Question Pny 240 Went RAW after a BSOD ... EASEUS Surface Test shows 100% bad sectors ... is it dead?

[ospider]

I've had that SSD for around 3 years nowas a main one, but two days ago I got a BSOD, couldn't boot into windows at all.
So I installed windows on the other drive (1 TB HDD) and checked the SSD with EASEUS partition master, it shows it as unallocated

So doing a surface test, this is the result

So is it basically dead?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Try a different SATA cable and a different SATA header. See if there is any difference. Also, use a different SATA power cable from the power supply to the drive.

 

[ospider]

Try a different SATA cable and a different SATA header. See if there is any difference. Also, use a different SATA power cable from the power supply to the drive.

Thanks so much for the reply
I forgot to add that I did that too ... and the SSD wasn't readable at all even from Bios!
So I returned it to the current setup, and it showed up again in Bios and EASEUS as Unallocated (same as the pics above).

 

[Darkbreeze]

Then there can't be much doubt that the drive, for whatever reason, is probably toast.

I think I might try a different test mechanism first though. Since this is a Western digital drive, I'd download Western digital lifeguard tools, and run the Long/Extended test. Or try the drive, and test it, in an entirely different system.

 

[ospider]

Then there can't be much doubt that the drive, for whatever reason, is probably toast.

I think I might try a different test mechanism first though. Since this is a Western digital drive, I'd download Western digital lifeguard tools, and run the Long/Extended test. Or try the drive, and test it, in an entirely different system.

Ok
I ran the lifeguard tools ... here are the results

Running an extended test shows this the instant I click it (not a single moment passes)

====
I'll try putting it in a different system in a few hours and get back to you.

 

[fzabkar]

When an SSD identifies itself as "SATAFIRM S11", it means that the firmware has panicked due to a fatal hardware/firmware error. It then reverts to reporting its factory alias, in this case the ID of its Phison S11 controller. I am not aware of any DIY data recovery tools or procedures for this particular case.

 

[Darkbreeze]

So, you tried using a different SATA data cable, on the same SATA motherboard header, and it Partition master showed the drive bad still?

You tried a different SATA data cable on a DIFFERENT SATA motherboard header, and Partition master still showed the drive bad?

You tried a different or same SATA cable with an entirely different SATA power cable, not just a different connector on the same power cable and a not a cable plugged into the same SATA power cable socket on the PSU (If a modular PSU) and Partition master still showed the drive as bad?

But when you run WD lifeguard tools extended test, it shows ok?

Makes no sense.

You might also try downloading the free version of Hard disk sentinel and checking drive health there plus running whatever tests it will allow. I'm not sure which tests are free or not anymore since I use the paid version and have access to all the tests, but in the end like I said earlier it's likely that it's just done for whatever reason and like fzabar said, if it's identifying itself by it's controller, then there's clearly something wrong at the hardware level.

Regardless, I would never again trust this drive for anything important so it might be best to simply round file it.

 

[ospider]

When an SSD identifies itself as "SATAFIRM S11", it means that the firmware has panicked due to a fatal hardware/firmware error. It then reverts to reporting its factory alias, in this case the ID of its Phison S11 controller. I am not aware of any DIY data recovery tools or procedures.

Thanks a bunch for the reply ... so in other words, it's not physically dead, but there's nothing I can do to restore it?

 

[ospider]

So, you tried using a different SATA data cable, on the same SATA motherboard header, and it Partition master showed the drive bad still?

You tried a different SATA data cable on a DIFFERENT SATA motherboard header, and Partition master still showed the drive bad?

You tried a different or same SATA cable with an entirely different SATA power cable, not just a different connector on the same power cable and a not a cable plugged into the same SATA power cable socket on the PSU (If a modular PSU) and Partition master still showed the drive as bad?

But when you run WD lifeguard tools extended test, it shows ok?

Makes no sense.

You might also try downloading the free version of Hard disk sentinel and checking drive health there plus running whatever tests it will allow. I'm not sure which tests are free or not anymore since I use the paid version and have access to all the tests, but in the end like I said earlier it's likely that it's just done for whatever reason and like fzabar said, if it's identifying itself by it's controller, then there's clearly something wrong at the hardware level.

Regardless, I would never again trust this drive for anything important so it might be best to simply round file it.

So here's how I did it:
Unplugged SSD completely > connected another SATA cable > connected it to an empty MOBO header > connected SSD to another PSU cable > doesn't show up at all, either in Bios or EASEUS.
Haven't tried the same WITHOUT changing the mobo header though.
Should I do that?

====
Here's what happens in lifeguard tools
https://streamable.com/j50v12
Sorry for the yellow screen, my eye tire easily from the monitor, I hope it's visible.
====
I'll try the Hard Disk Sentinel app and get back to you momentarily.

 

[ospider]

You might also try downloading the free version of Hard disk sentinel and checking drive health there plus running whatever tests it will allow. I'm not sure which tests are free or not anymore since I use the paid version and have access to all the tests, but in the end like I said earlier it's likely that it's just done for whatever reason and like fzabar said, if it's identifying itself by it's controller, then there's clearly something wrong at the hardware level.

Regardless, I would never again trust this drive for anything important so it might be best to simply round file it.

Using Hard Disk Sentinel ... here's the UI

Doing a surface test doesn't show me the SSD as an option

Every other test requires the registered version sadly.

 

[fzabkar]

You can use this technique to recover the SSD but not your data (it's data destructive):

https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/kingston-satafirm-s11-fix.3489081/

 

[ospider]

You can use this technique to recover the SSD but not your data (it's data destructive):

https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/kingston-satafirm-s11-fix.3489081/

Ok
As long as I can get the SSD to a working state, data doesn't matter imo.
The link is dead, so I'll google the name, and get back to you.

Edit: sadly, it doesn't show up in the manager.

 

[ospider]

You can use this technique to recover the SSD but not your data (it's data destructive):

https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/kingston-satafirm-s11-fix.3489081/

Here's how the events tab looks

 

[fzabkar]

http://vlo.name:3000/ssdtool/

The readme files are in Russian.

 

[ospider]

http://vlo.name:3000/ssdtool/

The readme files are in Russian.

Ok ... this might sound like a dumb question, but which one do I download?

 

[fzabkar]

Phison S11 Repair.

I haven't used these tools, so I can't really help you. Just be aware that the "repair" tools are data destructive.

 

[ospider]

Phison S11 Repair.

I haven't used these tools, so I can't really help you. Just be aware that the "repair" tools are data destructive.

Ok, so it sees the SSD, but provides this error.

 

[Darkbreeze]

IDK man, I can understand the desire to salvage your investment in this hardware, but to be honest, it seems like far too much effort to go through for a drive that can be replaced for 50 bucks or less especially since no matter what you do, there is no way I'd ever trust this drive with anything even remotely important ever again. At best, a cache drive. And even that might not be worth the effort to be honest.

 

[ospider]

IDK man, I can understand the desire to salvage your investment in this hardware, but to be honest, it seems like far too much effort to go through for a drive that can be replaced for 50 bucks or less especially since no matter what you do, there is no way I'd ever trust this drive with anything even remotely important ever again. At best, a cache drive. And even that might not be worth the effort to be honest.

I understand, but the cost is vastly different in Egypt, a 3rd world country with a currency ratio of ($1 = 24 Egyptian pounds).
This particular SSD costs about 700 EGP, that equals about 1/3 an average month's wage.
It's a bit more expensive here.

 

[fzabkar]

Like I said, I can't help you, but I would read that other Tom's Hardware thread.

 

[Darkbreeze]

The cost, I understand. I help people from all over the world all the time, including Egypt and other middle eastern countries, South American countries and even sometimes various locations in Africa. I get it that hardware is neither cheap nor easy to come by in a lot of these areas, including also in many parts of upper Europe.

That doesn't change, at all, the reality which is that if save money by opting for a gold painted dog turd instead of a piece of gold, you still have a dog turd. And you will STILL have to buy that piece of gold if you want it because the dog turd is never going to be anything other than a dog turd.

So, it doesn't matter where you live. The fact that a drive is no longer reliable is not changed just because the hardware is expensive or hard to obtain. It is what it is. Do you want to save your important data to this drive just to find out two weeks later it's gone again, this time for good? Waste of time in my opinion but I totally understand that money is money.

 

[ospider]

Like I said, I can't help you, but I would read that other Tom's Hardware thread.

Ok, I read the thread, and the only thing that was available for me to do was doing it from safe mode, which sadly didn't work for me either, as it provided the same error message.
I'm truly grateful for your time with me, and your suggestions, but I think at this point, it's gone.

 

[ospider]

The cost, I understand. I help people from all over the world all the time, including Egypt and other middle eastern countries, South American countries and even sometimes various locations in Africa. I get it that hardware is neither cheap nor easy to come by in a lot of these areas, including also in many parts of upper Europe.

That doesn't change, at all, the reality which is that if save money by opting for a gold painted dog turd instead of a piece of gold, you still have a dog turd. And you will STILL have to buy that piece of gold if you want it because the dog turd is never going to be anything other than a dog turd.

So, it doesn't matter where you live. The fact that a drive is no longer reliable is not changed just because the hardware is expensive or hard to obtain. It is what it is. Do you want to save your important data to this drive just to find out two weeks later it's gone again, this time for good? Waste of time in my opinion but I totally understand that money is money.

You're right, I'm sorry I wasn't clear, even if it worked, which is not the case so far, I'll only use it for trivial data, like games and such.
The thing is, this is the 3rd drive that dies on me, the other two were HDDs across entirely different PC builds, but were much older ( like 7-10 years old HDDs) , so I'm not clear if it's an issue on my end, or if they just reached the end of their age.

 

[DSzymborski]

It depends on usage, of course, but 7-10 year-old HDDs dying is not remotely unusual. HDDs are physical devices and have extremely tight tolerances in order to function properly, so failure is expected sooner or later. They could, of course, significantly redesign hard drives to make them far more durable, but the cost to do so would put them well out of the reach of most users.

 

[ospider]

It depends on usage, of course, but 7-10 year-old HDDs dying is not remotely unusual. HDDs are physical devices and have extremely tight tolerances in order to function properly, so failure is expected sooner or later. They could, of course, significantly redesign hard drives to make them far more durable, but the cost to do so would put them well out of the reach of most users.

That makes total sense, and I went through troubleshooting the HDDs for a long time back then, to no avail, but it was understandable, considering their age.
But what about the SSD? I don't understand how or why that happened!! is there anything I can do to prevent that issue from occurring again?
Is this current one to be considered dead?