SSD not working in M.2_1 slot of ASUS TUF GAMING X670E-PLUS WIFI motherboard

[popcornguide]

I've got a brand new Asus motherboard, Samsung SSD, CPU, and memory. My problem is now that the SSD won't consistently show up in BIOS or boot into Windows when it's in the M.2_1 slot, which is the one closest to the CPU and coincidentally the only one supporting PCIe 5.0 (not that I'd specifically now need gen 5). It does show up on BIOS (or boot into Windows) seemingly randomly around 1 out of every 10 times. The SSD works 100% fine in M.2_2, M.2_3, and M.2_4 slots. When the SSD happens to get detected in M.2_1, I tested, and its speeds are just fine at ~7000/5000MB/s. This happened already when the SSD didn't have any data on it.

My setup:

• Motherboard: ASUS TUF GAMING X670E-PLUS WIFI
• SSD: Samsung 980 Pro w/Heatsink 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
• RAM: Kingston 32GB (2 x 16GB) Fury Beast DDR5, 6000MHz, CL36, 1,35V
• GPU: Palit Super JetStream GeForce GTX 1080 8 GB
• PSU: be quiet! Pure Power L8 530 W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-modular ATX

What I've tried:

• Updated BIOS from original to 1413 and now to 1616.
• Reset all BIOS settings to defaults
• Set EXPO off and on
• Manually set M.2_1 link detection from auto to gen 4
• Toggled M.2_2 slot from x2 to x4 lanes and back (the M.2_1 slot doesn't have such setting)
• Reseated the SSD bunch of times, while applying various amounts of pressure
• Reseated my RAM
• Ensured that the SSD doesn't have any firmware updates available via Samsung Magician

Is anyone else facing this problem? Any ideas how to fix it? Since it does work some times, is it more likely to be a firmware vs. a hardware problem, or vice versa?

One thing I have thought is that could it make a difference that my PSU is not providing the second 8-pin EPS power connector for the motherboard (from PCPartPicker)?

> The Asus TUF GAMING X670E-PLUS WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard has an additional 8-pin EPS power connector but the be quiet! Pure Power L8 530 W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply does not have any available. This connector is used to supply additional current. While the system will likely still run without it, higher current demands or extreme overclocking may require it.

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello, @popcornguide .

Thank you for providing detailed configuration information and the troubleshooting techniques you have tested.

May I ask if you have tried cross-testing both the Samsung 980 Pro and the Heatsink 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD and encountered the described problem with both?
Could you also provide the currently installed OS version and OS build, as well as confirm which is the system disk? Is the CMS option enabled in the BIOS?

Thank you.

[popcornguide]

To clarify, the Samsung 980 Pro w/ Heatsink is a single SSD: https://www.samsung.com/us/computing/memory-storage/solid-state-drives/980-pro-w-heatsink-pcie-4-0-n...

My OS is the latest build of Windows 11 Pro (Version 10.0.22621 Build 22621), but I don't see that affecting much, since the problem happened immediately with the drive fresh out of the box without any Windows installation. No, CMS is not enabled.

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello, @popcornguide .

I apologize for the misunderstanding regarding the SSD model and thank you for clarifying.
Could you please try to enable CMS in the BIOS and confirm again?
Additionally, I have forwarded your problem to the relevant department for further consult and will update you here as soon as there is a response.

Thank you.

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello, @popcornguide .

May I clarify if you are disconnecting the power supply (220V) each time before powering on, or are you directly restarting without disconnecting the power supply?
When the BIOS or system fails to recognize the SSD, does a restart resolve the issue and allow proper recognition? And when the BIOS or system can successfully recognize it, does a restart then result in the issue of it not being recognized?
If possible, could you please provide a complete recording of the situation to help us better understand the context in which the issue occurs?

Thank you.

[popcornguide]

I tried both normal restarts and turning off the power supply. There didn't seem to be consistency in when the drive was recognized and when not.

[popcornguide · Accepted solution]

Suddenly, when I tried moving the SSD from M.2_3 into M.2_1 for probably the 10th time on the weekend it just started working. Now my BIOS is consistently recognizing the drive in the slot and Windows boots from it fine. I didn't do anything differently than before. Really strange, but hopefully it will stay working now.

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello, @popcornguide .

Based on the description you provided, it is possible that the problem is related to the SSD connector or the M.2_1 slot needing cleaning.
We suggest that if you encounter a similar situation next time, try cleaning and reconnecting the components first.

Thank you.