Question NVME SSD Failed after 1 week, how to wipe data before returning when I cant access the BIOS ?

[eci22]

HI All,
I built a new PC and for a week it ran fine, yesterday after transferring a bunch of files from my old machine my new PC completely froze as in the mouse wouldn't move. This happened at the exact moment the file transfer had finished.
The PC will not boot into the BIOS anymore with the drive inserted, power up and black screen only. Removing the drive and the machine fires up fine. I have 2 M.2 slots and both produce the result (no booting to BIOS).
I need to return the drive for a refund but I want to make sure all my data has been wiped as I transferred my sensitive personal and business files.
The drive is a Adata XPG Gammix S50 Lite 2TB (brand new, 1 week old). I want to call up the store and ask them once they've confirmed the drive is no good would they send it back to me so I can destroy it, not sure if they'd go for that. Other idea is to my a USB adapter and see if I can access it that way(I doubt I can). But ideally I just want to destroy the drive whilst still being able to return it. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

[Koekieezz]

HI All,
I built a new PC and for a week it ran fine, yesterday after transferring a bunch of files from my old machine my new PC completely froze as in the mouse wouldn't move. This happened at the exact moment the file transfer had finished.
The PC will not boot into the BIOS anymore with the drive inserted, power up and black screen only. Removing the drive and the machine fires up fine. I have 2 M.2 slots and both produce the result (no booting to BIOS).
I need to return the drive for a refund but I want to make sure all my data has been wiped as I transferred my sensitive personal and business files.
The drive is a Adata XPG Gammix S50 Lite 2TB (brand new, 1 week old). I want to call up the store and ask them once they've confirmed the drive is no good would they send it back to me so I can destroy it, not sure if they'd go for that. Other idea is to my a USB adapter and see if I can access it that way(I doubt I can). But ideally I just want to destroy the drive whilst still being able to return it. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

could you try to update the bios without the ssd installed?

 

[eci22]

Thanks for the input Koekieezz. The BIOS booted up fine with the drive inserted for a week, until yesterday where the drive seems to have been corrupted somehow. With the PC not even reaching the BIOS with the drive inserted would updating the BIOS make any difference ? thanks for your help

 

[faalin]

Have you tried an external caddie to plug the drive in after windows has booted.

 

[eci22]

So the SSD is the boot drive, but I can boot up with a Linux live USB with the SSD removed, I have ordered a USB adapter- so I'll give that a go. Thanks faalin

 

[Koekieezz]

Thanks for the input Koekieezz. The BIOS booted up fine with the drive inserted for a week, until yesterday where the drive seems to have been corrupted somehow. With the PC not even reaching the BIOS with the drive inserted would updating the BIOS make any difference ? thanks for your help

you could try to update the bios without the ssd installed (since its the only way to reach bios) to the latest and see if it would do any changes.

 

[SkyNetRising]

you could try to update the bios without the ssd installed

What's the point in updating BIOS ?
It's the SSD, that has failed.

 

[Zerk2012]

Your not going to get a replacement or refund then they give you the drive back. They got to send the drive in for warranty.

If the drive has truly failed then really nothing you can do if you're that stressed over the data on it then just destroy the drive and take the loss.

 

[eci22]

Your not going to get a replacement or refund then they give you the drive back. They got to send the drive in for warranty.

If the drive has truly failed then really nothing you can do if you're that stressed over the data on it then just destroy the drive and take the loss.

You are correct, I don't see them give me the drive back.

I'm thinking run say 20volts over the M.2 pins hopefully not enough to burn anything visible but enough to fry the components if the USB adaptor does not work (but thats a massive shot in the dark). I take what you are saying about accepting the loss, just trying to think of alternatives. Thanks for the input

 

[USAFRet]

You are correct, I don't see them give me the drive back.

I'm thinking run say 20volts over the M.2 pins hopefully not enough to burn anything visible but enough to fry the components if the USB adaptor does not work (but thats a massive shot in the dark). I take what you are saying about accepting the loss, just trying to think of alternatives. Thanks for the input

And if they investigate, they may conclude that YOU did this, thereby invalidating the warranty.
You get nothing.

 

[eci22]

And if they investigate, they may conclude that YOU did this, thereby invalidating the warranty.
You get nothing.

That's a completly fair point, but I believe once they have the device back they have to issue the refund as it's faulty and within 14 days of purchase I'm not sure how they get the time to investigate and make those kind of conclusions and still maintain the statutory rights of the consumer within the timeframe ? Thanks for your input

 

[USAFRet]

That's a completly fair point, but I believe once they have the device back they have to issue the refund as it's faulty and within 14 days of purchase I'm not sure how they get the time to investigate and make those kind of conclusions and still maintain the statutory rights of the consumer within the timeframe ? Thanks for your input

No.
They have the obligation to determine if the thing is actually faulty.

They don't just automatically issue a refund or replacement for a perfectly working device.

Once determined it is actually not working, THEN they can take the next steps.
But in that investigation, if things look a bit suspicious....they may deny.

"Caused by the user" Is a perfectly valid reason to deny warranty replacement/refund.



But also, they who?
If you had bought that drive on its own via Amazon, they'd take it back in the first 30 days, no questions asked.

But if you bought a prebuilt PC, either they take the whole PC back, or you deal with the manufacturers warranty procedures.

 

[eci22]

No.
They have the obligation to determine if the thing is actually faulty.

They don't just automatically issue a refund or replacement for a perfectly working device.

Once determined it is actually not working, THEN they can take the next steps.
But in that investigation, if things look a bit suspicious....they may deny.

"Caused by the user" Is a perfectly valid reason to deny warranty replacement/refund.



But also, they who?
If you had bought that drive on its own via Amazon, they'd take it back in the first 30 days, no questions asked.

But if you bought a prebuilt PC, either they take the whole PC back, or you deal with the manufacturers warranty procedures.

Yes you are completely correct, they have that right- I just double checked the returns policy. They are https://www.scan.co.uk.
It's not prebuilt it's just the purchase of the hard drive as a stand alone component. But let's just say for the sake of argument I took that chance, would the procedure I described to wipe the drive actually work ?

 

[USAFRet]

Yes you are completely correct, they have that right- I just double checked the returns policy. They are https://www.scan.co.uk.
It's not prebuilt it's just the purchase of the hard drive as a stand alone component. But let's just say for the sake of argument I took that chance, would the procedure I described to wipe the drive actually work ?

Maybe, but there is no way to verify.
The thing is already inaccessible.

And as mentioned, may invalidate the warranty completely.

 

[eci22]

Thanks for all the advice, I have decided not to mess with the drive before sending it back, it doesn't boot even to BIOS and it doesn't work with a USB adapter on other computers so I don't think it needs my assistance to be any more broken. Appreciate the input.