Blind and need someone to describe how to install an M.2.

Posted by Nighthawk321@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 31 comments

Hi all,

As the title says, I am blind and working on building a new PC. I wanted to challenge myself to see if I can build it myself. This is my first time working with an M.2 drive and I was curious if people could help give instructions on how to install it into my motherboard? The drive I'm working with is the WD BLACK SN850X NVMe and my mobo is the Gigabyte 870e Elite Wifi 7 and I'm wanting to install the SSD closest to my CPU. After reading my mobo and SSD manuals, I'm still unable to figure out how to install it. From what I understand, it's best to slide it in at a 30 degree angle. I should feel it lock into place, where I can then peal off the adhesive on the heat sync that came with my mobo and press that onto the drive. I see how the sync locks in because I have to undo it to get underneath it, but I can't tell how the SSD itself is supposed to lay underneith. One side of the SSD has a sticker, so should I have it sticker side up? I can also feel that one side of the SSD has a notch in it. So which way is the notch supposed to face? It's funny because I got this mobo for several reasons, one of them being that it had screwless M2. slots, but even these are proving to be tedious for me. Ironically I have no problem installing RAM.

Any help would really be appreciated because after this, I'll be able to apply thermal paste and mount my cooler.

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flaxms@reddit

I just read in your update you lined up the SSD and heatsink with thermal paste in-between? You mean the thermal pas or did you actually use thermal paste?

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Nighthawk321@reddit (OP)

Yeah thermal pad haha. Was a long day. I’m positive I did it correct!

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AwaitingCombat@reddit

if you've ever seated a ribbon cable... its very very similar ... except its rigid instead of flexible.

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postsshortcomments@reddit

An NVME wont have much feedback when properly inserted. It should feel somewhat similar to putting a MicroSD card into a device that isn't spring-loaded. I emphasize somewhat, because it's a lot gentler to insert an NVMe.

It should slide in about an eight of an inch or a third of a centimeter. It doesn't require hardly any force, just lightly press against the narrow end with the tip of your finger. You may need to wiggle it a tiny bit.

The notch usually is orientated towards the bottom of the board. I don't know if that's standard, but I think it is. The notch is different than the half circle on the opposite side. The half circle is where the screw typically anchors the NVMe to the motherboard. I don't know which design your motherboard has, but screwless often have has a little rotating piece of metal that should twist over the NVMe.

As someone else said, a properly installed NVMe typically will typically want to bounce up to about 30 degrees once you let go. If it doesn't it's possible that it's a sign that it's not properly installed.

Feel free to provide your motherboard model and I can attempt to verify details and explain it better if there are any non-standard differences.

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Nighthawk321@reddit (OP)

Thanks for the tips! Mobo model is in the main post. Going to try to install it sometime today and will report back!

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postsshortcomments@reddit

Going to link this in case someone can explain it to you better than I can: https://www.gigabyte.com/WebPage/1048/M.2-EZ-Latch-Click.html

This actually does seem like a bit more complicated of a process than a screw.

So my explanation will start with the motherboard coming out of the box shipped by the manufacturer. There's a long and narrow chunk of metal that's about one inch tall above the PCIe-slot where you insert the GPU, this is called the heatsink. On the left side of that chunk of metal, there should be a bit of a lever-like button you can slide. This will disengage the heatsink and give you access to the M.2 slot. Once you take the heatsink off there seems to be a plastic sticker/film covering what is likely a rubbery or foam pad. Take that film off. I wouldn't worry too much if you touch the foam pad after the protective film is removed, but try to clean your hands as well as you can before because the oils from your fingers isn't ideal to get on a thermal pad.

You will insert the M.2 drive as I explained above, with the notch oriented towards the bottom of the motherboard and the narrow side facing to the right. Once it is inserted, it should "sproing" to about 30 degrees. There is no click for the insertion of the M.2 part. But once it is inserted you will need to press it down towards that lever-like button and you should hear a click. In the video, the individual is simply pushing down on a safe part of the PCB and the lever opens itself up simply from being pushed.

Next they put the heatsink back on. I think you can skip doing this if you're having issues as a lot of motherboards don't have heatsinks. On the underside of the heatsink, there will be another rubbery or foam pad protected by a protective film. Remove that sticker/film. You'll insert the heatsink back in much like the M.2, except slightly higher up. For this part, the person in the video doesn't just push the heatsink down until you hear a click. It looks like it may require you to move that lever-like button up towards the top of the motherboard. In the prior step, you could just push the NVMe downwards and the lever would "open itself and click."

I hope that explanation is clear enough and good luck! If you have any questions, I can attempt to clarify.

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lukeryders@reddit

Sticker side up. The notch on the SSD lines up with the tiny bump in the slot if it doesn’t slide in easily, flip it. Insert at a slight angle, then push it down flat and lock the latch don’t force it

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younggregg@reddit

Looks like everyone already has you sorted out here so I'd like to ask - how do you use a PC while blind?

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Nighthawk321@reddit (OP)

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=how+do+blind+people+use+computers&ia=web

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younggregg@reddit

I dont have duckduckgo unfortunately

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Noxious89123@reddit

What do you mean you "don't have it", it's a link to a website...

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DM145@reddit

How does bro post on reddit and read the comments while blind...?

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younggregg@reddit

I can see that possible with text to speech to write, and I assume they have an app that can read websites to you. But figured a phone or tablet would be enough for that

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Nighthawk321@reddit (OP)

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=how+do+blind+people+use+computers&ia=web

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Nighthawk321@reddit (OP)

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=how+do+blind+people+use+computers&ia=web

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Sairenity@reddit

The only thing I'd add is that there isn't strong physical feedback once you've slotted the SSD in. The easiest way to check physically if it's fully inserted is to gently push it down (it will remain at a thirty degree angle by itself, until you screw it down) into the position you'd screw it in, then with your fingers check if the notch for the screw lines up with the little standoff the SSD's tail end sits on.

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Nighthawk321@reddit (OP)

So once it’s at a 30° angle, is it safe to push it down to the board and lock it in?

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Noxious89123@reddit

It should be, yes.

There should be very little resistance pushing it down to the board. I'm not familiar with the specific tool-less retention mechanism of your board, so that might need a bit of effort.

M.2 SSDs are quite thin, so I'd say just apply some common sense when it comes to how much force to apply.

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Importance_Low@reddit

I'm hung up on how you read the manuals.. Anyway good luck with the PC case front panel cables

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Nighthawk321@reddit (OP)

Thanks for the help!!!!

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Scarabesque@reddit

Looks like you do have most installation steps figured out properly.

The sticker side goes up, and you leave the sticker on the drive. It's heat conductive and stuck to the nand (storage) chips, which will then attach to the thermal pad on the heat sink.

The side with the notch is the side that goes into the m.2 slot, this - as with ram - will ensure there is only one way in which it will work. You indeed stick it in at a roughly 30 degree angle and should feel it slot into it, then a little push towards the slot should give you subtle feedback that it's inserted. It will stay at an angle, but you should be able to very gently push it down with very little resistance in order to use the toolless fastener.

I would say without vision the trickiest part is making sure it's actually in the slot; I've found it is possible (even with vision) to slot it at a space just above the actual slot and it'll feel secured, though pushing it down when it's there will come with more resistance. When in doubt, remove it and try to slot it in slightly lower.

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Nighthawk321@reddit (OP)

Thanks for the tips. So if I’m looking at my motherboard oriented with the RAM slots at the top right, would the notch on the M.2 need to be facing right or left as I’m sliding it in? Also, if you look at a picture of my motherboard and this specific slot, I can feel the locking mechanism for the heat sink on the left side, but there’s also a little divot in the middle of the slot that I think also helps lock the heat sink in because I feel it click when I put the heat sync back in. So does the M.2 slide from left or right and is eventually supposed to rest to the right of that notch that locks the heat sink in? Let me know if that description is confusing because even though it’s somewhat full proof like RAM, I want to make sure I’m not applying pressure in the wrong places.

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Jacktheripped89@reddit

From my understanding, you slide the ssd in to the right. And the dimple you felt in the middle of the slot should be where the left end of the ssd clicks onto with the hole/dent in it! Then the heatsink hoes over and further to the left and clicks onto the mechanism there

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Nighthawk321@reddit (OP)

Awesome thank you!

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Scarabesque@reddit

On your board all 4 m.2 connectors are on the right side, so you side the m.2 left to right to insert it, with the notch on the right side.

Then there is a little rotating plastic notch that you first open by rotating it 90 degrees, then choose it by rising it back to lock the actual m.2 into place after you've pushed it down this should go without any significant resistance.

After that you click the heat sink back in. The manual did mention you need to install the thermal pad manually to the heat sink, though you're part made it seem it was pre installed (which has always been my experience as well).

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Jacktheripped89@reddit

In regards to the notch, are we talking about the notch in the connection part or the "screw it down" part of the ssd?

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Scarabesque@reddit

I just realized how bad of a job I was doing describing the physical form of the m.2. it feels like a treat almost. :)

There is indeed a notch either side on an m.2 drive. One on the connector side which is slightly elongated and off center - that goes into the m.2 slot on the right.

There is also a centered semicircle notch (screw hole) on the opposite side, that goes on the left side and will allow you to rotate the latch into.

I've tried the original post to contain that info too.

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Scarabesque@reddit

Sorry my bad. First mention of notch refers to the on the connector on the m.2 drive.

Second is the fastening "screw it down" one. Should have used a different term there. :)

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