When you boot a device from the SMART USB and launch the SMART Custom Windows Installer, the first prompt asks whether you would like to load storage drivers.
This article explains when storage drivers are required, how to prepare them, and what to do if the internal drive is not detected during Windows installation.
The Storage Driver Prompt
When the installer starts, you will see:
Load storage drivers
1. Load storage drivers (ensure drivers are located in the drivers folder)
2. Skip
The default option is Skip (2) and will be selected automatically after 10 seconds.
For most devices, no additional storage drivers are required. Standard SATA and NVMe SSDs are typically detected automatically.
When Should I Load Storage Drivers?
Select Option 1 if any of the following apply:
- The device uses Intel VMD (Volume Management Device), commonly found on 11th Generation Intel systems and newer.
- The device uses Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST).
- The device is configured in RAID mode.
- The device uses an OEM-specific storage controller.
- No internal drive appears during Windows Setup.
- The OEM has provided storage controller drivers for the device.
If you continue without loading drivers and later receive that no drives were found then please restart the installation and select Option 1.
Preparing the Drivers Folder
Before booting from the SMART USB, copy the required storage drivers onto the USB drive.
Steps
- Open the SMART USB drive in Windows Explorer.
- Create a folder called drivers in the root of the USB drive.
- Copy the storage driver files into this folder.
- Subfolders are supported if you wish to organise drivers by manufacturer or model.
Your USB structure should look similar to:
USB Root
- SMART/
- SMART.exe
- auth.txt
- drivers/
- Storage driver files
Important: Do not place drivers inside the SMART folder. The installer only searches for a folder called drivers located in the root of the USB drive.
Where Can I Obtain Storage Drivers?
Intel (VMD / RST)
Download from the Intel Download Centre and search for:
- Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST)
- Intel VMD Controller Driver
Dell
Visit the Dell Support website, enter the Service Tag, and navigate to:
Drivers & Downloads → Storage
HP
Visit the HP Support website and navigate to:
Drivers → Storage Controllers
Lenovo
Visit the Lenovo Support website and navigate to:
Drivers & Software → Storage
When downloading drivers, extract the package and copy the raw driver files (.INF, .SYS and .CAT) to the USB. You do not need to copy the installer executable (.EXE).
Loading Drivers During Installation
- Boot the device from the SMART USB.
- At the storage driver prompt, enter 1 and press Enter.
- SMART will scan the drivers folder and load any available storage drivers.
- Once complete, the installer will continue to the Windows edition selection screen.
- Proceed with installation as normal.
The Drive Still Doesn’t Appear
If the internal drive is still not visible after loading drivers, check the following:
Verify the Drivers Folder
Confirm that the driver files are present in the root drivers folder and have been extracted correctly.
Verify the Driver Matches the Hardware
Use the device model number or service tag to ensure you have downloaded the correct storage controller driver.
Check BIOS Settings
Some devices allow the storage controller mode to be changed from:
- Intel VMD → AHCI
- RAID → AHCI
Changing these settings may remove the need for additional drivers.
Warning: Changing storage controller settings on a device that already contains data may prevent Windows from booting. Only make these changes on devices being freshly installed.
Intel VMD Systems
Many newer Intel platforms require the specific Intel VMD driver.
Standard Intel RST drivers without VMD support may not detect the drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
I skipped loading drivers and Windows installed successfully. Do I need to reinstall?
No. If the drive was detected and Windows installed correctly, no further action is required.
Can I store drivers for multiple models on the same USB?
Yes. SMART will scan all supported driver files within the drivers folder and its subfolders.
For example:
- drivers/Dell/
- drivers/HP/
- drivers/Lenovo/
The prompt disappeared before I could select Option 1.
The installer automatically selects Skip after 10 seconds.
Simply restart the device and boot from the SMART USB again.
Does Windows 11 require storage drivers?
In many cases Windows 11 includes built-in support for newer storage controllers.
However, some Intel VMD, RST, RAID, and OEM-specific controllers may still require drivers to be loaded manually.
Need Help?
If your drive is still not detected after loading the correct drivers, contact us (https://smartdpk.com/contact) and provide:
- Device manufacturer and model
- Service Tag or Serial Number
- Screenshot of the error message
- Storage driver package used
Our team will be happy to assist.