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Adding the new SSD to Weston's Lenovo computer

ThinkStation P620 (the big black tower) · new part: Samsung 990 PRO 4TB · about 30–45 minutes

Don't turn the computer off yourself. It's running work for Weston's company. The box at the top of this page turns green and says when it's OK to unplug it. Weston will text you too.

What you need

The new SSD (small Samsung box)
A small Phillips screwdriver (#1). A big one will strip the tiny screw.
A flashlight, or your phone's light
A towel or blanket to lay the computer on
A small bowl for the screw
Your phone, to take photos and send them to Weston
A helper to lift and lay it down: it is heavy
Tip: the screw is tiny. A screwdriver with a magnetic tip helps; if you don't have one, keep the computer flat so the screw can't fall inside.

Before you start

  1. Wait until the box at the top of this page turns green and says "OK to unplug". Weston will text you too.
  2. Take a photo of the back of the computer, so every cable goes back in the same place.
  3. Unplug the power cord from the back of the computer. Unplug any other cables you need to, so you can lay it down.
  4. Press and hold the power button on the front for 5 seconds. That drains leftover power.
  5. With your helper, lay the computer on its side on the towel, with the side panel that has the oval handle facing up.
  6. Touch the bare metal on the back of the case for 2 seconds. That clears static electricity off your hands. Do it again if you walk away and come back.
1

Open the side panel

Press the three dots on the oval handle. The keyhole end pops up. Pull that end up to release the panel, then lift the panel away and set it aside.

The oval latch on the side panel

The oval latch on the side panel (Lenovo manual).

2

Find the SSD area and send Weston a photo

Look near the middle of the board: below the memory sticks, next to the ends of the long card slots. You're looking for the area Chris circled. In the computer it's covered by a black or grey plastic air duct with a small fan, and under that a metal cooler with short fins.

Chris's photo with the M.2 area circled

Chris's photo of the bare board, with the two SSD slots circled. In your computer this area is covered.

Take a photo now and send it to Weston before you touch anything inside.
3

Lift out the memory air duct (if it covers the area)

It's a plastic duct with a small fan on one end, sitting over the memory sticks. Lift the fan end straight up gently, then slide the duct out.

If a thin wire from the fan is still attached, don't pull it. Either lay the duct to the side with the wire still on, or take a photo and unplug the wire's small plug from the board. You'll plug it back in at the end.

Lifting the memory duct
4

Remove the SSD cooler (the finned metal plate)

At one end of the finned cooler there's a round knob. Turn it a quarter turn to the left (counter-clockwise), by hand or with a flat screwdriver. Then lift that end up and slide the cooler out. The other end has two small hooks.

Turn the knob a quarter turn left, lift the cooler

Put the cooler down upside down on the towel, so its soft pad underneath stays clean.

5

Find the empty slot and its little screw

Under the cooler there are two slots side by side. One already holds an SSD. Leave it alone. The other slot is empty. At the far end of the empty slot there's a small screw in a little black plastic holder.

Unscrew it (turn left) and put the screw and its black holder in your bowl.

Unscrew the screw holder
Send Weston a photo here if you're not sure which slot is the empty one.
6

Put the black holder on the new SSD

Take the SSD out of its box. Hold it by the edges only, and don't touch the gold teeth. Keep the sticker on; it belongs there.

The end of the SSD has a little half-moon notch. Slide the black holder (with its screw) onto that notch.

Attach the holder to the drive notch
7

Slide the SSD into the empty slot

Sticker side up. Line up the gold teeth with the slot (the small gap in the teeth matches a small ridge in the slot). Slide it in at a slight angle, like a ramp, until it's firmly in. Then gently press the far end down flat.

Insert at an angle, then press flat
8

Screw it down: snug, not tight

With the far end pressed flat, guide the black holder into its hole and turn the screw to the right until it stops turning easily. Don't force it.

Tighten the screw gently
9

Check the cooler's pad, then put the cooler back

Look at the soft pad on the underside of the cooler. If there's a clear plastic film on any part of it, peel the film off (only the film, not the pad).

Put the cooler back: hook its two small hooks into their holes first, then lay it down flat over both SSDs. Push the round knob down and turn it a quarter turn to the right (clockwise) to lock it.

Hooks in first, then press down
Turn the knob a quarter turn right
10

Put everything back

  1. Put the memory air duct back where it was. If you unplugged its wire, plug it back in.
  2. Take a photo and send it to Weston.
  3. Put the side panel back on and close the handle.
  4. Stand the computer up and plug the cables back in, matching your first photo.
  5. Plug in the power cord last. The computer may turn itself on as soon as it has power; that's normal.
Tell Weston "It's back together and plugged in." He'll check from far away that the computer sees the new SSD. You're done!

If something seems wrong

Pictures: Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Hardware Maintenance Manual (M.2 solid-state drive; memory module cooler and duct; computer cover), and the photo from Chris, the builder.