Data Recovery from Problematic External SSD

[KeithPratt]

I'm a tad panicked and struggling to wade through forum search results for advice for my particular issue.

I have a Crucial MX300 in an IcyBox USB3 enclosure that has started acting up. Occasionally it will mount, but mostly it won't. When it does mount I'm not able to do anything without "could not..." messages.

I'm on a 2012 MBPr running 10.12.6, but it's failed to mount on two other Macs running earlier and later OSes. I've tried the drive in a different enclosure to no avail. So it seems to be an SSD hardware issue.

Any advice?
Is it clear to anyone what the problem is, simply from what I've described?
Is data recoverable from SSDs failing like this?
I obviously want to avoid it, but I'm willing to pay for software or a recovery service. Is this my best shot? Any recommendations?

Thanks

 

[Juicy Box]

Any advice?

Try to eliminate the enclosure and just use USB3/SATA adapters. They are really cheap.

I like this one for 2.5" drives because it has a longer cable than most:

SABRENT USB 3.0 to SSD / 2.5 Inch SATA I/II/III Hard Drive Adapter (EC-SSHD)

Product Description:Take advantage of the lightening speed of USB 3.0 to quickly transfer files up to 5 Gbps! Connect any 2.5'' Serial ATA (SATA) / SSD or SATA II Hard Drive to your computer through an available USB 3.0 port on your desktop or laptop. Reverse compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1, this...

www.amazon.com

You can get a powered one for about the same price, I like this one:

EYOOLD SATA to USB Adapter, High-Speed Data Transfer External Hard Drive Adapter, Data Recovery Converter Compatible with 2.5" and 3.5" SSD, HDDs Includes 12V/2A Power Adapter

Unlock the full potential of your SATA hard drives with our SATA to USB adapter, designed for quick and easy access to your 2.5" and 3.5" HDDs and SSDs. This versatile sata 3.5 to usb adapter supports SATA I, II, and III drives, making it ideal for data transfer, backup, and storage expansion....

www.amazon.com

While it could be a long shot, I would try using a powered one to eliminate potential power related issues from the USB port.

Is data recoverable from SSDs failing like this?

As long as it is not deleted, it is possible. Being in a USB drive would help recovery since TRIM is not supported with USB drives on MacOS.

I obviously want to avoid it, but I'm willing to pay for software or a recovery service. Is this my best shot? Any recommendations?

I have used Disk Drill before with good results. It was mostly on HDDs, but I have used it on flash memory as well.

 

[Fishrrman]

Try a different enclosure first.
If the drive "mounts right up", then it's probably the old enclosure or cable.

In any case...
If you can get the drive to mount -- IMMEDIATELY copy whatever you can from that drive to ANOTHER DRIVE.

DON'T WAIT FOR IT TO FAIL COMPLETELY.
An SSD can just "go dark" on you -- never to be "seen again".
These things are almost impossible to get data from once they fail like that.

Some data recovery outfits may be able to do it, but you will pay A LOT of money for such services.
Could be thousands of dollars.

 

[KeithPratt]

Thank you both.

I've tried a second enclosure to no avail.

I'll look into Disk Drill. I fear I may be in territory beyond recovery software.

I used Terminal to attempt to mount all volumes on the drive but only managed a small, hidden volume named "EFI". Does this suggest the drive is still functioning on some level?

Does anyone have experience (good or bad) with data recovery companies? (I'm in the UK.)

 

[Poncho]

Here's a thread to read:

Help! I need to copy important data off a slow and failing portable external hard drive

I think my portable 4 TB hard drive is failing, I can still access some stuff on it, but it takes forever to mount, and forever to open folders and files. I want to copy and get the data off it, but it hangs. I have tried a different data cable, same thing, it hangs a-lot. I tried to copy its...

forums.macrumors.com

I private messaged the OP over series of days and he got his data back(with the help of others on the forum) using Data Rescue. But it wasn't an SSD involved. Data Rescue will pull data from an SSD if it can

 

[KeithPratt]

Here's a thread to read:

Help! I need to copy important data off a slow and failing portable external hard drive

I think my portable 4 TB hard drive is failing, I can still access some stuff on it, but it takes forever to mount, and forever to open folders and files. I want to copy and get the data off it, but it hangs. I have tried a different data cable, same thing, it hangs a-lot. I tried to copy its...

forums.macrumors.com

I private messaged the OP over series of days and he got his data back(with the help of others on the forum) using Data Rescue. But it wasn't an SSD involved. Data Rescue will pull data from an SSD if it can

I'll read through this thread and take a look at Data Rescue. Thanks.

 

[ght56]

If you use a program like DriveDX to take a look at the SMART data, do you get any warnings that the drive has failed? This may be able to confirm that you are dealing with hardware failure and provide a bit more insight into what is happening.

 

[Fishrrman]

My opinion only (and hopefully I'm wrong), but the OP probably isn't going to get anything from that drive...

 

[KeithPratt]

My opinion only (and hopefully I'm wrong), but the OP probably isn't going to get anything from that drive...

Even for a data recovery company?

I've been scavenging my other drives to see what of the drive's contents I have elsewhere. Trouble is, I can't remember well enough what was on the drive. In a year's time I'll find myself in a daydream wondering if there was something else I'd forgotten about...

 

[Erehy Dobon]

Data recovery companies charge a lot for their services. And you can't remember if whatever is on the drive is worth recovering?

Before you plunge into data recovery, I suggest you spend a day or two thinking very carefully about what data you really care about and coming up with a way to identify and properly archive that data.

One wall of my living room are bookcases/shelves. There's some important stuff and a bunch of unimportant stuff sitting there. I know where the important stuff is.

At this point, you don't see to even understand what your stuff is, whether it's important or not and where it is. You will never arrive at a comfortable data retrieval point until you clear up the other things first.

If your house caught fire, would you know what to grab in 90 seconds? Legal documents? Prescription medicine? Family photos? Your computer's backup drive? The dog? Frankly I get the impression you have not figured any of this out.