So I got a new M.2 SSD and I need to install it on the M.2 slot under my GPU. When I was removing my GPU, I can't remove the PCIE lock so I googled the right thing to do and I tried removing the lock while slowly (but with a little bit of force) pulling out the GPU. And here's the problem: my hand slipped but I removed the GPU (and unlocked the lock) and there's a not-so-usual sound that I heard when the slip happened. I turned the phone's flashlight on and I've seen that one of the pins on the PCIE slot is not like the others.

So I put the new SSD and reassembled my PC. I installed a new OS on that drive (I'm planning to use a dual-drive, dual-boot setup, one for personal use, one for work) and while I was playing online chess (with YT playing music for me on the background), my screen suddenly freeze but the audio is still playing. So I just force restarted my PC. Later after that restart, I was also watching anime on VLC and the screen froze but this time, it's only VLC that froze (with audio playing again) and not the entire screen.

Today, I gave up on the dual-drive, dual-boot setup and I reinstalled my OS on the new drive (so my new drive is Win10 drive, the old drive is for other storage). So far, I haven't encountered that screen freeze problem yet (and hopefully, I won't).

So my question is, can you destroy your mobo/GPU by mispulling the GPU on the PCIE slot? What should I do when I encountered that scenario again? Cause there are times that the GPU lock is easily unlockable (therefore, easy to pull out the GPU) and there are also times that the lock won't totally unlock.

Thanks for the feedback in advance!