SSDs are becoming increasingly popular these days because of their processing speed and fast boot capabilities. But like conventional hard drives, they are also prone to different types of damage. If an SSD dies in one way or another, the consequences can be catastrophic. Here are some tips for recovering data from dead or failed SSDs.
Is it possible to recover your data from a failed SSD?
Unlike traditional hard drives, SSDs are not sensitive to mechanical failure or damage from a sudden shock or drop. However, an SSD can fail due to physical damage or electronic errors, but the chances are low.
SSDs generally fail due to drive errors caused by the following issues:
- Malware or viral infection
- Improper use of the drive
- Unsafe drive removal
- System crash (BSOD)
- Sudden or forced shutdown
- Damaged data storage
- Firmware error
- Damaged memory chips or flash memory
Although there is no easy way to recover data from a failed SSD due to electronic or physical damage, you can recover data from a failing drive using data recovery software. You’ll be able to recover it either on this drive or on other storage media.
Methods for recovering your files from a damaged SSD
Here are the steps to recover data from a failed SSD that is not detected or accessible, has become RAW, is inaccessible for reading or writing, or has missing partitions.
Step 1: Do not format and do not try to repair
A logically failed SSD that becomes RAW or inaccessible can be fixed by formatting. But this can lead to a permanent data loss situation, beyond the scope of data recovery. It is therefore recommended to never format a corrupted hard drive, even if Windows prompts you to format the disk. Also do not attempt to repair a logically failed SSD hard drive using Windows or a third-party external disk management tool.
Step 2: Assign a drive letter
If the drive is not visible in File Explorer, assign a drive letter using the disk management tool. The steps are as follows,
- Connect the hard drive to a Windows PC. Use a SATA connector or a SATA-to-USB converter
- Open the disk management tool
- Right-click on your hard drive and select ‘Change Drive Letter and Paths’ from the menu…
- Click ‘Add’ then ‘OK’, ‘OK’.
You should see a prompt asking you to format the disk after assigning a drive letter, click ‘Cancel.’
Step 3: Recover the failed drive using software.
One of the best ways to recover data from a failed SSD hard drive is to use data recovery software on an SSD other than the one offered by your operating system. Several software programs performing this function exist on the market. You will find paid as well as free ones, but most of the time you will need to pay to obtain the expected service: recovering your personal data. It is also clear that paid tools will give you a better result. We recommend Hexascan because it is the only one with technical support in France.
However, if you don’t have a sufficient budget, use free software. There are also fairly effective free solutions. You can therefore download and install them for free on your computer. Here you will find some of the steps to follow to recover your data on a Windows computer. First, you must select the “Deleted File Recovery” mode to start recovering data files. Then, simply select the failed drive and click the “Start” button to launch the scan for lost data and files. The software you have chosen will begin scanning the drive for lost data. If your files are not found after the first scan, you should scan by choosing the “Deep Scan” mode, which will perform an advanced file search on the storage device.
Using the Windows CHKDSK tool
CHKDSK is a program built into computers running Windows. This free utility can be used to repair a conventional hard drive. It is most useful in cases such as the inability to access data when your hard drive is corrupted. Here is the procedure to follow to recover data from a failed hard drive using CHKDSK:
- Open the Start menu and search for cmd or Command Prompt
- Right-click on cmd.exe and choose ‘Run as administrator’
- Type the following command: “chkdsk *: /f /r /x” and confirm (* replaces the letter of the drive you want to repair).
- Once the process starts, Windows should repair and recover all data found on your drive.
However, this utility does not have a user-friendly interface, as everything is done through the command prompt. You will be able to see information about the drive and, if possible, the files, but no option for previews or selection.
So, it is indeed possible to recover your information when your SSD drive is defective. But it is best to entrust this task to professionals so as not to risk losing everything. With us, you will get the best service at an attractive price.