A Closer Look at SSD Failure Types and Data Recovery from SSDs

As the new saying goes, “data is the new oil,” and it stands true not just true for global tech giants and the organizations that they serve but for people in general too. From precious photographs to essential documents and even confidential official data during the COVID-19-driven recent work-from-home culture, all data types are of paramount significance.

Thanks to Solid State Drives or SSDs are solid-state storage devices, data storage and safety are no longer headaches. Enterprises or individuals, SSDs have emerged as one of the best options due to their technological and logistical advantages. However, let us not forget that no tech solution is risk-free. As SSDs are based on flash technology, these have an electronic interface, and all things electronic are susceptible to power failures, which may lead to data corruption or data loss. Some other problems that may affect SSDs include shorn writes, unserializable writes, dead devices, and damage to built-in flash chips.

While preventing data loss is always the first step one should consider, one should always be well-equipped to recover the data if it gets corrupted or lost. Check these simple steps to be in control of your data in the worst-case scenarios.

1. Find out the Type of Damage

Both software and physical damages—also known as bad blocks— affect data adversely. If you observe signs like data failure after saving, reading, moving files, active applications running slowly or crashing frequently, and frequent prompts to repair the file system, it indicates bad blocks. In such cases, the best option is to run software that searches for physical defects. If the software detects physical damage, back up essential files, and replace your SSD. If there is no physical damage, then check the connector port using freeware and premium software options according to the OS. If you cannot identify the core problem, it is always a good idea to take help from an expert in SSD data recovery in Melbourne rather than trying everything all by yourself and putting your data at risk.

2. Self-Help Tips

While approaching an expert or using paid data recovery software with premium and streamlined features is always better and less time-consuming; nonetheless, if you have identified the source of dysfunction, then the techniques listed below may help recover the SSD data.

Formatting the drive and downloading the operating system again.
Updating the SSD’s firmware to see if the latest version has been installed and ensure its functionality (and data access) is restored. However, keep in mind that if firmware gets damaged, then calling a professional SSD or SD recovery expert in Melbourne won’t be of any help, and the data may be lost forever.
Try power cycling the SSD if the power failure is the reason behind SSD damage. As defined on Techopedia, “power cycling refers to the act of turning a device or piece of electrical or electronic equipment off, or otherwise disconnecting it from its power source, and then turning it back on again.”
Enable and disable the boot menu, focusing on leaving the computer to idle in the boot menu.

Overall, data recovery from SSD storage is achievable with the help of the right tools. While some recovery programs are free, many of the advanced applications cost money—but are an excellent investment to have a solution to fall back upon in case of data loss. Alternatively, you may also choose to get assistance from tech experts who decrypt SSDs and recover data using the best methods for your specific SSD failure and drive manufacturer.