ASUS TUF Z790-PLUS WIFI: SSD missing in Windows Setup

Decide where the drive is actually missing

This guide covers the DDR5 TUF GAMING Z790-PLUS WIFI, not D4 or II. Record the SSD's exact model, interface and socket, plus whether firmware detects it and whether Windows Setup lists it.

A drive absent from the firmware's physical-device information has a different diagnostic path from one seen by firmware but hidden from the installer. The boot-priority list alone is not conclusive: a blank SSD may have no bootloader entry.

For this board, the manual lists M.2_1, M.2_2 and M.2_3 for PCIe storage, while M.2_4 also supports SATA M.2 drives. A SATA M.2 module in a PCIe-only socket will not be fixed by loading an RST driver. Confirm the interface first.

Check whether VMD is part of this configuration

ASUS documents Intel 600-series-and-later motherboard storage configuration through Advanced → System Agent (SA) Configuration → VMD setup menu; wording can vary with firmware. Inspect the current settings and whether PCIe storage is mapped under VMD. Record them before changing anything.

This is a conditional check, not a claim that every Z790 installation requires VMD or RST. If the drive is exposed directly to the normal NVMe path, a missing installer disk needs a different explanation.

If an existing Windows installation or RAID volume relies on the current controller mode, preserve that configuration. Do not create or delete a RAID volume merely to make a disk visible, and do not casually toggle the storage mode of an existing boot installation.

Obtain the driver for the exact board and Windows version

The official TUF GAMING Z790-PLUS WIFI download page provides Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver software under storage/SATA downloads. Use the package for your actual Windows version and this exact board variant.

Prepare the driver on another computer if necessary. Follow the package's extraction instructions and copy the extracted driver files to accessible USB media. A ZIP archive or installer executable alone is not the driver directory that Windows Setup's Load driver dialog needs.

Do not install unrelated wireless, Intel ME or graphics packages as a substitute for the storage-controller driver. Their presence on the same download page does not make them interchangeable.

Load the controller driver in Windows Setup

At the installation-target screen, choose Load driver, browse to the extracted storage-driver directory and use the compatible controller entry supplied by that package. ASUS's motherboard RAID instructions document this installer workflow separately from creating a RAID array.

After the controller loads, check whether the expected disk appears with the correct capacity. If it does, the diagnostic result is that the installer needed access through that controller; it is not evidence that the SSD was empty or defective.

If no compatible entry is offered, check extraction, Windows version and package selection. Do not force an unrelated controller driver or disable compatibility filtering merely to advance the installer.

Protect existing data and choose the next branch

Loading a driver is separate from authorizing an installation, partition deletion or format. Stop before those actions if the disk should contain existing files, and make sure important data is backed up.

If the drive remains absent, revisit firmware detection, socket support and the current controller mapping. Preserve the disk layout and record the exact Setup symptom. A driver cannot repair a loose module or add SATA support to a PCIe-only M.2 socket.