Remove stands for cards to add mSATA SSD

I have the latest version of the Turris Omnia, which comes with Wifi 6 already built in.
Unfortunately, I did not manage to remove the stands for the cards in order to change their positions. Apparently, unlike what you see in the video, they are not screwed to the board but pressed into the holes.
Can anyone help here? How do I remove them properly without damaging the board and put them to their new positions?

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If I recall correctly, the press fit ones are in the longest positions, so don’t need to be removed. You’ll need to buy new ones for the other positions.

Thanks for your answer, but I’m afraid you are wrong.
From the left to the right: long position for spacers (empty), long (long WIFI card), short (short WIFI card) - as shown in the video.
You have to move the WIFI cards to the left, so the positions will be:
long (long WIFI card), long (short WIFI card), short (long SSD card)
There are at least two slots where the positions of the spacers have to be changed.
Because I think the SSD can only be installed in the rightmost slot.
So you’ll have to change the spacers positions for two slots.
(Here’s the video in case you don’t know: Turris Omnia: How to connect an mSATA disk - YouTube )

Sorry: At least one slot. Because to change a slot from long cards to short ones by just adding new spacers but not removing the old ones is no problem, but the other way round is.

I found a set of M3 spacers I bought several years ago for my raspberrys. The diameter seem to fit. But the shortest ones have a length of 6mm - I hope this is not too long.

I found a solution. The spacers I bought for my Raspberry are a bit longer than the spacers already on the board. So it’s possible to mount the SSD card slightly slanted over the short spacers and avoid contact.
My SSD is installed now and works. (And WLAN as well on the new positions.)
One hint: After the WLAN cards have been moved to their new positions, the old WLAN configuration is gone and must be done again.

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Oh dear.

I wonder if moving to press fit posts was to mitigate the issue they had early on with spacers becoming unscrewed after assembly.

I had some loose spacers when I got mine, the Indigogo version.

I’m not sure if that’s the reason. Maybe it’s just cheaper. And additionally the video showing an old version of the board misleads you if you check that before you order the router.
I have already sent an email to support suggesting that they at least make a new video.
I am very curious to see what they suggest in it about how to install the SSD.

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Hi all,
I faced exactly the same issue @Lagganmhouillin described and, I must say, before receiving my WiFi6 Omnia I couldn’t believe that such “super upgradable and expandable” device had such an annoying limitation, but that is that. I didn’t have anything at home to solve, so I searched a couple of days before finding the spacers with proper diameter and length to obtain the result @Lagganmhouillin was speaking about. By the way, many thanks for the precious suggestion @Lagganmhouillin.

For sake of future reference, new buyers should know that press fit posts cannot be removed without risking to damage the board, but probably using a PCB drill press, that maybe I wouldn’t try anyway, considering the price of the device.

The spacers holes on the Turris Omnia are ~M3 size, but those on the cards (WiFi, miniSATA SSD, etc…) are M2 size (~2.5mm), so the smaller wins in this case. Using 6mm M2 spacers and placing a washer before the screw, its head holds in perfect position, even for accuracy maniacs. I added another washer also between spacer and board to add 1mm extra (~7mm total). Most important fact, the card slanting seems do not affect the functionality and it’s sufficient to avoid any contact between miniSATA card and press fit posts.

The miniSATA SSD installation instructions video on YouTube should really be updated.

As @jklaas was wondering, there is probably a reason for all this, and considering which great device is the Omnia overall, I won’t complain more, but please, in the next version, make users life easier…
Cheers :wave:

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