Question Advice on dealing with M.2 connector screws.

[The_Outlander]

A lot of the guides I'd read and video tutorials I'd watched suggested that magnetic screwdrivers are useful, but the deeper I get into this build the more I think they're mandatory.

I was managing pretty well until it was time to install my SSD (WD_Black Sn850x) into the motherboard (GIGABYTE B550 AORUS PRO AC). The screw is tiny, so small it doesn't even seem like it could could the drive in place. The instructions in GIGABYTE's manual are ambiguous and poorly written, so I wasn't even sure if I was supposed to use this screw for the installation or something else. After doing a bit of research it seems that, yes, you have to use this tiny screw.

I decided to use my usual method of holding the component in place with one hand and starting the screw with the other, but I have large, clumsy hands and so I fumbled and dropped the screw. To my horror, it rolled under the i/o shield (great design guys). After gently tilting the case to coax out the screw I was only just barely able to pick it up.

I admit that I am a little frazzled right now. After putting the drive back in it's package and replacing the heatsink, I immediately panic ordered a magnetic screwdriver set from Amazon.

As long as they arrive in a timely fashion and aren't complete garbage I will rely on them, but I might need a plan B.

What should I have done in that situation Should I maybe have seated the screw into the SSD and then lowered the whole thing into place?

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

don't get what your problem actually is.
are you asking how this process would be avoided to begin with or asking how you personally should be attempting to resolve it?

over hundreds of builds this has never been a problem so I would assume this is either an issue with this particular motherboard or this particular drive.

if you can't recover this particular screw then you will have to find some new way of articulating.

maybe power down everything and use a magnet?

 

[SkyNetRising]

What should I have done in that situation Should I maybe have seated the screw into the SSD and then lowered the whole thing into place?

1. Install M.2 drive,
2. Push M.2 drive down in place,
3. Insert screw,
4. Tighten the screw.

View: https://youtu.be/eoFyW5QVunA?t=87

 

[Bob.B]

A lot of the guides I'd read and video tutorials I'd watched suggested that magnetic screwdrivers are useful, but the deeper I get into this build the more I think they're mandatory.

I was managing pretty well until it was time to install my SSD (WD_Black Sn850x) into the motherboard (GIGABYTE B550 AORUS PRO AC). The screw is tiny, so small it doesn't even seem like it could could the drive in place. The instructions in GIGABYTE's manual are ambiguous and poorly written, so I wasn't even sure if I was supposed to use this screw for the installation or something else. After doing a bit of research it seems that, yes, you have to use this tiny screw.

I decided to use my usual method of holding the component in place with one hand and starting the screw with the other, but I have large, clumsy hands and so I fumbled and dropped the screw. To my horror, it rolled under the i/o shield (great design guys). After gently tilting the case to coax out the screw I was only just barely able to pick it up.

I admit that I am a little frazzled right now. After putting the drive back in it's package and replacing the heatsink, I immediately panic ordered a magnetic screwdriver set from Amazon.

As long as they arrive in a timely fashion and aren't complete garbage I will rely on them, but I might need a plan B.

What should I have done in that situation Should I maybe have seated the screw into the SSD and then lowered the whole thing into place?

Your right the screw is so small it's very difficult to hold it with your fingers and line it up and get a screw driver on top.

Magnetic screw driver should help.

 

[Eximo]

I've always used a non-magnetic precision screwdriver for most parts of a build. Prevents over-torqueing and you can hold small screws to the shaft with the tip of your finger since the length is short.

 

[Ralston18]

And if you have any magnets at all you can just hold or tape one to the screwdriver shaft.

Just needs to be strong enough to hold the screw in place to start threading the screw in.