
  2. Navigate to Storage Options > Serial ATA > SATA Configuration or a similar setting.
  3. Select the IDE Compatibility Mode.
  4. Save changes and restart your PC.

Your BIOS should now recognize the SSD, and you can start using it after booting Windows 10.

SSD Not Initialized

Once you get a new SSD, you need to initialize it to use it within Windows 10. An uninitialized SSD will not show up in the File Explorer or the Disk Management utility.
If you have not initialized your SSD yet, you can do it in a few steps:

  1. Search for Disk Management in the Start menu search bar, right-click the Best Match, and select Run as administrator.
  2. Right-click the SSD that is not being detected and select Initialize Disk.
  3. In the Initialize Disk dialogue box, select the SSD disk you want to initialize and choose the partition style.
  4. Click Ok to begin the disk initialization process.
  5. After completing Step 4, return to Disk Management, right-click your SSD Volume and select New Simple Volume.
  6. Follow the on-screen instructions to assign the SSD volume and drive letter.
    Once you initialize the SSD, we recommend restarting your PC so the changes can take place correctly. After the restart, Windows 10 should detect the SSD, and you can access it through File Explorer .

Fix Memory Issues to Detect SSD

Often, memory issues within Windows prevent the SSD from being recognized. The Windows Memory Diagnostic tool can detect and fix faulty RAM and hard drive issues. You can run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool as follows:

  1. Search for Windows Memory Diagnostic in the Start menu, right-click on the Best Match, and click on Run as administrator.
  2. Save your unsaved work and select Restart now and check for problems (recommended).

Your PC will now restart, and the diagnostic test will run automatically. The test will take several minutes to complete; after completion, your PC will reboot automatically and display the test results.

Assign or change Drive letter.

A common reason why Windows 10 fails to recognize an SSD is a conflicting or missing drive letter. You can quickly solve this issue by changing or assigning a new drive letter to the SSD in the Disk Management utility.

To change the drive letter of an SSD:

  1. Search for Disk Management in the Start menu search bar, right-click the Best Match, and select Run as administrator.
  2. Right-click your SSD and select Change Drive Letter and Paths.
  3. Click Add if the drive letter does not exist, or Change to modify the existing drive letter.
  4. Select the new drive letter from the dropdown menu and click Ok for the changes to take place.

After following the above steps, you can restart your PC, and Windows 10 will recognize the SSD. You can then access the SSD through File Explorer.