New build won't recognise USB

Marmot · 15 Jul 2019 at 07:43

Just built a new computer with an MSI B450 Mortar and it has booted and installed Windows fine.

I need to install Network drivers as it will not connect to the internet via the network cable, but the build doesn't have a DVD drive so I have opted to do this via USB. I downloaded the B450M drivers on another computer and transferred them via USB to the new build.

Unfortunately when inputting the USB Stick into new build it only shows up with "D: EFI", which contains nothing at all. Looking at it's properties it's only 200mb large and I know for a fact that the USB stick is 16GB.

What should I do to solve this?

On device manager pretty much everything is unrecognised, but "SanDisk Cruzer Facet USB Drive" does show up under disk drives. I've tried uninstalling this and then removing/reinserting but the device can still only be opened at "D: EFI".

Thank you

freddie64 · 15 Jul 2019 at 07:54

Is this the USB stick you used to install Windows?

Thinking you may need to format it first so it is not seen as a bootable drive.

Marmot · 15 Jul 2019 at 08:03

Good question but no, it's a separate USB stick.

labcoattech · 15 Jul 2019 at 13:20

How did you create the Windows installer USB?

It might be split into two partitions.

darael · 15 Jul 2019 at 13:24

Is it a USB 3.0 stick? I have seen some computers that don't like to boot from USB 3.0 sticks, but they tend to be older.

labcoattech · 15 Jul 2019 at 13:26

Have you tried a USB flash drive that doesn't have a Windows installer on it?

an0nym0us · 15 Jul 2019 at 13:47

Try this on the USB stick (make sure you select the correct disk, otherwise you'll erase a different drive):
https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/32829822

Hopefully that'll free up your USB stick.

Marmot · 15 Jul 2019 at 17:22

Thanks for the responses.

I created the windows installer USB drive on computer 1.

The problem arises with USB drive 2, not windows installer USB drive, and on computer 2.

USB drive 2 is a separate USB drive which I have put some motherboard drivers on to move to computer 2 with fresh windows installation. It is not being recognised by computer 2.

I don't want to free up the USB stick as it works fine on computer 1.

All I can think of to install the motherboard drivers is to remove the SSD from computer 2 and transfer it temporarily to computer 1 for a file transfer, then move back to computer 2 for installation.

Jamin280672 · 15 Jul 2019 at 17:25

Plug the USB stick into the PC, right click the start bubble and select disk management and delete all of the partitions on the USB stick, if there is 2 or 3 partitions on the same USB stick, delete them all, once it tells you the whole drive is an unpartitioned space, re-initialize the USB stick in the same window and format it.

You can also try the same thing using DISKPART in an elevated CMD window, instructions here: https://tabernusupport.freshdesk.co...52-using-diskpart-to-re-partition-a-usb-stick

there is 2 things missing off the end of those instructions, they are:

assign (to assign the drive a letter)
exit (to exit diskpart)

LuckyBenski · 15 Jul 2019 at 21:36

I usually just plug my phone in via USB and tether its WiFi to the PC. Seems to work automatically.

an0nym0us · 16 Jul 2019 at 01:07

Marmot said:
Thanks for the responses.

I created the windows installer USB drive on computer 1.

The problem arises with USB drive 2, not windows installer USB drive, and on computer 2.

USB drive 2 is a separate USB drive which I have put some motherboard drivers on to move to computer 2 with fresh windows installation. It is not being recognised by computer 2.

I don't want to free up the USB stick as it works fine on computer 1.

All I can think of to install the motherboard drivers is to remove the SSD from computer 2 and transfer it temporarily to computer 1 for a file transfer, then move back to computer 2 for installation.

Since USB drive 1 was able to successfully install Windows 10 on computer 2, try using USB drive 1 to transfer all the drivers and setup files.

freddie64 · 16 Jul 2019 at 06:04

Is the problematic USB stick still working in computer 1?

On computer 2, what does Disk Management say about the USB stick?

From what i can see online the only way to format the USB drive is through Diskpart, doing this should still make it usable on both computers.