Lenovo IdeaPad 3 - Hard Disk not recognized in BIOS

Collapse
This topic has been answered.
X
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
  • mkdj
    Member
    • Mar 2025
    • 49
    • France
    #1

    Lenovo IdeaPad 3 - Hard Disk not recognized in BIOS

    Dear all,

    I have recently fixed a Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 ALC6 that was not booting due to a BIOS issue. After flashing the BIOS, the laptop boots up, but hard disk is not recognized in BIOS. Is says "Hard Disk : Not Installed". I have tried with 2 different drives (one that I know is working on another laptop) but I get the same result. I do not know if disks were recognized before I got the laptop and fix it, but I don't see any reason why not. I can boot on USB though.

    Here the steps I have taken to fix the laptop:
    - downloaded latest BIOS from Lenovo Website
    - followed the steps of this guide to create the BIOS.bin file https://www.badcaps.net/forum/troubl...k-bios?t=80861
    - copied DMI from the back-up to the new file with an Hex editor following advice on this post : https://winraid.level1techs.com/t/so...corrupt/111335
    - flashed the BIOS using Neo Programmer

    Any advice on the origin of this fault and how to fix it?

    Regards,
    mkdj
    Tags: None
    • Answer selected by mkdj at Today, 04:51 AM.
      mkdj
      Member
      • Mar 2025
      • 49
      • France
      Hello,

      Thank you for your message. I solved my problem. I was not using the right SSD for testing purposes. I am not familiar yet with the different technologies of SSD, interface, protcols, etc. I only used SSD with keys B+M to test the laptop (probably with SATA interface). Then I tried a SSD with only a M key (probably NVMe), and the disk got recognized.
        • Selected Answer

        Comment

        • mkdj
          Member
          • Mar 2025
          • 49
          • France
          #2
          Dear all,

          Update: I have tried flashing another older BIOS, found on this link: https://www.badcaps.net/forum/troubl...=4#post1605508

          I got the same result: laptop boots but Hard Disk Not Installed.

          I will try tomorrow to clean the M2 slot and do a visual inspection, even though I doubt it is an hardware issue (what are the odds that there is a BIOS and a hardware issue at the same time?)

          I will keep you updated. In the meantime, if you have an idea to unstuck me, I am interested.

          Regards,
          mkdj

            Comment

            • ianbak
              Senior Member
              • Apr 2023
              • 58
              • UK
              #3
              I once had exactly the same problem with a Lenovo and it was because the BIOS I'd flashed wasn't quite the right one for the motherboard. Often a single Lenovo model can use two different motherboards, depending on when it was built. For instance, an L13 Yoga can be of Type 20R5 or Type 20R6. Check very carefully whether the BIOS you have used was the correct one for the specific motherboard you have.

                Comment

                • mkdj
                  Member
                  • Mar 2025
                  • 49
                  • France
                  #4
                  Hello,

                  Thank you for your message. I solved my problem. I was not using the right SSD for testing purposes. I am not familiar yet with the different technologies of SSD, interface, protcols, etc. I only used SSD with keys B+M to test the laptop (probably with SATA interface). Then I tried a SSD with only a M key (probably NVMe), and the disk got recognized.
                    • Selected Answer

                    Comment

                    Previous template Next

                    Related Topics

                    Collapse
                    • anton brunner
                      Having a hard time dumping BIOS - Lenovo Ideapad Duet 3 (11IAN8)
                      by anton brunner
                      Hello everyone,

                      I'm having a hard time dumping the BIOS of a Lenovo Ideapad Duet 3 (11IAN8). The chip is a Winbond W25R256JVEN, directly soldered to the board in a WSON8 package.

                      Since there are lots of tiny components near the chip, I was hesitant to desolder it using hot air. Instead, I soldered thin wires directly to the chip's pads and connected them to a CH341A programmer (photos attached).

                      The chip is detected correctly in both NeoProgrammer and ASProgrammer, but I'm unable to get a consistent dump. I've tried over 15 times — shortened the wires to...
                      2 Photos
                      05-15-2025, 01:01 AM
                    • macabook
                      🛠️ MSI GP75 Leopard MS-17E71 – No Display, Deep BIOS/EC Troubleshooting
                      by macabook
                      Hello everyone,

                      I’m currently working on a dead MSI GP75 Leopard (MS-17E71) motherboard (i7 CPU, NVIDIA GPU) with a no display/no backlight issue initially. After extensive investigation, I’m at a critical stage involving EC firmware, BIOS/ME region interaction, and possible deep corruption. I'm seeking advanced insight from anyone with experience in EC/BIOS sync issues or PCH-level behavior. Here’s a full breakdown:
                      🧩 Initial Issue
                      • Board powers on (fans spin, keyboard lights up and can be adjusted, caps lock led lights), but no display or backlight
                      • External display (HDMI) shows
                      ...
                      07-24-2025, 02:17 PM
                    • federalhouse
                      **Need Help Unlocking BIOS and Hard Drive on Dell Precision 5820 Tower**
                      by federalhouse
                      Hi everyone,

                      I'm in need of assistance with a Dell Precision 5820 Tower. The BIOS is locked with "Dell Security Manager," preventing access to the HDD-1 hard drive.


                      **Background:**

                      I recently purchased this Dell Precision 5820 Tower from a recycler who salvages equipment from abandoned office spaces. The computer was left behind by its previous owner and was password locked. Given that it can run Windows 11, I saw this as an opportunity to upgrade my setup.


                      **What I've Tried So Far:**


                      1. I accessed                      ...
                      1 Photo
                      08-01-2024, 07:03 PM
                    • jendkkd jeje
                      Lenovo IdeaPad 330 15-AST 81D6 BIOS Recovery
                      by jendkkd jeje
                      So a couple of years ago i got a bios update through Lenovo Vantage, so i installed it and bricked my whole BIOS, so i couldn't fix it so i put that ideapad in a box, 3 years later i found that one PC and want to recover it to switch from a 2014 hp laptop to this one.

                      I found a method to recover the BIOS of many lenovo laptops tha consists in pluging in a USB Flash with the BIOS files and power on the laptop with Fn + R keys pressed until fans go loud and start beeping loud, but nothing worked, so i think filename is wrong, i tried naming the bios file as 07WW.BIN, BIOS.BIN, BIOS.fd,...
                      10-11-2024, 03:12 PM
                    • pirati
                      ASUS Zenbook Pro Duo UX8402ZA BIOS
                      by pirati
                      Hello everyone,

                      I recently bought a non-working Asus Zenbook Pro Duo OLED UX8402ZA that was listed for parts only. The seller mentioned that it had no display output but that the charging lights worked.

                      When the laptop arrived (without a charger and SSD), I connected a charger and confirmed with a multimeter that it was charging the battery. However, when I tried to power it on, only the backlight of the secondary display came on. There was no image, and it didn’t boot into the BIOS.

                      I decided to try flashing a new BIOS, but since I didn’t want to desolder...
                      10-27-2025, 04:20 PM
                    • Loading...
                    • No more items.
                    Working...