Does an M.2 SSD need the screw to work properly?

Snecho

New Member
Trying to troubleshoot a bad SSD connection but I know nothing about M.2

Does the end with the screw need to make any kind of electrical contact to work?

Asked on Dell.com and no one responded
Asked Best Buy Geek Squad and they don't know anything about M.2

Lmao
 

Snecho

New Member
Absolutely yes it does.

Geek Squad doesn't know anything about M.2? I have low expectations for them but damn.
So it does, in fact, need to make a connection to the screw for contact? I've included a picture of the area I'm talking about.

Yeah lol, the guy said he "had no experience with M.2"
 

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Darren

Moderator
Staff member
Correct. It applies pressure onto the board and makes the pins have contact with the slot. Pretty sure you have to slide the card in at an angle and then screw it down to make contact, been a while since I've done one honestly.
 

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
Yes you have to insert the M2 at an angle and then lower it down to screw it. Basically just like laptop ram. I'm pretty sure the screw isn't needed for operation but only to hold it in place.
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
Your question implies you're just trying to rig something.

Why not simply do it correctly?
 

Snecho

New Member
Correct. It applies pressure onto the board and makes the pins have contact with the slot. Pretty sure you have to slide the card in at an angle and then screw it down to make contact, been a while since I've done one honestly.
Thanks Darren.

Ok it seems as though my question was a bit misunderstood.

Yes, the M.2 has the main pins which go into the slot at an angle and then the screw holds it down.

What I want to know is, does the screw also make or need to make electrical contact in any way. I'm trying to troubleshoot why my SSD has a poor connection in my laptop. I ask because I didn't think it did need to make an electrical connection, but the plastic holder the SSD screws into was lined with a fine silver foil. Since I don't have much experience with M.2, I was confused.

Pardon my ignorance.
 
Yes you have to insert the M2 at an angle and then lower it down to screw it. Basically just like laptop ram. I'm pretty sure the screw isn't needed for operation but only to hold it in place.
m.2 owner here, this is correct but like johnb35 said it's needed to hold it in place
It works without the screw but you DEFINITELY want it in there to keep it in place, otherwise you risk having problems with your new drive
Also Snecho, what exactly is the problem with it? Is it not showing up in windows or BIOs?
If it shows up in BIOs, it still needs to be initialized (when I set mine up I used case 2 in https://www.easeus.com/storage-media-recovery/ssd-not-showing-up-windows-10.html)
 

Snecho

New Member
m.2 owner here, this is correct but like johnb35 said it's needed to hold it in place
It works without the screw but you DEFINITELY want it in there to keep it in place, otherwise you risk having problems with your new drive
Also Snecho, what exactly is the problem with it? Is it not showing up in windows or BIOs?
If it shows up in BIOs, it still needs to be initialized (when I set mine up I used case 2 in https://www.easeus.com/storage-media-recovery/ssd-not-showing-up-windows-10.html)
Thank you very much!

That's what I thought too, that it just physically holds it in place and that's it. The holder was lined with foil so that's what threw me off. I guess I can move on to the next stage of troubleshooting this.
As for your question, for a while the laptop would BSOD a few times a day if you nudged it in anyway. I tracked to problem down to the SSD had a poor connection causing a bump to make it dissconnect momentarily and cause a BSOD. But about two weeks ago, now the computer won't boot at all. It either says there is no boot drive detected, or it will stay on the Dell logo indefinitely upon startup. When I run diagnostics, it states there is no drive detected.

As per the next step when I have the chance to take pictures, I think there is a problem with the main connectors on the SSD PCB.

Thank you all for the help and info!
 

Intel_man

VIP Member
Do you have the stop code generated by the blue screen? The code is very helpful to figure out what is going wrong.
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
Thank you very much!

That's what I thought too, that it just physically holds it in place and that's it. The holder was lined with foil so that's what threw me off. I guess I can move on to the next stage of troubleshooting this.
As for your question, for a while the laptop would BSOD a few times a day if you nudged it in anyway. I tracked to problem down to the SSD had a poor connection causing a bump to make it dissconnect momentarily and cause a BSOD. But about two weeks ago, now the computer won't boot at all. It either says there is no boot drive detected, or it will stay on the Dell logo indefinitely upon startup. When I run diagnostics, it states there is no drive detected.

As per the next step when I have the chance to take pictures, I think there is a problem with the main connectors on the SSD PCB.

Thank you all for the help and info!
Yeah that was not well conveyed by your OP haha. It's there just as a physical piece, it could be rubber or whatever as long as it held it at the same angle.
 

Snecho

New Member
Are you going to post it?

Or waste everyone's time with unnecessary remarks?
Actually I'd waste everyone's time BY posting them.

What you comprehended as an "unnecessary remark" was actually me stating that I've gotten every error code there is, therefore there isn't "the stop code" and posting them would be useless.
Yeah that was not well conveyed by your OP haha. It's there just as a physical piece, it could be rubber or whatever as long as it held it at the same angle.
Yeah, I mean I did mention electrical contact in the OP but I'm very thankful we were able to sort it out!
 

Intel_man

VIP Member
Actually I'd waste everyone's time BY posting them.

What you comprehended as an "unnecessary remark" was actually me stating that I've gotten every error code there is, therefore there isn't "the stop code" and posting them would be useless.
FWIW... what may appear to be useless data to you may actually be fairly useful information for some that may have ran across the same trends of stop codes you're running across.

You do you. I'll let others deal with you. I'm out.
 
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