Question How to determine if SATA SSD or motherboard SATA port is the issue ?

[sans0four]

Built system about 5 years ago (latest bios ended 2016), running 2 ssd (one windows 10 boot, 1 data) and 1 mechanical drive.

I run my computer for a few hours a day and turn off after. Had the most recent ssd (data) for about 3 years now. For some reason over lately, about every week that same drive won't be detected in bios on boot. The solution so far seems to be power down, then plug into a different sata port. Then works fine for another week or so. The other two drives have had for many many years with same system and no issues.

Bought a no name pciex to sata (also has seperate nvme port) online since was about 1/3 the price of a replacement hard drive. Windows won't even detect this card. Not using an m.2 or nvme drive, so could it be a motherboard compatibility issue? Although isnt that the point of this adapter card using sata mode? For interest sake, I watched a few youtube videos and they just plugged the cards in, attached to hd and worked. As I would have expected.

So I'm a bit of a loss as to how do I go about figuring out if it's the hd or sata ports on motherboard? Really don't want to spend the money to buy another ssd. Would be sata since motherboard is so old has no m.2 or nvme support. Not to mention if it is the motheboard, then would be annoyed have to purchase a new system incl an m.2 nvme drive.....

 

[SkyNetRising]

about every week that same drive won't be detected in bios on boot. The solution so far seems to be power down, then plug into a different sata port. Then works fine for another week or so.

Probably bad ssd. You can try unplugging in and plugging back into same port.
Could be also a bad sata cable. Try changing the cable.

Bought a no name pciex to sata (also has seperate nvme port) online. Windows won't even detect this card.

Can you provide link to the adapter card?
Sata port on it probably is for passthrough from motherboard to M.2 sata port. And is not supposed to be connected to sata 2.5"/3.5" drive.

So I'm a bit of a loss as to how do I go about figuring out if it's the hd or sata ports on motherboard?

Start by listing full specs of your system.

Diagnose SSD with SSD manufacturer specific SSD tool.

 

[sans0four]

Tried three different cables, same issue. The drive in question is a samsung 860 qvo. Tried downloading the official magican software. The other (boot) ssd is a samsung 850 evo. Just get a message that netiher of them support diagnostic testing. The only suport the software has is smart and says all the drives are ok.

asus a88m-a motherboard. So old doesn't even support m.2 let alone nvme.
Not using the m.2 port, just the sata section.

pciexpress addon card

Amazon.com

spent a bunch of time searching forums posts about using the addon pcie to sata addon cards. All could find was clover software to to boot off them. So I can only assume that the card should just be a passthrough...

 

[SkyNetRising]

pciexpress addon card

Amazon.com

Yes. That is pass-through sata port.
You connect it to motherboard with sata cable.
It enables use of M.2 sata drive on the adapter.

You do not connect sata 2.5"/3.5"drive to that port on adapter.

 

[sans0four]

Yes. That is pass-through sata port.
You connect it to motherboard with sata cable.
It enables use of M.2 sata drive on the adapter.

You do not connect sata 2.5"/3.5"drive to that port on adapter.

Oh damn. How did I screw that up?
I guess the only solution now is to stop using troublesome samsung 860 and see if kept old mechanical drive that replaced it.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Oh damn. How did I screw that up?

Probably didn't read description of the product.
Or didn't know, what to look for.

PCIE sata controllers look like this and usually do not have M.2 NVME slots on them.

 

[sans0four]

Looked around online just now and cant even seem to find (under $20) the card I woudl actually need. I guess didn't realize that the 2.5 sata standard is so old that I am really out to lunch on this one.

The questions still remains then. Is is the hard drive or motherboard? I guess should clarifiy. The troublesome drive, when no detected on boot, I have to plug into a different sata port on the motherboard. If unplug and plug into the same one (computer powered off) then still won't detect the drive.


Only other thing I can think of, is wait a week or so till the drive isnt detected again. Plug in my mechanical drive into same sata port on motherboard to see if it goes undetected or not?

Would that really solve anything though?

 

[SkyNetRising]

The questions still remains then. Is is the hard drive or motherboard?

My bet would be on bad/failing SSD.

 

[sans0four]

So basically your saying is that run my old mechanical drive for a month (just to be sure) .
Don't have the money for a new cpu/ram/mobo or another drive. So might just stick with mechanical and hope lasts another two years till forced to by new hardware for windows 11 support.