Windows 11 suddenly stopped recognizing the Samsung S7 SSD 500GB when connected via the USB-C cable to the Thunderbolt port

Firstly, as a newcomer to the forum, I would like to greet everyone and introduce myself. I am a longtime user of PC systems, both Windows and Linux. The computer assists me in pursuing my interests: music, photography, and astronomy.
My problem:
Windows 11 suddenly stopped recognizing the Samsung S7 SSD 500GB when connected via the USB-C cable to the Thunderbolt port on the Huawei MateBook Pro laptop. When the cable is connected before the system starts, Windows recognizes the S7 SSD after the system is loaded. Windows 10 Pro and Linux Ubuntu 23.10 - this same PC,Llinux is installed on external SSD, recognize the S7, using the same cable without any problems. Device Manager doesn't show any issues.

I did everything from these pages:


But problem remains unsolved.

On the other hand, there are no issues with the USB-C input; all connected drives are recognized in each of the situations described above.

Sorry no one has answered your post. Welcome to the forum.
Those links have good information but they relate more to USB and USB drives.
IF the drive is detected using Linux on the same hardware, but not detected in 11, IMO it points to the thunderbolt controller driver in 11 being outdated or corrupted.

If you have HUAWEI PC Manager installed, let it update your drivers. If there is no thunderbolt controller driver update using its PC Manager. you will need to find the driver on HUAWEI site and download the driver applicable to your device. The thing is, HUAWEI is the worst site I have ever seen to find what you need, especially drivers.

If there is a newer driver than what you have, just installing the driver should fix any corruption. But if you have the most current driver I would delete thunderbolt controller in device manager AND check the box to delete the driver. Restart and install the driver again....if you can find it. You could also delete thunderbolt and it's driver, restart and see if Windows update will find a driver (but there's no guarantee it will)

Another thing you might try is a system restore if you have a restore point created before the problem began to occur. It would be worth a shot.
You can also restore a system image if you made one.

Hi, @swnw, and welcome to the Windows Eleven Forum (aka 11F).

swnw said:

When the cable is connected before the system starts, Windows recognizes the S7 SSD after the system is loaded.

Click to expand...

Therein lies the key. Has your UEFI been updated recently?

It sounds like the system is now assigning that as an internal drive instead of a removable drive, so if it is not present when powered on, the system assumed it has been removed.

Check Drive management and see if it is there but not assigned a drive letter (I doubt it).

Then, find the user manual for your machine and see if it has a detailed breakdown of the UEFI options in it. You'll be look for anything related to drives, check for settings related to USB and / or Thunderbolt.

Hello!

I'm having exactly the same problem here, I have an Orico SSD enclosure in which I always used a Netac SSD, suddenly my laptop stopped recognizing this SSD when connected via the USB-C/Thunderbolt port...

For a few days now, whenever I disconnect the SSD I need to restart the laptop with the enclosure connected so that the SSD is recognized again...

I believe this started to happen after a Windows update, but I'm not sure...

My laptop is an HP Omen - DC1058wm.

I tried updating the BIOS to the latest version and it didn't help...

I've already tested 2 different models of Orico enclosures, 3 different cables and 3 SSDs from different brands, the same thing happens.

Any ideas on how to resolve it?

Try this: disconnect all USB devices, is the computer is a laptop disable or disconnect the battery, turn off the computer, disconnect the AC cable, press the power button for 1 minute or so.

Anibor_11 said:

Try this: disconnect all USB devices, is the computer is a laptop disable or disconnect the battery, turn off the computer, disconnect the AC cable, press the power button for 1 minute or so.

Click to expand...

Still the same...
I've already tried resetting the bios and even removing the battery from the motherboard.

I believe it is something related to drivers, I used this SSD this way for a long time, the problem started a few days ago...

Did you try showing Hidden Devices under the device manager view setting.

I believe it is somehow related to power delivery. Whether my case applies to any one else, I can't say. Also, I'm using a PC, not a laptop.

I have multiple external drives (all usb, various brands, some HDD and some SSD (no thunderbolt but same principal should apply)
I never had one lick of problems with external HDDs using their own power but was forever having to plug and unplug to get the SSDs to be recognized through wakes and restarts. Like you, the issue did not happen from cold boot. I took one of SSDs and put it into a powered dock. It worked like a charm. I then connected it to a powered USB hub. No more problems with any of my external SSDs staying recognized using the powered hub.

Note: This is only on my Windows 11 machine which has modern hardware. I could use these same drives in my older Windows 10 PC with no problem.

johnlgalt said:

Hi, @swnw, and welcome to the Windows Eleven Forum (aka 11F).



Therein lies the key. Has your UEFI been updated recently?

It sounds like the system is now assigning that as an internal drive instead of a removable drive, so if it is not present when powered on, the system assumed it has been removed.

Check Drive management and see if it is there but not assigned a drive letter (I doubt it).

Then, find the user manual for your machine and see if it has a detailed breakdown of the UEFI options in it. You'll be look for anything related to drives, check for settings related to USB and / or Thunderbolt.

Click to expand...

I believe the key is here, apparently windows is recognizing the SSD as an internal device, that's why it works after reboot, the big question is: why is this happening?

It's always worked perfectly, I haven't done anything different in the last few days, I haven't even installed drivers, so I'm thinking it's something related to the latest Windows 11 updates...

I thought the 2 ports were the same but turns out not so much.

Tyrone66 said:

I believe the key is here, apparently windows is recognizing the SSD as an internal device, that's why it works after reboot, the big question is: why is this happening?

It's always worked perfectly, I haven't done anything different in the last few days, I haven't even installed drivers, so I'm thinking it's something related to the latest Windows 11 updates...

Click to expand...

I suspect a (relatively recent) Windows Update has changed something.

These forums are chock full of posts where something that has worked forever and one day all of a sudden, and recently, it stopped working like it always has. The trick is going to be figuring out which one might be at fault. Even I'm having an issue where my BT device search box never pops up, so I cannot pair any devices from inside Windows anymore.

I'm trying an in-place upgrade (repair) next, and if that does not work, I'm clean installing. I did a few things back in September to kinda force 23H2 onto my system, and at least one other person was able to fix their issue by reverting to 22H2 and waiting to be offered 23H2 (although he was able to find the specific update that cause his issue).

In your case, if you can narrow it down to a day or two, you'll have a good idea of which updates are possible. In my case, the last time I paired something via BT was early September, so I have tons of updates to peruse - and I refuse to waste that much time on something that I can fix with a repair / reset.

@glasskuter,@johnlgalt,@Anibor_11

I did everything you told me - without a positive result.

Tyrone66 said:

believe the key is here, apparently windows is recognizing the SSD as an internal device, that's why it works after reboot, the big question is: why is this happening?

Click to expand...

The question is bigger than big. I think that even Microsoft doesn't know answer, a lot of updates is simply tested by us.

johnlgalt said:

and I refuse to waste that much time on something that I can fix with a repair / reset.

Click to expand...

I have 3 copies of the disk made by EaseUS Todo Backup (highly recommend) at weekly intervals, but unfortunately, going back in time didn't help at all. A clean installation is not for me because I have several photographic, astronomical, and musical programs, the clean install and recovery of the settings and saved works would cost too much time. But if I have no choice, I will do it.

johnlgalt said:

Then, find the user manual for your machine and see if it has a detailed breakdown of the UEFI options in it.

Click to expand...

Huawei user manual is rather symbolic but Huawei PC Manager in my opinion is great but it says that everything in my laptop is OK.

So I try, taking easy now, but still working and so far I can't get no satisfaction. But when I find a solution, I will notify you immediately.

Regards, swnw

johnlgalt said:

Even I'm having an issue where my BT device search box never pops up, so I cannot pair any devices from inside Windows anymore.

Click to expand...

I've seen that happen all of twice and it was because the Bluetooth were missing from Network Adapters and Bluetooth in Device Manager. Bluetooth is usually included with a Wireless Adapter. Reinstalling the drivers for Wireless Network adapter and Bluetooth fixed both.

Bluetooth and Wireless are more common on Notebooks but not so much on Desktops until the last few years. I have rehabbed an HP Desktop from 2019 that has them and I had an ASUS Business Desktop from 2015 that had it [an add-in PCIe card].

Was not my problem at all. I have a dedicated thread on it where I went through all the different troubleshooting steps.

Only an in-place upgrade (repair) install fixed it.