This adapter lets you fit an M-key (or B+M-key) NVMe SSD into a laptop with a PCI-E-equipped A- or E-key slot, typically, replacing a WiFi card.

A lot of modern laptops have removable WiFi cards that are to be inserted in A-key or E-key slots. That slot has a PCI-E 1x link available - which means that you can connect an NVMe drive to it, NVMe drives being PCI-E devices just like your WiFi card is.

There are two ways I can assemble this adapter for you. First is the flush and non-springy socket, which works for single-sided drives, and it's the most comfortable one - insert a drive and go. Second is the springy but higher-profile socket which works with dual-sided drives, you'll need to use something like double-sided tape to fasten the SSD to the adapter PCB, then. Pick the option that suits you!

M.2 socket position is calculated so that the board mechanically converts a 2230 SSD into a 2242 card. FOXCONN AS0BC21-S20BM-7H socket datasheet was used for reference. The board itself is of 2230 length and has a corresponding mounting hole, but can be shortened by breaking off a part of it if that's beneficial to your use-case.

This board also breaks out A/E slot USB 2.0 signals, 3.3V, and GND on a separate 4-pin 2mm pin header. It's mostly intended for you to solder wires to, in case you want to i.e. add a USB-WiFI adapter there ;-P Draw 3.3V from there at your own peril! USB header pinout is silkscreened on the board's bottom layer.

There are resistors on the bottom for interrupting PCI-E&other control signals if any of them interfere with operation of your SSD. There are also traces with mask openings near the card edge that allow you to tap into any of the M.2 socket pins connected to the A+E pads, so that you connect to any of the undocumented lines your laptop might have on its M.2 slot. Use this capability wisely!

You might need a bootloader to boot your laptop from an NVMe drive if it didn't come with a M.2 NVMe slot - it's not likely on newer laptops, but still is a possibility, especially given it is the WiFi card slot you're putting the SSD in, after all. Here's a way you can use a Windows utility to flash a suitable bootloader onto a USB pendrive (flashdrive) - I use it myself with great success. Contact tme with your flashdrive size and I'll send you a ready-to-go disk image you can use - it will likely work if you flash it onto an old SD card.

I take no responsibility for any PCI-E whitelisting that might be implemented in your BIOS. If this is a problem for you, there are online forums that will help you with reflashing your BIOS to remove whitelisting - something that shouldn't have been there from the start, but unfortunately, we don't have control over decisions of HP/Dell/Lenovo.

This is a fully open-source product! Use the "Design files" link below to get the KiCad files for your own research.