SSDs are reliable, fast and economical storage solutions. However, when the inevitable happens and your trusty SSD suffers from a mechanical or electrical failure, you’ll need to know how to easily recover data from your damaged SSD. Fortunately, SSDs are also quite easy to recover data from.
Recovering data from an SSD is as simple as formatting your drive and reinstalling your operating system. You’ll want to start with a fresh drive, of course, but you can regain access to your data even from an existing SSD. Read on for detailed instructions on how easily you can do ssd data recovery.
Step 1: Shut down your computer.
Shut down your computer and unplug it from the power supply.
Step 2: Remove your damaged drive.
Once you’ve booted up your computer, it’s time to get your hands on the drive. If it’s an external drive, then unplug the power cord before removing the device from its port.
If you own a desktop computer, remove any screws that cover the metal case and remove the cover. You’ll need to be mindful when removing the metal plate as there may be cables connecting internally to storage devices (such as a DVD-ROM or hard drive). Disconnect these cables before continuing.
Now that you have access to your damaged SSD, disconnect all of the cables and carefully remove them from its socket.
Step 3: Pull out your old drive.
The last step is to pull out your old drive. This may sound obvious, but it’s important to note that you should remove the old drive before installing the new one.
Step 4: Carefully unplug your SSD.
You may be tempted to just yank the SSD out and go, but you want to be extra careful about how you remove your SSD for this process. Some companies use a proprietary plug or cable that can’t be replaced. If you end up breaking the one coming from your SSD, you’ll have to send your entire computer in for repair instead of just replacing the broken part.
For removable SATA or IDE drives, carefully unplug the drive and keep it at least 3 feet away from other electronics while performing the next step.
Step 5: Inspect the damaged areas.
This step is optional and will depend on the type of damage your SSD has suffered. If you have power surges or you dropped your SSD, then it’s likely that some data is still intact.
The only thing you need to do is inspect the damaged areas with a magnifying glass or microscope to find where the data might be.
It’s likely that there are magnetic strips on the side of the drive that are unaffected by the damage and can be read with special software, like Disk Doctors Disk Copy Wizard.
If you don’t think you can salvage any data from an SSD, then stop reading this article and move on to Step 6: Gather Data Recovery Tools.
Step 6: Install a new SSD.
The final step in the process is to install a new SSD. Install the SSD correctly and follow the on-screen prompts to restore your data.
Step 7: Format your drive as new.
Step 7: Format your drive as new. Once you have successfully recovered data from your damaged SSD, you’ll want to format it as new. The steps will differ depending on your operating system. For instance, if you are using Windows, go to My Computer and right-click on the drive to which you wish to format the SSD. Click on Format and follow the prompts. The process is similar for Mac users; however, they can find these instructions by going to Disk Utility in their Utility folder.
Step 8: Install your operating system.
Install the operating system on your computer. This step varies depending on what operating system you have installed and how you want to do it. Windows has a guide for installing Windows from a USB drive and Macs have instructions for installing OS X from a USB drive. You may also be able to install your operating system through a bootable DVD or CD if you have that option available.
Final Words
If you have a damaged SSD, you’ll want to read these instructions on how to easily recover data from your damaged SSD. This can save you time and money because it is much cheaper than replacing the SSD with a new one. You can use this guide for PC or Mac-based systems.