Hello everyone,

New poster here, but I’ve been lurking for quite some time now.

So, as you probably guessed from the title, I have an OCZ Vertex 4 (128Go) which is 8 years old, I had it brand new. The other day, I was just on my desktop, double click a game shortcut, and after three seconds, I got a black screen and an automatic reboot.

On the said reboot, my computers tells me that it failed to find a bootable device. My only OS is on my ssd. After a few checks I’m sure that’s the SSD fault. I took the SSD out of my computer and tested it on an external sata reader which I know works fine. The SSD is not recognized with this method, nor in the disk manager, nor in the BIOS of my computer. So I obviously got a problem with this SSD.

I had nothing extremely important on this disk, however I have some files I would like to have back. That’s why I’m here today, seeking help to at least have a diagnostic or even (I can dream) find a fix just to have some quite important file back

I add to this post photos of both sides of the SSD’s pcb (I tried my best on the quality with my non-cooperative cellphone). I have a multi meter and I’m willing to do any measurement as long as it doesn’t compromise my data. I don’t send to any professional now because with everything that happened covid-related, I’m very tight on money. But at the end if the only solution is for example to read the data directly on unsoldered chips I’ll go for it with a professional. One last thing : I read on some other topics about this same SSD that there should be a led, and I don’t see it (at least no lighting). Is this the component labeled C2 next to the sata/alimentation connectors ?

I know it's a very old drive, but the few files I want to get back are quite precious to me.

Thanks in advance for any help. And sorry for my poor English, as it’s not my first language.

Take some continuity measurements around D1 and L7, C128 (other side) looks a little funny too. D2 top left looks like an LED.

Anything getting hot.

Can't do chip off on most SSD if it's anything more than a blow component you're going to need a pro.

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Data Recovery Services in the UK.
https://www.usbrecovery.co.uk/

Odds are, it is a translator issue that requires PC3000 SSD support.

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Luke
Recovery Force Data Recovery

Had one yesterday. It had shorted capacitor. If LED is off when you power it on, than search for shorted elements.

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odzyskiwanie danych

Thank you all for your replies. So I did some measurements, not on everything. I couldn't find C128 (even if I was able to fin C127 and C129 haha). When I test D2 on its extremities for continuity I don't have any signal, so I guess at least this one is dead if I'm correct. I didn't do much continuity test or anything else involving a multimeter, as I don't really feel confortable with it. I don't want to mess anything by injecting some current in the wrong places while testing for continuity. I feel like it could be something really simple, like a failing small component that doesn't let the current go trough (not the single led is emmiting light when plugged to a source a power), but I don't have the knowledge to solve this type of issue. I feel kind of dumb that asked for help here and doesn't feel confortable to do the testing by myself. Sorry about that. On a side not, the last time I plugged power to the ssd, I notices that two of the memory chips are gestting quite hot quite fast (I would say around 55°C), more than the other memory chips.

I think I'll need to find a pro in France (or close) to solve this problem. Even if I know it could be a lot of work, I'm afraid a pro would bill me like 1000 eurso, and I can't afford it for now or the near future. Anyone know some good pro in France ? I saw some of them over the internet, but most of them had very bad customer reviews. I came across an enterprise called "Recoveo", anyone know about them ? Thanks again for everything.

Measure the voltages at the highlighted locations.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

I don't know why my previous message is still not appearing, but if it does after I post this one, you can pretty much ignore it. I was a bit depressed by my situation. My main concerned about measermants is my fear it could break something with the current injected during the mesure. Is it safe ?

With the SSD disconnected from power, measure the resistances between ground (eg a screw hole) and each of the marked locations. Do this on the 200 ohms range of your digital multimeter.

This procedure is perfectly safe, and your results will tell us if any component is shorted.

The voltage measurements in my previous post need to performed with the SSD powered on. Don't bother with these until we have analysed your resistance measurements.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

Thank you very much for you patience. One last question before I proceed with the measurements you asked me : is it a problem if my multi meter don't have a range selector ? It supposed to use the right caliber while I do my measurements but I just ask to be sure I'm not doing anything wrong.

Autoranging is fine. Not a problem.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

The LED not being lit is a sign it's not getting any voltage fzabkar has identified components/places to measure which should tell you if the voltage is capable of getting to various parts of the circuit even if you're not actually sending any at the time.

Don't worry about it - I feel like I'm poking at things with a stick to see what happens most day. especially compared the knowledge level here.

_________________
Data Recovery Services in the UK.
https://www.usbrecovery.co.uk/

So I did the measurements you asked for. At least I tried my best, I might have to invest in some thin measurement pin as the traditional one are quite big compared with the size of the components. Here are my results, if some seem odd to you, let me know, i'll do them again.

L4 difficult, between 0 and 4 Ohm (shorted ?)
L5 strange behavior goes up to 40 MOhm and down (shorted, error from me ?)
L3 90 Ohm
L2 14 kOhm
L7 39 kOhm

Thank you !

The supply at L4 does appear to be shorted to ground. You can confirm this by measuring the resistance between the ends of the adjacent capacitor (C64).

Your next task is to find out which chips are powered from this supply.

Choose one of the NANDs (29F64G08ACME3) on each side of the PCB and test the capacitors adjacent to it. Do the same for the Indilinx controller and Hynix SDRAMs.

If the readings are unstable, you can scrape away some of the PCB lacquer from the solder joints with your probe tip.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Thank you. I'll try to measure L4 again to be sure I have a zero on this one. I'll mesure C64's resistance aswell. For the resistance on the three chips's do I measure them with one of my probs on them and the other to the groud or my two probes on both of their ends ? Other question : the strange behavior of L5 while measuring, is it normal ? Maybe because it is a capacitor ?

I suspect that your L5 measurements were affected by PCB lacquer or flux residue.

As for the chips, they are surrounded by tiny capacitors with circuit references of the form Cnnn. You need to measure all the Cnnn components. There will be many which will test as short circuits. Measure the resistance of each Cnnn by attaching your probes to each end.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

I did the measurements you asked for :

memory 1, photo 1, bottom left

C301 0
C304 0
C257 0
C268 0
C258 0
C267 0
C60 0

memory 2, photo2, top right

C176 0
C126 0
C127 0
C186 0
C177 0
C183 0
C113 0

Indilinx

C217 0
C208 0
C216 0
C198 0
C193 0
C197 109k
C57 0
C252 0
C243 0
C253 0
C87 0
C88 0
C89 0
C90 0
c95 0
C6 0
c7 0

Hynix SDRAMs

C86 0
C87 0
C88 0
C89 0
C90 0
C99 0
C100 0
C82 0
C96 0
C95 0
C81 0
C85 0
C93 0
C92 0
C91 0
C71 (next to C92) 55k

I reamesured L5 following you advice, it's 105kOhm

If want me to verify one of this measure, just tell, as well as if you want some other.

I don't understand your results. :-(

As I understand it, there are 5 power supplies. These are my guesses:

1.5V - SDRAM
1.8V & 3.3V - NAND flash
1V & 2.5V - Indilinx controller

One of these supplies is shorted. However, your latest results would suggest that at least 2, maybe 3, are shorted. That can't be right. :-?


References:

https://media-www.micron.com/-/media/client/global/documents/products/part-numbering-guide/numlegacynand.pdf?rev=b61c795c719149a8ad9b148e5643650a

https://www.skhynix.com/product/filedata/fileDownload.do?seq=4276 (DDR3_H5TQ2G63BFR(Rev1.1).pdf)

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

L2 - 2.2v
L3 - 0.95v
L4 - 1.5v
L5 - 3.27v
L7 - 4.8v

From a vertex 4 drive but with a different layout. It's also from the 'fuck it bucket' (suspected shorted controller) so YMMV.

_________________
Data Recovery Services in the UK.
https://www.usbrecovery.co.uk/

Thanks. What about L6?

L4 (1.5V) provides power for the two SDRAMs. If they are the two chips which are becoming hot, then they may be damaged. If so, then the DC-DC converter would also be suspect.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.

L6 - 3.28v

_________________
Data Recovery Services in the UK.
https://www.usbrecovery.co.uk/