Installing a Samsung 990 Pro takes about 10 minutes and requires no tools
The Samsung 990 Pro is an NVMe SSD — a small, fast storage drive that plugs directly into your motherboard. Installation is straightforward: you locate the M.2 slot on your motherboard, insert the drive at a 30-degree angle, and press down until it clicks. The whole process takes longer to read about than to do.
Before you start, shut down your PC completely and unplug the power cable. Touch a metal part of your case to discharge any static electricity that could damage the drive. You do not need a screwdriver, thermal paste, or special software — the drive comes ready to use.
Key Takeaways
- The Samsung 990 Pro installs into an M.2 slot on your motherboard, not into a 2.5-inch bay or SATA port.
- You insert the drive at an angle, then press straight down until the screw hole aligns and the drive clicks into place.
- Most modern motherboards have at least one M.2 slot; check your motherboard manual if you are unsure which one to use.
- After installation, your PC will recognize the drive automatically — you do not need to install drivers or set up anything.
Locate the M.2 slot on your motherboard
Open your PC case and look for a small horizontal slot on the motherboard. It is usually near the CPU or toward the bottom edge of the board. The slot is about the width of a pencil and sits perpendicular to the motherboard surface. If your motherboard has multiple M.2 slots, any one will work, though your manual may recommend a specific slot for the fastest performance.
If you cannot find the slot, consult your motherboard manual — search online for your motherboard model plus "manual" and look for the M.2 slot diagram. The manual will also tell you whether the slot supports NVMe drives (it almost certainly does on any motherboard made in the last five years).
Remove the screw and insert the drive
You will see a small screw at the far end of the M.2 slot. Remove it and set it aside somewhere you will not lose it. Hold the Samsung 990 Pro with the gold connector pins facing down and the label facing up. The drive has a small notch cut into the connector end — this notch prevents you from inserting it backward.
Insert the drive into the slot at a shallow angle, about 30 degrees from horizontal. Push gently until the drive is mostly in the slot, then press the end straight down. You will feel it click into place. Once it clicks, the drive should sit flat against the motherboard. Screw the small screw back in to hold the drive down — tighten it snugly but not hard enough to strip it.
Check that your PC recognizes the drive
Close your case, plug in the power cable, and turn on your PC. Your system will recognize the Samsung 990 Pro automatically. You do not need to install drivers or restart multiple times. The drive will appear in Windows File Explorer (or your operating system's file manager) within a few seconds of boot.
If the drive does not appear, power down, open the case again, and reseat the drive — remove it completely and reinsert it using the same angle-then-press method. Make sure the screw is tight enough to hold the drive flat. If it still does not appear, try a different M.2 slot if your motherboard has one.
Initialize the drive in Windows (if it is your first time using it)
When you first install the drive, Windows may show a notification that a new disk has been detected. Right-click the Start menu and select "Disk Management." You will see the Samsung 990 Pro listed as an uninitialized disk. Right-click it and choose "Initialize Disk." Select "MBR" or "GPT" — GPT is the standard choice for modern systems. Click OK.
After initialization, right-click the unallocated space and select "New straightforward Volume." Follow the wizard to create a partition. You can accept the default settings and click through to the end. Once the partition is created, the drive will be ready to store files.
Understand the thermal pad on the back
The Samsung 990 Pro comes with a thermal pad on the back of the drive. This pad helps dissipate heat and should make contact with your motherboard or a heatspreader. Do not peel off the pad or remove it — it is meant to stay on. If your motherboard has a heatspreader over the M.2 slot, the pad will contact it when you press the drive down. If not, the pad will contact the motherboard itself.
Some motherboards include a separate heatspreader that you can install over the M.2 slot after the drive is in place. Check your motherboard manual to see if yours has one. If it does and you want to use it, install the heatspreader after the drive is seated and screwed down.
Verify the drive is working at full speed
To confirm the Samsung 990 Pro is running at its rated speed, open Windows Settings and go to "System" > "Storage" > "Advanced Storage Settings" > "Disks and Volumes." Click on the Samsung 990 Pro and you will see its capacity and interface type. It should show "NVMe" as the interface, which means it is connected correctly.
For more detailed information, you can read Samsung Magician, a free tool from Samsung's website. Open it and it will show the drive's temperature, health status, and performance metrics. If the drive is running hot (above 70 degrees Celsius under load), make sure the thermal pad is making good contact with the motherboard or heatspreader.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to format the drive before using it?
No. Windows will format it automatically when you create a partition in Disk Management. You do not need to do anything else before storing files on it.
Can I install the Samsung 990 Pro while my PC is powered on?
No. Always shut down and unplug your PC before opening the case and installing hardware. Even with the power off, touch a metal part of the case to discharge static electricity before handling the drive.
What if my motherboard does not have an M.2 slot?
Older motherboards may only have SATA ports. The Samsung 990 Pro requires an M.2 slot and will not work with SATA. If your motherboard lacks M.2, you would need a different type of drive or a motherboard upgrade.
Will the drive work if I install it in a different M.2 slot than the manual recommends?
Yes, it will work. Some motherboards have multiple M.2 slots that share bandwidth with SATA ports or PCIe lanes. Using a different slot may reduce speed slightly, but the drive will function. Check your manual to see which slot is fastest.
Do I need to install any software after installation?
No. Windows recognizes the drive automatically and you can start using it right away. Samsung Magician is optional and useful only if you want to monitor temperature or update the drive's firmware in the future.