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Dead SSD in nMP

Killerbob

Killerbob

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 25, 2008
1,916
664
I wake up this morning and start up my nMP, and all I get is a grey screen... No Apple logo, no error message. After about 3 minutes it finally gives me the folder with the question mark in it.

So, I boot up off a USB key (Mavericks), and Disk Utility does not even see the SSD stick in the nMP:(

I try an SMC reset, a PRAM reset, and tonight I'll try to re-seat the SSD stick.

What am I dealing with here - a broken SSD stick, or the interface it self? I booted up Windows 8 off the external Thunderbolt SSD and it worked just fine. The graphics cards, the MoBo, and the RAM all worked just fine. Of course it didn't see the internal SSD, but that was expected.

I talked to my supplier, and they want the entire nMP sent in, but I have asked if they can just settle for the SSD stick, and then send me a replacement...

If I get to keep the nMP itself whilst waiting for a new SSD stick, can I install OSX on an external SSD? I have the Sonnet Express Echo box (external PCIe expansion with an Accelsior card in it), but have never tried to run OSX of this. If not the Thunderbolt, then can I install OSX on an external USB3 SSD?

Suggestions?
 
Sounds like the storage module died. Yes, you can install the OS on an external and run off that in the interim.
 
How do I convince my supplier that he should send me the new SSD module in advance of receiving the old one? I.e. is there a test where I can "prove" that it is the module and not the interface that is fried?
 
Killerbob said:
How do I convince my supplier that he should send me the new SSD module in advance of receiving the old one? I.e. is there a test where I can "prove" that it is the module and not the interface that is fried?
Click to expand...

Run the apple h/w test during boot. Hopefully, it will report that ssd is gone.
 
Killerbob said:
How do I convince my supplier that he should send me the new SSD module in advance of receiving the old one? I.e. is there a test where I can "prove" that it is the module and not the interface that is fried?
Click to expand...

Tough to do. If this was an older machine that used a flex drive cable, one could argue it might be a bad cable. But with these newer machines where the bladed just snaps into a slot and is screwed down, I just have not seen the interface fail on them. I just don't know how you would prove it.

Maybe offer to pay a deposit on the new drive that will be refunded once they receive the old one?
 
Am i right to assume that there would be an error somewhere in Windows 8 if the interface was fried? The internal SSD must be sitting on a PCIe controller right?

I can boot into Windows using BootCamp on an external SSD, and it looks fine. The interface must be listed in the Windows Devices, right?
 
Killerbob said:
Am i right to assume that there would be an error somewhere in Windows 8 if the interface was fried? The internal SSD must be sitting on a SATA controller right?

I can boot into Windows using BootCamp on an external SSD, and it looks fine. The interface must be listed in the Windows Devices, right?
Click to expand...

That is actually a PCIe controller, but I don't use Bootcamp so dunno if Win would be able to see that PCIe controller or not. One would think so though.
 
Killerbob said:
How do I convince my supplier that he should send me the new SSD module in advance of receiving the old one? I.e. is there a test where I can "prove" that it is the module and not the interface that is fried?
Click to expand...

I'll ask the stupid question... Why wouldn't you just want a new machine? Have them cross ship the new one and you won't lose any productivity. Why would you want to self service a warranteed machine?
 
paulrbeers said:
I'll ask the stupid question... Why wouldn't you just want a new machine? Have them cross ship the new one and you won't lose any productivity. Why would you want to self service a warranteed machine?
Click to expand...

Because that is not how they work here in Europe. They would never send me a new machine until I send in the old one, and they get it checked.

Also, I live in Greenland, and have to cover the cost of shipping to Denmark myself, They might cover the cost of shipping it back, but that is not for sure.

BTW - I tried to run Apple Diagnostics, but when I try to run Internet Recovery, I get an error -4403D. I have connected straight to my ISP modem via ethernet, but alas...

UPDATE: I eventually got Apple Diagnostics running via another ISP modem, and all tests are fine... It doesn't check the SSD - because it doesn't see it - but at least the MoBo is OK. also, as said earlier, in Windows the PCIe bus is functioning, albeit with no SSD.
 
Last edited:
crjackson2134 said:
Just curious, how do you access the apple h/w test files from the drive if the drive is dead and doesn't even show up?
Click to expand...

To be honest, I thought it was on EFI and can be run without having the disk available. I might be wrong here, though (clarification; I'm not talking about disk utility that does reside in the restore partition). If it does need a disk, though, an installation on an external disk can be used I guess.
 
Question:

Can I take out the SSD from my 2014 MacBook Pro 13" and try it out in the Mac Pro? I think the interface is the same, and it would check for me that the Logic Board and Interface works...
 
Really? No one has tried to take out the SSD from the MacBook Pro and put it into the Mac Pro?

They should fit, but I wonder if it would in any way affect the SSD from the MacBook Pro?
 
Killerbob said:
Really? No one has tried to take out the SSD from the MacBook Pro and put it into the Mac Pro?

They should fit, but I wonder if it would in any way affect the SSD from the MacBook Pro?
Click to expand...

I believe the other way was already completed by OWC (macsales.com)
 
As it turned out, I had a bad SSD. It was sent in to Apple, and I just received a new one back today. It works fine, and I currently am installing Yosemite. I will migrate from TC following that.

It shows that even Apple SSDs do fail. It came as lightning from a clear blue sky, and even tough I have TC, I still have lost data. The retailer I got the Mac Pro through said it wasn't the first time they saw Mac Pro SSDs fail...
 
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