[SOLVED] Can you recover data from an SSD without power?

[sandbox242]

The SATA power connector on my SSD is burnt. The SATA data connector is fine. Is there a way to recover any data? I'm looking for a DIY solution if possible.

 

[Math Geek]

no way. it needs power to work. so unless you can get it to power on you're out of luck.

good thing you got back-ups to fall back on. you do got back-ups right?? tough way to learnt he lesson but hopefully it'll stick this time and you won't lose all your data again!!

 

[sandbox242]

no way. it needs power to work. so unless you can get it to power on you're out of luck.

good thing you got back-ups to fall back on. you do got back-ups right?? tough way to learnt he lesson but hopefully it'll stick this time and you won't lose all your data again!!

It was my boot drive with Windows and my installed softwares. All my important files are on another drive. It's okay. I can just download the softwares again. My boot drive was a 2.5" SATA drive. My main storage drive is 2tb M.2. My mobo will support another M.2, so I'm going to replace it with another M.2 instead of SATA. I shouldn't have this issue again if the drive draws it's power from the mobo, I would think.

I think what happened was the SATA power cable from the PSU wasn't making proper contact and shorted out. The drive and the power connector both burned. The rest of the system is fine.

 

[Math Geek]

i've seen that before and it took the psu with it!!

sounds like you have a ecent psu if it was able to protect itself and the rest of the pc. nice job picking there

 

[sandbox242]

i've seen that before and it took the psu with it!!

sounds like you have a ecent psu if it was able to protect itself and the rest of the pc. nice job picking there

It's a Raidmax Thunder series. 735w 80+ bronze. It was only $55 when I bought it. I've seen people like Kyle from Bitwit on youtube avoid these because they tend to be suspiciously low priced, but I've had 2 of them and they've been great.

 

[Math Geek]

interesting. i'd avoid those myself but it seems they at least have basic protections built in.

saved the pc for sure. last time i saw this the short lit the wire on fire and it made it most of the way back to the psu before whole thing just shut down!! but sadly it took a second hdd with it before shutting down. this was an OEM hp pc with it's cheap psu so i'm suprised it even shut down before taking the entire thing with it in a fireball

 

[USAFRet]

... but I've had 2 of them and they've been great.

Until some parts are killed off.

 

[fzabkar]

Show us the PCB inside the case. There will usually be a protection diode or e-fuse. If this protection component has sacrificed itself, then a very cheap and easy DIY data recovery may be possible.

BTW, did you do this?

Warning: do not interchange modular PSU cables:
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=2545

PCB protection devices:
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=1615

TVS Diode FAQ:
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=86

 

[sandbox242]

Until some parts are killed off.

Point taken, however in this case I'd chalk this mistake up to user error. If you look at the photo, you can see on the SSD that it wasn't designed to have the little extra "L" shaped piece on the end of the SATA Power connector. For this reason, the power cable wouldn't really grasp onto the drive properly and would come loose very easily. I knew this when I was putting it all back together.

Sorry, I think I failed to mention that I was rebuilding my PC. I had bought a new case and the build was just fine before I tore it all down and rebuilt it. When I rebuilt it, that must have been when I didn't connect the cable well enough. I suppose I could partially blame Mushkin (the SSD manufacturer) for not adding that extra piece of plastic. You can see it's on there with the SATA data connector, but not the power connector. I didn't have much of an issue with the data cable coming loose, but the power cable did.

 

[sandbox242]

No I did not mix and match PSU modular cables.

 

[USAFRet]

Point taken, however in this case I'd chalk this mistake up to user error. If you look at the photo, you can see on the SSD that it wasn't designed to have the little extra "L" shaped piece on the end of the SATA Power connector. For this reason, the power cable wouldn't really grasp onto the drive properly and would come loose very easily. I knew this when I was putting it all back together.

Sorry, I think I failed to mention that I was rebuilding my PC. I had bought a new case and the build was just fine before I tore it all down and rebuilt it. When I rebuilt it, that must have been when I didn't connect the cable well enough. I suppose I could partially blame Mushkin (the SSD manufacturer) for not adding that extra piece of plastic. You can see it's on there with the SATA data connector, but not the power connector did not. I didn't have much of an issue with the data cable coming loose, but the power cable did.

OK...this was user error. And possibly crap design by the SSD creator, leading to that user error.
That still does not cause me to give a pass to a 3rd rate PSU. Even if nothing had happened.

 

[sandbox242]

OK...this was user error. And possibly crap design by the SSD creator, leading to that user error.
That still does not cause me to give a pass to a 3rd rate PSU. Even if nothing had happened.

Have you had bad experiences with raidmax?

 

[USAFRet]

Have you had bad experiences with raidmax?

Only from reading reviews, listening to those who DO have experience with testing multiple devices.

Given the propensity of good quality items, I prefer to not spend money on questionable items.

 

[sandbox242]

Show us the PCB inside the case. There will usually be a protection diode or e-fuse. If this protection component has sacrificed itself, then a very cheap and easy DIY data recovery may be possible.

BTW, did you do this?

Warning: do not interchange modular PSU cables:
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=2545

PCB protection devices:
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=1615

TVS Diode FAQ:
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=86

I posted what you asked for once already, but I guess I didn't click the "reply" button.

No I did not mix and match PSU cables.
These are photos of the front and back side of the PCB.

 

[fzabkar]

There is a diode (D1) which is in the right area for a 5V TVS diode, but I would prefer to see the whole PCB in much better detail. If you have a CCD scanner (not CIS), then that would be a lot better than most cameras.

If you have cooked the edge connector but not the electronics, then there is a relatively easy fix. You would only need to solder a 4-pin Molex cable to appropriate 5V and Ground planes on the PCB. You would then cut off the burnt SATA power receptacle from the PSU cable and solder a Molex connector of the opposite gender.

 

[sandbox242]

There is a diode (D1) which is in the right area for a 5V TVS diode, but I would prefer to see the whole PCB in much better detail. If you have a CCD scanner (not CIS), then that would be a lot better than most cameras.

If you have cooked the edge connector but not the electronics, then there is a relatively easy fix. You would only need to solder a 4-pin Molex cable to appropriate 5V and Ground planes on the PCB. You would then cut off the burnt SATA power receptacle from the PSU cable and solder a Molex connector of the opposite gender.

TBH that all sounds like rocket science to me. Looking at the PCB, I'm pretty sure that the damage doesn't extend past the pins. I'm also pretty sure that investing in either a CCD or CIS scanner (which I've never even heard of), soldering iron, extra molex cables and taking the time to learn how all of that stuff works would probably cost more than just replacing the drive.

 

[fzabkar]

You are too easily overwhelmed. You just need to solder two wires from a Molex cable to your SSD,

Something like this ...

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0...extension-cable-12-18-24-and-36-15_1800x.jpeg

I have many such cables/connectors in my junk box. Cut the cable, bare the red and black wires, and solder them to a 5V and Ground point on the PCB. I will identify the locations for you. Then connect the Molex end of the cable to your PSU with a suitable adapter, or by splicing into the existing cable.

All you are doing is running a connection from a 5V point on your SSD to the 5V wire in your PSU, and another connection for the ground wire.

 

[sandbox242]

You are too easily overwhelmed. You just need to solder two wires from a Molex cable to your SSD,

Something like this ...

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0...extension-cable-12-18-24-and-36-15_1800x.jpeg

I have many such cables/connectors in my junk box. Cut the cable, bare the red and black wires, and solder them to a 5V and Ground point on the PCB. I will identify the locations for you. Then connect the Molex end of the cable to your PSU with a suitable adapter, or by splicing into the existing cable.

All you are doing is running a connection from a 5V point on your SSD to the 5V wire in your PSU, and another connection for the ground wire.

I understand your explanation is simplified and I know what a molex cable is, but you still have to appreciate the fact that I have no experience in that level of operation. Perhaps if I had lost something of dire importance I would attempt this, but I'd be more likely to just pay someone like you to do it if it mattered that much to me. When I asked for a potential DIY solution, I was hoping for maybe some kind of a technology that would be more or less plug-and-play.