The M2 slot isn't compatible with my B650E motherboard.
The M2 slot isn't compatible with my B650E motherboard.
Hello everyone, I'm seeking assistance with a tricky issue. My ASRock B650e PG Riptide Wi-Fi card has been in use for about two years. After upgrading from 7950x to 7950x3D, the performance remains poor—around 1.6 GB/s. The problem seems linked to the M.2 NVMe SSDs I installed. Initially, the first SSD was placed in the Gen 4 slot (ADA data blade), but after swapping it to the Gen 4 x4 slot, speeds dropped significantly. Later, moving it to the Gen 3 x2 slot didn't help. I've tried different SSDs and even used a backup SSD, but nothing changes. It's not related to compatibility or hardware failure.
I've also experienced some unfortunate mishaps: once the motherboard BIOS got corrupted, I had to reset it and even removed the battery while the PC was on standby. Later, testing confirmed that the Gen 4 slot still worked. Another incident involved a broken PCIe fishtail connector during GPU removal. It seems my build has had several close calls over the years.
I've reached out to ASRock for support but haven't received a response yet. Any advice or solutions would be greatly appreciated!
Here are two approaches you might consider:
First, swap in another PCIe device into that slot to check for storage drive problems (like a WiFi card). Second, reposition the CPU and examine the pins for any visible damage. You could also ask a friend for a compatible CPU to determine if the issue lies with the CPU itself.
Edit: Research the thermal pasting status of the pins and see if they relate to the 4x4 slot.
I've already tested various storage drives but they remain unrecognizable. I plan to disassemble the PC multiple times, clean the socket pins with isopropyl alcohol, and recheck. AsRock also advised me to clean the M.2 slot as well and consider moving my main SSD from the working Gen 5 slot to the non-functional one to see if the problem persists after cleaning.
Last night I took apart the PC to inspect the CPU and M.2 slots. Both appear okay; I cleaned the sockets with isopropyl alcohol and brushed them again, but the SSD still isn’t showing up. I’m considering switching to a Gen 3 x2 slot since I’ve used the older one before—it’s significantly slower—but I’m not sure if it makes a noticeable difference in gaming or loading times.