ASUS ROG Flow Z: SSD Missing from Windows Setup

If your Intel based ASUS ROG Flow Z does not detect its internal SSD during Windows installation, try the following methods.

Load the storage driver

1. Find the support page for your exact ASUS model.
2. Download the Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST/RST) driver, if your model requires it, and extract the files to a USB drive.
3. At the Windows Setup drive selection screen, select “Load Driver” and browse to the extracted driver files in the USB from the previous step.
4. Select the matching Intel RST VMD Controller driver and continue. The SSD should appear if the missing driver was the cause.

Alternative: Disable VMD

For a clean installation, you may be able to disable VMD instead.

1. Save and exit, then restart Windows Setup.
2. Enter UEFI by holding F2 while powering on the device.
3. Press F7 to open Advanced Mode.
4. Look for Advanced > VMD Setup Menu and disable the VMD controller.

ASUS’s missing-drive troubleshooting guide covers both methods.