SSD seemingly died randomly... Any "tricks" I can try to recover data?

Akagi · 8 Jul 2019 at 15:19

My SSD (few month old Crucial RealSSD M4) has turned into a small brick and as a result I have lost loads of singleplayer gameplay saves and other bits and pieces... Rubbish end to the week!

I installed a GPU driver update and re-started when prompted, and the machine couldn't find the boot device. Checked in the BIOS, sure enough, it wasn't showing...

I have tried:

- Different SATA cable
- Different SATA power cable
- Different SATA port
- CMOS/BIOS reset
- Booting from another drive and plugging the SSD in with a USB adapter + checking for it in drive manager

All resulted in nothing whatsoever.

I have an RMA all arranged for it, but are there any tricks I can try to get the data off? Preferably non warranty voiding unless there is a very good chance that something which will void the warranty will work.

I somewhat doubt it but thought I would ask before admitting defeat.

Akagi · 8 Jul 2019 at 19:05

any ideas chaps

tamzzy · 8 Jul 2019 at 19:17

i think with ssds...if it's dead...it's unfortunately dead. unless you can unsolder and resolder on a new controller chip (assuming that's what failed)

freddie64 · 8 Jul 2019 at 20:44

Found this as a possible solution, apparently for crucial drives.

Worth a go i suppose and hopefully it works.( another web site said 30 mins instead of 20 mins)

Only connect the SATA power connection and not the data cable. A USB enclosure with an external power source will also work.
Once you have the drive connected, simply power on the computer and wait. The computer will need to stay powered on for 20 min and it is recommended that you don't use the computer during this process.
Power the computer down and disconnect the drive for 30 seconds.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 one more time.
Reconnect the drive normally, and boot the computer to your operating system.
Update your firmware, if you are not already at the latest on your drive. Please visit the following link for our firmware updates

Danny75 · 8 Jul 2019 at 22:02

If the above doesn't work - does your mobo have hot plug options for the Sata ports in the Bios? Was able to read a drive that way once that wouldn't show up normally.

Akagi · 8 Jul 2019 at 22:03

freddie64 said:
Found this as a possible solution, apparently for crucial drives.

Worth a go i suppose and hopefully it works.( another web site said 30 mins instead of 20 mins)

Only connect the SATA power connection and not the data cable. A USB enclosure with an external power source will also work.

Once you have the drive connected, simply power on the computer and wait. The computer will need to stay powered on for 20 min and it is recommended that you don't use the computer during this process.

Power the computer down and disconnect the drive for 30 seconds.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 one more time.

Reconnect the drive normally, and boot the computer to your operating system.

Update your firmware, if you are not already at the latest on your drive. Please visit the following link for our firmware updates

Cheers for that. I will give that a go. Not right now though, long process!

Danny75 said:
If the above doesn't work - does your mobo have hot plug options for the Sata ports in the Bios? Was able to read a drive that way once that wouldn't show up normally.

Yes it does. Was that a drive which decided to randomly stop working though?

Danny75 · 8 Jul 2019 at 22:11

Acme said:
Yes it does. Was that a drive which decided to randomly stop working though?

Wasn't even an SSD so it's a long shot, just another option to try. Was a laptop HDD. Laptop kept failing to boot, took out the drive and connected it to my PC and it wouldn't show up. Hot plugging did the trick and managed to copy the contents and also confirm errors on the drive.

Some Crucial SSDs have data protections when failure occurs. Can still read the data if you use another drive to boot (maybe you have to also follow a special procedure such as Freddie64 listed). Not sure about that model.

JasonM · 8 Jul 2019 at 22:19

I've had a crucial M4 just die also, could not get anything back from it.

Akagi · 8 Jul 2019 at 22:56

JasonM said:
I've had a crucial M4 just die also, could not get anything back from it.

Did you try any of the methods in this thread?

wedrum · 8 Jul 2019 at 22:58

Wang it in the freezer for a while

Akagi · 8 Jul 2019 at 22:59

wedrum said:
Wang it in the freezer for a while

Thats hard drives.

wedrum · 8 Jul 2019 at 23:02

Works on ssd too

Akagi · 8 Jul 2019 at 23:21

wedrum said:
Works on ssd too

How? Its just chips maaaaan! Freakin chips!

JasonM · 9 Jul 2019 at 00:12

Acme said:
Did you try any of the methods in this thread?

I tried the drive in another computer, but nothing more.