Replacement socket for M.2 drive on an Acer Travelmate TMB311-31-P1L1

cayrick49
cayrick49 Member Posts: 14

Tinkerer

edited November 2021 in TravelMate and Extensa
I purchased this laptop which had a missing storage drive only to find that the connector/socket to connect the drive to the motherboard was missing. The laptop was mfd. in 2020. I am looking for information on how to order a replacement socket. if possible. If this helps this is the information on the motherboard itself
NB2372CL
NBVNS 1 1 ooc
I would greatly appreciate any help in resolving this. Thanks

Answers

  • This model comes with a 128gb emmc. Perhaps, it is possible to solder a 2280 m2 connector. But it has to be done by a technician who understands micro soldering.
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  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,101 Trailblazer
    If the M.2 connector for a SSD is not populated on the board there is a very good chance there are other components also not there, so just putting a connector on is pretty likely to not work...
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • cayrick49
    cayrick49 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    I appreciate all your ideas. This is an Ebay laptop and was advertised as missing an M.2 memory card only and seemed to be too good to be true. It set me back $100 but on arrival the physical socket was missing, as too the NVMe card itself. This was shipped in Pristine condition (original box and packaging). The laptop itself looks brand new. I am thinking that the owner who was technically illiterate damaged the socket in removing the drive to possibly replace it with something larger. The pins on the motherboard appear undamaged so I am hoping based on inspection that is no other damage. In other words I am willing to spend a little more to get it operational if that is possible.
       I do not know what the connector looks like other than it has 33 or 34 pins is an M key and holds a 2280 card. I have searched and searched the web under NGFF card edge connector and nothing pops up that would do the job here. I also hoped I would find an interior photo of this model that would give me a better idea of what I am looking for.
      Ideally, I hoped an Acer tech would hop on the platform and tell me to check a particular website or someone might have experienced a similar issue. Acer does not seem to be forthcoming with any info. 
      I encourage any additional help you can provide and if I end up in a ***** de sac on this, I will lick my wounds and sacrifice this to some landfill site.
  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,064 Trailblazer
    cayrick49 said:
    I purchased this laptop which had a missing storage drive only to find that the connector/socket to connect the drive to the motherboard was missing. The laptop was mfd. in 2020. I am looking for information on how to order a replacement socket. if possible. If this helps this is the information on the motherboard itself
    NB2372CL
    NBVNS 1 1 ooc
    I would greatly appreciate any help in resolving this. Thanks

    Hey cayrick49 post a picture of the appropriate M.2 space where the connector/socket is at, as its very hard to advise you just blindly on this. To attach these sorts of components you need micro soldering equipment and a microscope as these sorts of jobs are very intricate and need specialist equipment, doing it any other way you will damage the mainboards circuitry links and do unrepairable damage!


  • cayrick49
    cayrick49 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    Hopefully this image transferred properly. Damaged slot is at the bottom part of photo between the ribbon cable connector and the black and red wire connector. Further to my last post the laptop itself when turned on gives a screen message that the storage drive is missing. This makes me believe that the computer would function if I could replace the M.2 slot. My big problem is finding the proper slot vendor. As for the expertise in soldering, I would have to take it to a computer repair center. My issue is that I have doubts they could source the part and I would have to order it if it is avalilable.  i
  • cayrick49
    cayrick49 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    This is a closeup view
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,101 Trailblazer
    Here is the top of the board. Yours really looks as if it were never populated though, so my earlier caveat holds.

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  • cayrick49
    cayrick49 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    This is a view of the bottom of my laptop. I am unclear about your comment Billsey. I charged the battery and when I turn on the laptop, i get the Acer logo followed by "boot device missing". That suggests to me that the only thing missing is the NvMe card and the on board socket. 
  • Your model comes with a 128gb emmc drive. For this reason, the m2 2280 slot is not soldered on the motherboard, to lower manufacturing costs!
    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
    Se você gostou da minha resposta, marque como solução clicando em sim! If you liked my answer, mark it as a solution by clicking on yes!
    Aceite somente a resposta que ajudou a solucionar o seu problema! Please accept only the response that helped to solve your problem!
    Detection tool click here to find the serial number or partnumber of your model!                                                          
                                                      
                                                     egydiocoelho Trailblazer
     
    ProductKey clique aqui para descobrir o serial do windows! click here to discover the windows serial!
    Para usuários da comunidade inglesa, espanhola, francesa e alemã, usarei o google tradutor! :)
    For users of the English, Spanish, French and German community, I will be using google translator! :) 
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,101 Trailblazer
    See my post from the 12th. We know the PCIe M.2 socket is missing, since as said above it reduces costs to allow the model to sell for less. If they left the socket itself off they likely left off anything else that's only used by that port, so capacitors, resistors, etc.. Just soldering a socket on isn't guaranteed to give you the function needed to place an NVMe drive there. If you have the skills to do remove and add surface mount components then you would likely be better served by replacing the failed eMMC drive.
    Of course, if you are still in warranty you can just have Acer repair it for you...
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.