"No Drive Found" During OS Reinstallation on Intel 11th, 12th & 13th Gen Systems – Cause, Impact & Resolution Using Intel IRST

Reinstalling Windows on systems with modern Intel processors (11th, 12th, and 13th Gen) can sometimes result in a frustrating error:

"No drives found. Click Load Driver to provide a mass storage driver for installation."

This blog offers a deep dive into the root cause, impact, and step-by-step resolution using Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) drivers.

🔍 Understanding the Problem

During OS reinstallation (OSRI) on newer Intel platforms, especially on laptops and desktops released post-2020, the Windows setup fails to detect the storage drive (NVMe/SSD), even though it is present in BIOS and works in the factory-shipped OS.

Typical error message:

"We couldn’t find any drives. To get a storage driver, click Load Driver."

This is especially common on Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Acer systems with Intel 11th/12th/13th Gen CPUs.

⚠️ Cause of the Issue

The root cause lies in the default SATA/NVMe controller mode set in BIOS:

BIOS Option	Description
RAID / Intel RST	Enables Intel Rapid Storage Technology (default on OEMs)
AHCI	Standard SATA/NVMe mode supported natively by Windows

Modern systems with 11th Gen or newer CPUs come preconfigured in RAID/IRST mode, which Windows setup cannot natively detect without proper drivers.

❗ The NVMe SSD is hidden unless the appropriate IRST (Intel Rapid Storage Technology) driver is loaded.

🎯 Impact

• OS reinstallation fails due to lack of drive detection

• Confusion among users and technicians

• Leads to incorrect assumptions of SSD failure

• Time-consuming support interactions

🛠️ Resolution – Step-by-Step Fix Using IRST Driver

✅ Option 1: Load IRST Driver During Windows Installation

Recommended if you want to keep RAID/Intel Optane features enabled.

🔧 Step 1: Download the Intel RST Driver

1. From another working system, visit the official link:👉 Intel RST VMD Driver Download

2. Choose the F6 Floppy driver version for your generation (ZIP file).

   • Eg: f6vmdflpy-x64.zip

3. Extract the zip file to a USB drive.

   • You should now see folders like VMD and .inf/.sys files inside.

🔧 Step 2: Boot to Windows Installation Media

1. Insert Windows USB installation media and boot to it.

2. Select language → Click Install Now

3. On "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen, you’ll see no drives.

🔧 Step 3: Load the IRST Driver

1. Click on Load Driver

2. Insert your USB with IRST drivers

3. Browse to the folder where the iaStorVD.inf or iaStorAC.inf is located

4. Select it → Click Next

✅ Your NVMe/SSD drive will now be visible!

🔧 Step 4: Proceed with Installation

• Select the SSD

• Delete all existing partitions (if needed)

• Proceed with clean installation

✅ Option 2: Change BIOS Mode from RAID to AHCI (If RAID is Not Needed)

Simpler method if RAID or Intel Optane is not being used

⚠️ Warning:

Switching from RAID to AHCI after Windows is already installed can cause boot failure. For clean install, it's safe.

🔧 Steps:

1. Enter BIOS/UEFI Setup (F2, DEL, or ESC during boot)

2. Go to Storage Configuration / SATA Mode

3. Change mode from RAID/Intel RST to AHCI

4. Save and Exit BIOS

5. Boot into Windows Setup

Now Windows Setup will natively detect the SSD. No need to load IRST drivers.

💡 How to Identify Which IRST Driver to Use?

Intel Generation	VMD Supported?	Driver Needed
10th Gen	No	Standard RST
11th Gen	Yes	VMD RST (iaStorVD)
12th Gen	Yes	VMD RST (iaStorVD)
13th Gen	Yes	VMD RST (iaStorVD)

If your BIOS has a VMD Controller option, IRST with VMD support is required.

✅ Best Practices

• Always check BIOS storage mode before OSRI

• Keep latest IRST driver USB ready

• For enterprise or support teams, integrate IRST into custom Windows ISO using tools like NTLite or DISM

• Consider using Dell/HP OEM recovery tools that preload IRST drivers

📌 Summary

Category	Details
Issue	No drive found during OS installation on Intel 11th–13th Gen CPUs
Root Cause	Storage controller set to RAID (Intel RST) – needs external driver
Fix Option 1	Load Intel IRST driver during install (recommended for RAID setups)
Fix Option 2	Switch BIOS storage mode to AHCI (if RAID/Optane not needed)
Driver	Intel RST F6 Driver (iaStorVD or iaStorAC) from Intel.com

📥 Resources

• Intel IRST Download Center

• Microsoft DISM Driver Injection Guide

• NTLite Custom ISO Creation

If you’re a support engineer or a tech-savvy user, understanding this issue will save you hours of confusion. For OEMs, integrating IRST drivers in your recovery image is a must to prevent installation failures on modern hardware.