I'm looking to upgrade my older M.2 SSD because it's been slow and outdated. I purchased a new one along with a few adapters to use with my SATA 2.5" docking station for mirroring purposes. However, I've tried five different adapters and even checked one out in-store, all of which are B-key M.2 adapters from various brands, but none seem to fit correctly. Some have a small plastic piece next to the 5 pins blocking the way, while others are too wide compared to my M.2, which has 29 pins, while some adapters only have 28. I've confirmed that the docking station, the port, and my M.2 drives all work as intended. Oddly enough, when I try to force the M.2 into the adapter, it causes all other disks in the dock (or even when using the same power supply in the PC) to stop functioning, suggesting there's a short circuit or some other issue. The side plastic bends a little but doesn't touch the adapter's pins. Can anyone explain what's going on here?
2 Answers
What specific model of M.2 SSD do you have? Knowing the exact model can help figure out what's wrong. Some M.2 drives are not compatible with certain adapters, especially if they're newer models.
It sounds like you might be trying to use an NVMe drive with a SATA adapter. Just because they're both M.2 doesn't mean they're compatible. NVMe drives and SATA M.2 drives have different interfaces, so they won't work together. Make sure to double-check the specifications of each drive and adapter you're using. If you can, post a picture of your SSD so we can help you better!
Are NVMe and SATA M.2 drives really that different? I thought B-key meant they'd work together like they do on a motherboard.
Yeah, they look similar, but their protocols are distinct. Just because they fit into the same slot size doesn't guarantee compatibility. Make sure you're using the right type of adapter for your drive.
It's a Corsair MP700 Elite. I've tried both this Gen 5 drive and a Gen 4 one, and neither worked with the adapters.