Should an m.2 drive be 100% flat against the motherboard?

[Fatty]

I just installed a samsung 970 evo on my MSI B450-A-Pro

it just got detected fine in windows, but the drive is not 100% flat against the motherboard, it's "lifted up" ever so slightly at the other end of the screw (Where it gets plugged in)

is this fine?

[Vishera]

1 minute ago, Fatty said:

I just installed a samsung 970 evo on my MSI B450-A-Pro

it just got detected fine in windows, but the drive is not 100% flat against the motherboard, it's "lifted up" ever so slightly at the other end of the screw (Where it gets plugged in)

is this fine?

Picture please

[Fatty]

 

The red line is the m.2

I don't know if it would show in a picture since it would be facing forward

[Naijin]

Just now, Fatty said:

 

The red line is the m.2

I don't know if it would show in a picture since it would be facing forward

Did you install the standoff properly? Or was it already there?

Could use a picture instead of a drawing.

[Fatty]

[Jack Edge]

7 minutes ago, Fatty said:

The m.2 should be clearly pushed into the connector at one end, then you need to push the other end down until it touches the motherboard. Then hold it there until you have securely fitted the screw.

[Tan3l6]

There should be a standoff, like:

[mariushm]

 

Maybe you were supposed to unscrew the standoff from that location and move it to the proper location so that the m.2 is parallel to the board surface. 

[Fatty]

4 minutes ago, mariushm said:

 

Maybe you were supposed to unscrew the standoff from that location and move it to the proper location so that the m.2 is parallel to the board surface. 

But wouldn't the drive NOT reach that green circle? since it would be too short?

[Tan3l6]

From the picture it is barely visible, but did you screw the SSD down with the standoff?

The standoff must be screwed first to motherboard, then install the M.2 and then the screw, so the SSD wouldn't possibly touch the motherboard.

[mariushm]

2 minutes ago, Fatty said:

But wouldn't the drive NOT reach that green circle? since it would be too short?

There's multiple M.2 sizes ... M.2 2280 is the most common - and probably your SSDs size - , but there's longer and smaller M.2 devices. For example M.2 2230 is very popular in some OEM computers and switches/routers, because it's so small. 

 

Maybe your motherboard supports up to M.2 22110 devices in that top location, and they put the screw by default for M.2 22110 drives. If that's the case, you're supposed to use your brains or read the manual and move the standoff to the proper location for your M.2 2280 drive. 

 

[Fatty]

this is from my manual

and this is what was already screwed in 

[mariushm]

If your SSD is almost parallel to the motherboard and doesn't look like it's bending, then it's probably fine.

 

Your motherboard may be a special case, as in the connector used may be a "low height" one in order to allow you to stack a 2nd m.2 device over your SSD. 

 

here's some lame ms paint illustration  - red and light blue are supposed to be m.2 devices (ssds, wireless cards, whatever) .. and there would be a screw tying down the light blue m.2 device to the spacer if you stack them. 

 

[mariushm]

Eh ... I just noticed you mentioned the motherboard name in the post,  MSI B450-A-Pro  

There's only one M.2 connector there, I don't know where you inserted the end with the contacts. 

 

From the manual, page 30: