If you have an Acer laptop with an N20C5 motherboard, bookmark this guide. The day you need to reinstall Windows, you will be thankful you have the storage driver ready.
This is the safest and most recommended method, as Acer pre-tests these drivers specifically for your laptop model.
If you are reinstalling Windows and your SSD is missing, follow these steps: Download Acer Support Drivers and Manuals
Select your operating system (typically or Windows 11 ). Expand the Driver category and look for: IRST (Intel® Rapid Storage Technology) Driver . acer n20c5 storage driver
. These chips use VMD to manage storage for better performance and power efficiency. However, standard Windows installation media often lacks the specific driver needed to "see" through this VMD layer, leaving your SSD invisible during setup. The Solution: The Intel RST Driver To bridge the gap, you need the Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) driver. Specifically, you are looking for the Intel RST VMD Controller (often version 9A08 or 9A0B for this model). How to Fix It
If your laptop packaging or sticker says Core i3/i5/i7-xxx, it is 10th Gen. If it says Core i3/i5/i7- 11 xxx, it is 11th Gen. If it says Core i3/i5/i7- 12 xxx, it is 12th Gen. Step 2: Download the Driver
Alternative: If the Acer website is unavailable, you can download the generic "Intel RST Driver Embedded Package" directly from Intel's download center. Look for the driver package designated for "Floppy Configuration" as this contains the raw driver files needed for Windows setup. If you have an Acer laptop with an
Navigate to the tab and locate the IRST (Intel Rapid Storage Technology) Driver . Download the .zip file package to a working computer.
Use this method if you are stuck at the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen with no drives listed. Download Acer Support Drivers and Manuals
: Copy these extracted files to your Windows installation USB. During the "Where do you want to install Windows?" step, click Load Driver and browse to that folder. Alternative (BIOS Method) If you are reinstalling Windows and your SSD
The Complete Guide to Acer N20C5 Storage Drivers: Fixing "No Drive Found" During Windows Installation
Warning: Disabling VMD after Windows is installed will cause a blue screen. Only disable VMD before installing Windows if the driver method fails. If Windows is already installed, stick to the driver method.