Question No sign of power to system after installing M.2 SSD

[msaadeh489]

Hello all, currently at a dead end confused as to what happened. I installed the Samsung 990 evo plus into my system. Note that I used the screw meant for the M.2 WiFi chip, a very small screw, but I didn’t think that would cause any issues.

I have this setup, a couple years old:
AsRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4
Ryzen 7 5800x
RTX 3070
32 GB G.Skill RAM
860 EVO SATA SSD
a SATA HDD
and a Seasonic Focus 750W gold psu.

The system would not power on after installation. No lights on the MOBO and no fans. It didn’t even start for a second after plugging it in. So far I have tried this, after removing the M.2 that I had just installed:

PSU paper clip test and used a psu tester
Replace CMOS battery
Breadboard test with PSU, CPU, and RAM only, still no lights or fans.

What could have happened? Did my mobo just happen to die here?

 

[Ralston18]

Are you able to take some photographs and post the photographs here via imgur (www.imgur.com > green "New post" icon)?

Show the screw, the hole, etc.. Any signs of physical damage where the wrong screw was used?

Do you have another known working PSU to install for test purposes?

 

[Aeacus]

Breadboard test with PSU, CPU, and RAM only, still no lights or fans.

Your R7 5800X doesn't have iGPU in it. So, for breadboarding, you still need dedicated GPU to see an image.

What could have happened? Did my mobo just happen to die here?

My best guess, you short-circuited MoBo with ESD.

Usually, there is some life in the system, even when MoBo is dead. 0 life usually means dead PSU.
Speaking of it:

PSU paper clip test and used a psu tester

Did PSU turn on and showed +12V, +5V and +3.3V with the tester?

If it did, then PSU should be fine. After all, you have good quality unit.

In this case, it leaves: CPU, MoBo, RAM and GPU.

To validate which of the 4 (if not all of them) are dead, you need 2nd, compatible system, to test each and every component out.
Also testing with 2nd known to work, good PSU doesn't hurt either. It would rule out PSU issue. GPU can easily be validated in 2nd system that has PCI-E x16 slot. Same with RAM, any 2nd system that supports DDR4 will suffice. Testing CPU and MoBo is harder though and not that easy.

Easiest would be hauling your PC to PC repair shop and pay for diagnostics.

 

[msaadeh489]

Your R7 5800X doesn't have iGPU in it. So, for breadboarding, you still need dedicated GPU to see an image.


My best guess, you short-circuited MoBo with ESD.

Usually, there is some life in the system, even when MoBo is dead. 0 life usually means dead PSU.
Speaking of it:

Did PSU turn on and showed +12V, +5V and +3.3V with the tester?

If it did, then PSU should be fine. After all, you have good quality unit.

In this case, it leaves: CPU, MoBo, RAM and GPU.

To validate which of the 4 (if not all of them) are dead, you need 2nd, compatible system, to test each and every component out.
Also testing with 2nd known to work, good PSU doesn't hurt either. It would rule out PSU issue. GPU can easily be validated in 2nd system that has PCI-E x16 slot. Same with RAM, any 2nd system that supports DDR4 will suffice. Testing CPU and MoBo is harder though and not that easy.

Easiest would be hauling your PC to PC repair shop and pay for diagnostics.

Thanks for this, very comprehensive. Yes, the tester showed all the proper voltages. In the case of breadboarding, I would not need a gpu installed to see fans spin, lights to mobo, etc correct? But I understand that testing the gpu would be wise to figure out if that was fried or not. I do have access to another system where I could test GPU and potentially RAM.

Is it feasible that the M.2 could have caused damage if it was not compatible or faulty or something or is it more likely to be ESD? It’s brand new but I’ve never used one before. I’m honestly afraid to use it in the build once I get it going again

 

[Aeacus]

I would not need a gpu installed to see fans spin, lights to mobo, etc correct?

Since your CPU doesn't have iGPU, MoBo could detect that and refuse to power on without dedicated GPU. Also, better safe than sorry.

if it was not compatible

It is compatible.

All M.2 PCI-E NVMe drives are both backwards and forwards compatible with M.2 PCI-E revision (aka Gen).
E.g 970 Evo Plus is PCI-E Gen3 drive (aka PCI-E 3.0). That's also my OS drive.
990 Evo Plus is PCI-E Gen4 drive (aka PCI-E 4.0) and works in all M.2 version slots that support NVMe.

Your MoBo has two M.2 slots;
* PCI-E Gen4. Best spot for 990 Evo Plus.
* PCI-E Gen3 but operates only with half the lanes of normal M.2 slot. So, x2 PCI-E lanes only. Still, Gen4 drive would work fine in it as well, albeit at reduced write/read performances.

or faulty

If the drive itself is faulty, it won't show up in BIOS or in OS, whereby you can't use the drive at all. Also, i haven't heard before that M.2 drive killing the MoBo.

I had my 1st 970 Evo Plus 2TB die on me. 30 days after installation/purchase. So, i RMA'd the drive, got replacement as brand new one and 2nd 970 Evo Plus 2TB i have, has now worked without issues for the past ~3 years or so.

or is it more likely to be ESD

Did you ground yourself before you went poking inside the PC? My guess - no.

As of what actually happened, we may never know. Also, currently, it is uncertain which of the component failed. Once you can locate it and RMA it (if it has warranty left), then maybe (and that's a big MAYBE), the store/brand rep may clue you in, as of why the component failed. But for that, component must be sent back to manufacturer for them to test in-house, as of why it died. Could be very well that even manufacturer can't figure it out.

In-depth video about ESD (a good watch):

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m54ifTCgtN4

I’m honestly afraid to use it in the build once I get it going again

It's unknown if the M.2 was DOA or got fried alongside other components. Need to plug it into 2nd system to find out. Or better yet, haul it to PC repair shop and let them test it out. This way, if you have lingering concerns, you won't put your 2nd system at risk.

Overall 990 Evo Plus, while relatively cheap, is DRAM-less SSD and i, personally, would have not bought it. It is only good for small read/writes. But due to not having DRAM on it, fares poorly on sustained loads.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybIXsrLCgdM

 

[JayGau]

Are you sure you didn't disconnect a front panel power cable on the mobo? Those tiny cables are very easy to disconnect when you work on the motherboard and the PC won't do anything when you press the power button if it's not correctly connected.

 

[msaadeh489]

Since your CPU doesn't have iGPU, MoBo could detect that and refuse to power on without dedicated GPU. Also, better safe than sorry.


It is compatible.

All M.2 PCI-E NVMe drives are both backwards and forwards compatible with M.2 PCI-E revision (aka Gen).
E.g 970 Evo Plus is PCI-E Gen3 drive (aka PCI-E 3.0). That's also my OS drive.
990 Evo Plus is PCI-E Gen4 drive (aka PCI-E 4.0) and works in all M.2 version slots that support NVMe.

Your MoBo has two M.2 slots;
* PCI-E Gen4. Best spot for 990 Evo Plus.
* PCI-E Gen3 but operates only with half the lanes of normal M.2 slot. So, x2 PCI-E lanes only. Still, Gen4 drive would work fine in it as well, albeit at reduced write/read performances.


If the drive itself is faulty, it won't show up in BIOS or in OS, whereby you can't use the drive at all. Also, i haven't heard before that M.2 drive killing the MoBo.

I had my 1st 970 Evo Plus 2TB die on me. 30 days after installation/purchase. So, i RMA'd the drive, got replacement as brand new one and 2nd 970 Evo Plus 2TB i have, has now worked without issues for the past ~3 years or so.


Did you ground yourself before you went poking inside the PC? My guess - no.

As of what actually happened, we may never know. Also, currently, it is uncertain which of the component failed. Once you can locate it and RMA it (if it has warranty left), then maybe (and that's a big MAYBE), the store/brand rep may clue you in, as of why the component failed. But for that, component must be sent back to manufacturer for them to test in-house, as of why it died. Could be very well that even manufacturer can't figure it out.

In-depth video about ESD (a good watch):

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m54ifTCgtN4



It's unknown if the M.2 was DOA or got fried alongside other components. Need to plug it into 2nd system to find out. Or better yet, haul it to PC repair shop and let them test it out. This way, if you have lingering concerns, you won't put your 2nd system at risk.

Overall 990 Evo Plus, while relatively cheap, is DRAM-less SSD and i, personally, would have not bought it. It is only good for small read/writes. But due to not having DRAM on it, fares poorly on sustained loads.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybIXsrLCgdM

No, did not ground myself as I never did, but I guess I learned my lesson and it’s better safe than sorry. However I tested with a GPU I know works and breadboard still didn’t start. Now I still have a hunch it’s the mobo which was about 5 years old. I got a new one and will be testing, and in addition I have old ram, gpu, and cpu stored away that will all work with the mobo. I think it would be best to breadboard the system with the new mobo before putting everything together in the case? If it still doesn’t work, I can swap with gpu, ram, cpu one at a time.

 

[msaadeh489]

Are you sure you didn't disconnect a front panel power cable on the mobo? Those tiny cables are very easy to disconnect when you work on the motherboard and the PC won't do anything when you press the power button if it's not correctly connected.

Good point they really are 😭 but yes, besides that I had tested it outside the case by shorting the power pins as well.

 

[msaadeh489]

Are you able to take some photographs and post the photographs here via imgur (www.imgur.com > green "New post" icon)?

Show the screw, the hole, etc.. Any signs of physical damage where the wrong screw was used?

Do you have another known working PSU to install for test purposes?

Standoff and screw here:

https://imgur.com/a/C5QW9S8

View: https://imgur.com/a/C5QW9S8


I do not have another functional psu to test, but I tested the current one and voltages all seem to be okay

 

[helpstar]

what is on the back of the motherboard?
reset cmos again powered off by jumper

all power connections connected from psu to motherboard including the 8pin AtX/EPS one?
all plugs inserted in the psu as well?

is the wifi module still connected and not tightened with this screw?

did you damage the M.2 port? check for bent pins


take some pictures of the whole build

 

[Ralston18]

Not sure but it appears to me that the standoff may be causing a short.

How long is the standoff?

FYI:

https://innotechreviews.com/are-motherboard-standoffs-conductive/

https://betasimracing.com/what-are-motherboard-standoffs/

Seconding @helpstar - more photos needed. Including the back of the motherboard.

The short could be elsewhere....

 

[msaadeh489]

Not sure but it appears to me that the standoff may be causing a short.

How long is the standoff?

FYI:

https://innotechreviews.com/are-motherboard-standoffs-conductive/

https://betasimracing.com/what-are-motherboard-standoffs/

Seconding @helpstar - more photos needed. Including the back of the motherboard.

The short could be elsewhere....

The standoff has always been there, even before installing a m.2. Unless potentially screwing it in there caused the short to actually happen. I did not notice any visible burns or damage to the mobo, but I can confirm that it is in fact the motherboard that’s the problem because I bought a new one and installed all my usual components (except the m.2) and everything works great.
Maybe if I find the time, I’ll investigate the old mobo, because I’m really curious how this all happened just from simply installing a m.2 drive. Either something with the drive/standoff, or maybe I caused an ESD. I found a Reddit post from someone experiencing a very similar issue who found that the mobo died too. Thanks for all the help.