Fixing the SSD Mount - mercadian/proteus GitHub Wiki
Fixing the SSD Mount
NOTE
This guide is intended for users with model numbers MSPR-ACN100 and MSPR-ACW100 only. If you have a unit with a newer model number, you do not need to worry about this issue as your unit came with the fix already installed.
If you just received a Proteus active-cooled unit with a model number of MSPR-ACN100 or MSPR-ACW100, it's possible that due to a small flaw in the Rock 5B's construction, the SSD could have become dislodged from the board during shipping due to excessive shaking. Luckily, this is a small issue that has an easy fix. This guide will explain the issue, how to detect it, and how to fix it.
Identifying the Issue
The Rock 5B, which is the single-board computer the Proteus is built with, has one M.2 2280 slot on the bottom of the board for holding an NVMe SSD. For example, here is the bottom of the Proteus's Rock 5B (including the SSD):
As shown, the SSD is fastened to the board by the screw stand on the left. Here is a close up of the screw stand:
Unfortunately, this part is not fastened very securely to the Rock 5B. In some instances, users have reported that it has dislodged from the board during shipping - especially international buyers, where the Proteus is subject to considerable forces. If this happens, the top of the board will look like this (which you can see by removing the top of the case):
You will also experience two additional symptoms:
- The Proteus will make a rattling sound when shaken, as the dislodged screw stand is able to move freely throughout the bottom of the case.
- Your Proteus will power on, but the red activity LED will stay solid red (it will not blink) and you won't have any output on your HDMI monitor. This is because the SSD itself (which hosts the operating system) will have fallen off of the board, so the board cannot boot from it.
Luckily, there is very little room between the bottom of the Rock 5B and the bottom of the Proteus case by design; the SSD has very limited room to move and it should not sustain any functional damage if it becomes detached. Fixing the problem is easy, though it does require a few tools.
How to Fix the Dislodged Screw Stand
Tools Required
To fix the dislodged screw stand, you will need the following tools:
- A 1.5mm (or 1/16") hex wrench / screwdriver bit for the M2 screws
- A 2mm (or 5/64") hex wrench / screwdriver bit for the M3 screws
- Either some superglue for the quick-and-dirty fix, or one of the following for the permanent fix:
- An M2x2mm screw
- An M2x4mm screw with some M2 washers (2mm inner diameter, 5mm outer diameter) totalling 1mm or 2mm in thickness
Step 1: Remove the Cover
Start by removing the cover from the Proteus, exposing its internal parts. You likely have already done this in the process of diagnosing the issue in the first place.
Step 2: Remove the Front Panel
Next, slide the front panel straight up to remove it:
The front panel rests in a set of grooves that ensure it can only move up and down, so it should be easy to slide out of the case and reinstall later.
Step 3: Remove the Case Screws
The Rock 5B is fastened to the case bottom with four M3 screws:
Remove these four screws using a 2mm or 5/64" hex wrench or hex-head screwdriver.
Step 4: Tilt the Proteus on its Side
To ensure there isn't any damage done if the SSD is still attached to the M.2 slot, tilt the board on its side like so:
This will ensure that the M.2 slot is upright, so the SSD will not damage it due to any torque when you remove the board from the case.
Step 5: Remove the Board
Gently remove the board from the case. If it gets stuck on any of the pegs between the connectors in the back, gently wiggle it back and forth to free it from those pegs. If you need a visual guide, please take a look at Step 7 of the active-cooled assembly guide.
Step 6: Remove the SSD and Black Mounting Screw
If the NVMe SSD is still attached to the board via the M.2 slot, remove it now. Take the dislodged screw stand and remove the black M2 screw that is currently attached to it.
Step 7: Reattach the Screw Stand
The screw stand should be contained within the case bottom, take it and reattach it to the Rock 5B. There are two ways of doing this:
- The quick-and-dirty way, which involves supergluing it back on (or using a similarly strong, non-conductive adhesive).
- The safe-and-strong way, which involves using another M2 screw on top of the board to secure it in place.
Quick and Dirty
If you'd like to use the quick-and-dirty way, simply apply a layer of adhesive to the hole for the screw stand:
/images/active/screw-stand-hole.jpg
Next, place the screw stand into the hole with the long side going into the board and the short side sticking out of the board:
/images/active/screw-stand.jpg
You will likely notice some broken adhesive already on one side - that is the residual adhesive from the factory where the Rock 5B was made. The side with the residual adhesive is the side that should go into the hole, interfacing with your superglue.
Hold it firmly in place until your adhesive has cured.
Safe and Strong
If you'd like to use the safe and strong approach, you will need to acquire an M2 screw (and possibly some M2 washers, depending on the screw length) as listed in the Tools Required section. For the sake of demonstrating, we will use an M2 x 4mm screw with four M2 washers.
Carefully place the four washers onto the screw. We find that putting the screw head-down onto a table and using a pair of tweezers helps here, since the parts are so small:
/images/active/m2-screw-washers.jpg
Next, place the screw stand into the hole with the long side going into the board and the short side sticking out of the board:
/images/active/screw-stand.jpg
You will likely notice some broken adhesive already on one side - that is the residual adhesive from the factory where the Rock 5B was made. The side with the residual adhesive is the side that should go into the hole.
Now, screw the M2 screw with the washers into the screw stand from the top of the board, like so:
/images/active/fixed-screw-stand.jpg
Tighten the M2 screw well, and this should fasten the screw stand securely to the board.
Step 8: Reattach the SSD
With the screw stand attached again, connect the SSD to the underside of the Rock in its M.2 slot, and screw the original M2x4mm screw that was attached to the screw stand into the mounting hole:
/images/active/ssd-heatsink-mounted.jpg
Rock the SSD back and forth to ensure the mount is secure and it won't fall out.
Step 9: Reassemble the Proteus
Put the unit back together, reversing the steps you used to take it apart. For a complete guide, please see Step 7: Fastening the Rock to the Case Bottom of the active-cooled assembly guide.
Done!
Once you've completed these steps, you will have securely fixed the dislodged SSD screw stand and can start using your Proteus normally. Congratulations on a successful surgery!