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CompactFlash, SD, MMC, USB flash storage. Anything that does not have moving parts inside.
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Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD card?

December 24th, 2018, 8:16

Hi, I have a Samsung 64GB Micro SD completely split about 5-10mm from the contact pins. I read that if there is luck and it has not affected the flash memory, the data can be recovered. I have looked at photos on the internet to know how is a micro sd inside and I see only pinout zone ... in the old non-monolithic cards you saw the chip nand in an obvious and easy way ...But where is that chip in monolithic cards ?

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 24th, 2018, 9:04

I post some info few days ago on FB about this: https://www.facebook.com/arvikadatareco ... 3781020613

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 24th, 2018, 10:20

https://www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?p=3554
https://www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?page_id=1022

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 24th, 2018, 12:35

OK, thanks, and Does anyone know where the memory chip is usually in the Samsung Micro SD?

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 24th, 2018, 14:24

Why not post a picture?

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 24th, 2018, 14:31

fender, did you read articles form links. MicroSD cards are so small that memory module cover almost all of the card surface inside.

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 24th, 2018, 15:11

" fender, did you read articles form links. MicroSD cards are so small that memory module cover almost all of the card surface inside. "

Hello,yes I have read them, but I have also read in other forums, that, depending on the card, the flash memory chip can cover more or less and be in different places.

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 24th, 2018, 15:13

I show you an image of where the card has been broken.
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Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 24th, 2018, 16:52

IMHO game over. If you see light reflex in crack it means that you see cracked nand module.
Moreover even if memory module alive, there is no method so far to recover data from dumps.

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 25th, 2018, 7:36

Sorry for being so insistent Arvika, but why is game over with 100% security?

In the link that you have indicated before:

https://www.facebook.com/arvikadatareco ... 3781020613

it is seen that depending on the size and the place of the nand flash there may be luck. Moreover...do all micro sd brands occupy 90-100% of the card?. Even in the Sandisk of the photo (95% of the surface is Nand flash) there is a possibility.


" Moreover even if memory module alive, there is no method so far to recover data from dumps. "

Excuse me, can you explain a little more what you mean? It is assumed that if the memory is not damaged the information can be recover with pinout layer. I'm wrong ?

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 25th, 2018, 8:59

fender, if you check HaQue, links you will see on photo with decapsulated MicroSD that memory module cover about 95% of surface inside. While on your photo crack "split" card in proportion ~ 75%/25%. However you would not combine crack always will be on nand module.
On my link crack is near border of card. Client have lucky and memory module alive. Recovery was possible.
About second question: Pinout for your card is probably known. But even if somebody read dump (it is possible for not cracked cards), there will be problem with assembling data (alghoritm for this card is not "cracked" yet :D )

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 25th, 2018, 10:59

fender wrote:" fender, did you read articles form links. MicroSD cards are so small that memory module cover almost all of the card surface inside. "

Hello,yes I have read them, but I have also read in other forums, that, depending on the card, the flash memory chip can cover more or less and be in different places.

Be interested to know any other forums that are talking about flash memory at this level.

Again, why not post a photo of your actual card?

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 25th, 2018, 12:15

Arvika very interesting everything you say, thank you very much. I did not know there was an "assembling process" after put out data.

HaQue, Actually the card is already in the trash XD. But I'm curious to know if it would have been possible to retrieve the information.

On the other hand, i do not remember all the pages in which I searched for information, but there was one in which they indicated that the memory of a particular micro SD (I do not remember if it was Kingstone, Sandisk or any other) occupied "only" 60% of the card. That's why the interesting thing would be to know how much it occupies the memory nand in this Samsung micro SD 64 gb.

I think it would be the only way to know 100% if the flash memory was broken or not. The problem is that I do not find that information on the internet. Everyone says "memory usually occupies 90-95 % of the card", but if they say "usually" there are exceptions.In fact, I saw a website where there was an example in which the memory occupied 60% approx. If I find the web I'll put it here.

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 25th, 2018, 20:14

even if it broke at 80% position it might have twisted the nand at 60%, so no, the only way to know would be to work on the actual card. IMHO any more speculation is simply a waste of time if card is thrown away.

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 26th, 2018, 1:59

MicroSD card I decapped a while back, NAND is the size of the MicroSD card.
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Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 26th, 2018, 9:34

arvika one question, It's just curiosity. but , how do you know with this x-ray picture where is nand memory?
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Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 26th, 2018, 12:22

fender, compare jeremyb photo and mine. You will see bond connections to nand.

Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 26th, 2018, 14:59

arvika wrote:fender, compare jeremyb photo and mine. You will see bond connections to nand.


I guess you mean the connections I've marked as ok, am I right? but in that case we only know the height of the chip, but not the width ... at least I'm not able to see connections that tell me how wide it is.

Sorry for being insistent, I am very curious and the subject seems very interesting.
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Re: Where is the nand flash chip on a monolithic micro SD ca

December 26th, 2018, 16:44

Maybe you mean each of these points? Sorry for my ignorance.
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