[SOLVED] Installing M.2 drive on Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master help please

[patwa]

Hi there,

I
D be grateful for any help with this one. I am registered blind and building a new system. Ive done this before but the hardest part for me is getting to know the parts of a new product when I’m not able to see diagrams in instruction manuals. It’s also the first time I’ve installed an M.2 drive.

I just can’t work where the M.2 slots are on the Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master or how to access them. I’m trying to install the Samsung 980 Pro M.2 drive.

Any help to describe the steps or what to feel for are very much appreciated. Thanks very much in advance.

 

[Saga Lout]

If there's any decency in the world, a PC Fixer would come out to you for nothing. I only just retired and closed my computer fixing after twenty years and if I had a such a call I would have assisted.

Ring around and see how many decent folks there are in your town.

 

[CountMike]

Hi there,

I
D be grateful for any help with this one. I am registered blind and building a new system. Ive done this before but the hardest part for me is getting to know the parts of a new product when I’m not able to see diagrams in instruction manuals. It’s also the first time I’ve installed an M.2 drive.

I just can’t work where the M.2 slots are on the Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master or how to access them. I’m trying to install the Samsung 980 Pro M.2 drive.

Any help to describe the steps or what to feel for are very much appreciated. Thanks very much in advance.

Manual. page 31.
https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_z590-aorus-master_1002_e.pdf
All M.2 ports are covered with covers also being heat sinks for SSDs.
If you have only one M.2 NVMe SSD it should be installed in top slot which is just above top PCIe x 16 slot. There are 2 screws on that cover to remove it, plug M.2 SSD in it's socket and replace over. On the cover's underside, there should be some foam heat transfer pad and if it's covered by a foil, foil should be removed.
There should also be a distancer to be screwed in appropriate (for SSD's length) hole in MB and after placing SSD, a small screw used to hold SSD down.

 

[patwa]

Hi there,

First, thanks for the description which was perfect. I've managed to find the slot, have the drive attached but cannot for the life of me get the screw to screw in to the standoff. To confirm I'm trying to install the Samsung 980 Pro in the top M.2 slot on the Z590 Master.

I've already lost two of the M.2 screws that slipped out of my hand whilst trying to get them lodged into the standoff to screw the drive in place and have been at this all afternoon - feeling like I'm going nowhere and this stopped being enjoyable hours ago.

Any tips much appreciated.

 

[CountMike]

Hi there,

First, thanks for the description which was perfect. I've managed to find the slot, have the drive attached but cannot for the life of me get the screw to screw in to the standoff. To confirm I'm trying to install the Samsung 980 Pro in the top M.2 slot on the Z590 Master.

I've already lost two of the M.2 screws that slipped out of my hand whilst trying to get them lodged into the standoff to screw the drive in place and have been at this all afternoon - feeling like I'm going nowhere and this stopped being enjoyable hours ago.

Any tips much appreciated.

A screwdriver with magnetic tip or magnetized screwdriver helps a lot. Laying case on the side so you place screw vertically in the hole all but ensures easy installation, Also make sure that you find those screws, if they fall in a bad place they can make a short and ruin everything.

 

[patwa]

Thanks, could you confirm if the hole is actually at the top of the standoff? Had someone look at it but they couldn't find anything. Really grateful for your time.

 

[TommyTwoTone66]

There are 4 standoff holes at different distances from the M.2 Socket. From right to left they are 42, 60, 80 and 110 millimetres from the socket. You need to remove the drive and screw in an M.2 standoff into the 80mm hole if there is not one there already, since that's how long the 980 Pro is. If there are any standoffs already installed in the 42 or 60 millimetre holes, they need to be removed. Then install the drive, then you can insert a screw into the standoff to hold it in place.

 

[patwa]

Hi,

Still not sure about this. When I look in all 3 of the M.2 slots there is already something in the 80mm hole that I need for the Samsung 980 Pro but it's impossible to screw into. I also can't seem to remove or shift it. I was worried I'd somehow damaged the top slot so removed the covers for the next two and it's the same there. I've tried to take a picture and attach below.

http://www.patwanet.co.uk/GigabyteZ590AorusMasterM2.jpg

Any advice much appreciated.

 

[patwa]

Hi there,

I think I'm getting somewhere. After taking the board out of the case so I could access it better I found that, even though I still can't move any of the standoffs, I can get a screw into the standoff on the 2nd and 3rd M.2 slot, just not on the 1st. I've also been feeling this more closely and it feels like the top of the standoff on the 1st slot is damaged which would explain why the screw isn't getting any purchase.

I've been building computers for nearly 20 years, it's just my first time with M.2 drives. the above seems logical to me so I'm now going to explore an RMA with Novatech UK to see if I can get the board replaced.

Thanks again for all your explanations which really helped me understand how this works.

 

[TommyTwoTone66]

Yes it looks like a screw has snapped off in the top slot.

 

[InvalidError]

Yup, as Tommy wrote, it looks like there is a broken screw in there. If you want to use the top slot, you will need to remove the standoff with the broken screw in it and replace it with one of the other ones. First, check the back of the board to make sure the M.2 standoff screws into a board insert instead of being directly soldered in.

 

[Saga Lout]

If the screwhead is broken, it sometimes can be turned anti-clockwise using a powerful magnet - Neodimium is my preference.

Keep it away from the hard drive just in case. Drilling the head is not a good idea.

 

[patwa]

Hi there,

Firstly I just wanted to thank everyone again for your help. Second to update you on what's happened. I tried to RMA the board with the retailer Novatech UK but they said they were unable to repair it and would need to send it to Gigabyte for further inspection/repair. The quoted time for this was up to 30 days + shipping. As I've not been in the best of health of late and want to make the most of the window of opportunity I have now I decided to bite the bullet and just buy another board.

I did a bench test with just the CPU and Cooler connected together with the ATX and both EPS cables connected. It powered up but then I was unable to shut it down using the on-board power button. There was also a very strong burning smell. After killing the power from the PSU (Thermaltake PF1 850W) I was unable to power up the board again and it's been dead ever since. I'm now waiting to see if Novatech with take this second board back for repair.

I'm not sure what's gone wrong here or if I'm just incredibly unlucky.

 

[InvalidError]

There was also a very strong burning smell. After killing the power from the PSU (Thermaltake PF1 850W) I was unable to power up the board again and it's been dead ever since.

If something in the computer gives off a burning smell, you really shouldn't attempt to turn it on again until you have found whatever it is the smell came from and possibly fix the issue before attempting it again while crossing fingers that nothing got destroyed. One of the first things I do when putting a PC together is count the number of motherboard holes and make sure there aren't any more studs in the motherboard tray than there are holes, then make sure all the studs line up with a hole since a misplaced excess stud is the easiest way to end up with a short and fry something.

 

[patwa]

If something in the computer gives off a burning smell, you really shouldn't attempt to turn it on again until you have found whatever it is the smell came from and possibly fix the issue before attempting it again while crossing fingers that nothing got destroyed. One of the first things I do when putting a PC together is count the number of motherboard holes and make sure there aren't any more studs in the motherboard tray than there are holes, then make sure all the studs line up with a hole since a misplaced excess stud is the easiest way to end up with a short and fry something.

Thanks for getting back to me. Reading your post reminded me that the only thing contacting the motherboard that I can think of is the backplate for the Corsair Capillex H150 cooler. The backplate is held to the motherboard by standoffs onto which the pump head is mounted and screwed down. I can't recall seeing anything in the cooler package to go in between the backplate and the motherboard but you now have me second-guessing myself. For reference the case is the Corsair Crystal 680X.

 

[InvalidError]

Thanks for getting back to me. Reading your post reminded me that the only thing contacting the motherboard that I can think of is the backplate for the Corsair Capillex H150 cooler. The backplate is held to the motherboard by standoffs onto which the pump head is mounted and screwed down. I can't recall seeing anything in the cooler package to go in between the backplate and the motherboard but you now have me second-guessing myself. For reference the case is the Corsair Crystal 680X.

I use CM 212+ and EVO in my systems. On the +, plastic-like washers are glued under the spacers on the top side and a similar plastic layer is applied to both sides of the rear plate. On the EVO, the spacers get fitted in plastic cups while the rear plate is identical. If you have bare metal directly on the motherboard, that wouldn't be right. Hopefully the only reason you didn't notice insulating washer and sheets in the package is because everything was pre-applied to the mounting hardware.