©ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Extro · ‎06-05-2015

Hello all.

I have the issue to intall, better to say to recognize the m.2 ssd under BIOS.

I used 2 different ssd's for the verification of the function of the m.2 port.
the 1st drive: Kingston Hyper X (SHPM2280P2/240G) which is stated as PCIe Gen 2.0 x 4
the 2nd drive: Samsung SM951 (MZHPV512HDGL-00000) which is stated as PCIe Gen 3.0 x 4

So both drives should be compatible with the board (PCIe based m.2 drives).

So far I can just confirm that the PCIe Combo card is working (Wi-Fi + Bluetooth tested under Windows).
Also if I insert one of the above mentioned drives the GPU goes automatically to PCIe x8 down from x16.
So the system recognizes the insertion of the drive.
But I don't see the m.2 drive in the BIOS in the list of the drives under the menu boot.

Anyone any idea what am I doing wrong?

I did already tried 2 different BIOS versions 2601 + 2702

Praz · ‎06-05-2015

Extro wrote:

But I don't see the m.2 drive in the BIOS in the list of the drives under the menu boot.

Hello

The drives will not be able to be selected in the boot menu until an operating system is properly installed and the drive is indeed bootable.

Extro · ‎06-05-2015

Beside the m.2 drive I have another 2 SATA drives (ssd + hdd) which are visible in BIOS even w/o OS installed on them.

So how to verify that the board recognizes the m.2 drive correctrly? Or is it faulty (if I just look for the issues other people had)

Praz · ‎06-06-2015

Extro wrote:
Beside the m.2 drive I have another 2 SATA drives (ssd + hdd) which are visible in BIOS even w/o OS installed on them.

So how to verify that the board recognizes the m.2 drive correctrly? Or is it faulty (if I just look for the issues other people had)

Hello

Doesn't change what I wrote. If a drive is not bootable it cannot be selected and set as bootable in the UEFI.

Extro · ‎06-06-2015

a small Update.
Just tested both m.2 drives on z77 board attaching them via PCIe adapter from Delock.
Both drives have been regognized in BIOS as well as in Windows7. I was able to format the drives and use them.

Conclusion so far for me: Have to RMA the board...

Extro · ‎06-07-2015

Next Update.
Just disassembled the board and checked the pins of the PCIe Combo Card. One of the pin is bended / displaced which has to be the main root cause for the issue. Will try to fix it myself and check for the function. Update to follow...

Pictures of the bended pin:

Extro · ‎06-07-2015

So just straitghten the pin. During the plugin in it was bended again to the position as shown on the pictures below, so I had to pushh slightly to force it into the socket.

But it did not solve the issue. The M.2 drives are still not recongnized / listed under BIOS and Windows.

RMA started

Praz · ‎06-07-2015

Hello

Good luck with the RMA. Physical damage is not normally covered by the warranty.

RhysLewis · ‎08-13-2015

This is a common issue with VII IMpact .. I had the exact same prob , the manufacturing process for the M.2 riser socket failed.. I had the 2nd to last pins do exactly same thing .. But luckily all works..

IF you shine a torch down the pins , you will find those holes blocked by the metal that should be accepting with love those 2 pins !!!

Extro · ‎06-07-2015

Yes it's not. But the pin connection is still given and not brocken.

Additionally If this physical damage (which is at least to me non one) occurs during the normal and carefully done assembly of the PCIe Combo board, then the issue is on the process / design.

I extra looked for the pins during insertion of the board. And exatly this pin was 'rising' during the rest of the pins was staying in their position.

Asus Maximus VII Impact (M7I) M.2 Issue / SemiRecognition