Installation of M.2 SSD causes failure to post in new system.

[MyopicWombat]

I am having issues with a system I am currently building:

MSI Z170A Krait Gaming 3x
Core i7 6700K
Samsung 960 EVO 500GB SSD (M.2)
Zotac GTX1060
2x8GB DDR4 RAM

The system fails to post after pressing the power switch and goes into a loop where the fans spin 1/4 turn then stop. The CPU "debug light" on the motherboard flashes as well. I have isolated the issue to the installation of the M.2 SSD. Without it installed everything turns on fine. I flashed the most recent bios for the motherboard but that didn't work.

Is there anything else I can try, or a way to determine if the issue is the motherboard or the SSD?

Thanks.

 

[1LiquidPC]

On MSI's site, the 960 EVO isn't officially supported. Still odd that it doesn't POST with it given its popularity. Do you happen to have a PCI-E adapter card to install M.2 on rather than native M.2 motherboard slot? Outside of this, no real way to know know if its the board, the slot, or the SSD without another part to test with. Do you have any other SATA drives attached? If so, disconnect them temporarily to try and boot.

 

[MyopicWombat]

On MSI's site, the 960 EVO isn't officially supported. Still odd that it doesn't POST with it given its popularity. Do you happen to have a PCI-E adapter card to install M.2 on rather than native M.2 motherboard slot? Outside of this, no real way to know know if its the board, the slot, or the SSD without another part to test with. Do you have any other SATA drives attached? If so, disconnect them temporarily to try and boot.

I don't have a PCI-E adapter, but I now have one on order. I will check back when it gets in. I do not currently have any other SATA drives attached.

 

[1LiquidPC]

OK. I'll be watching this post for an update. I'm using 2 M.2 NVMe drives currently in my systems. One is a Samsung 950 PRO in my main system in sig using PCI-E adapter. The other is an Intel 600p in native M.2 slot on a new Kaby Lake H270 build. Your system should just boot like any other system and recognize the drive just fine.

 

[MyopicWombat]

OK. I'll be watching this post for an update. I'm using 2 M.2 NVMe drives currently in my systems. One is a Samsung 950 PRO in my main system in sig using PCI-E adapter. The other is an Intel 600p in native M.2 slot on a new Kaby Lake H270 build. Your system should just boot like any other system and recognize the drive just fine.

I tried the PCI-E adapter and the drive is recognized fine. From this I'm guessing that the motherboard probably supports the SSD but the M.2 slot has issues (unless I'm completely misunderstanding how this works).

 

[1LiquidPC]

Just to check, is your GPU still at x16 connection? It may be down to x8 currently. I'm not sure if using the adapter will use some of the 16 total gen3 lanes going direct to the CPU. I believe the native M.2 slots go through the PCH, then through DMI to the CPU. There are 20 or so gen 3.0 lanes available to the PCH. Some of these are used for M.2, SATA, NIC, ect.

I would also guess the slot is bad. If compatibility with specific drive was the issue, I'd think it wouldn't be recognized at all. Still, I can't say 100% for sure unless you tried another M.2 drive.

 

[MyopicWombat]

I've replaced the mother board and it was a bad M.2 slot. I didn't check the speed of the GPU slot before I returned the board. I have no issues with the replacement as far as compatibility with the 960 goes. Thank you for your help!

 

[1LiquidPC]

Sorry to hear it was a bad board, but glad you got a replacement and are up and running great