SSD failure - POOF - Has it happened to you?

[underclocker]

That was a first! I installed an Intel X25-M G1 SSD in an X100e and it works performing flawlessly, the Windows Experience rated the drive performance at 7.5! Previously, it worked great in a T60 and an X60s.

While surfing the web, the machine froze, then about ten seconds later blue screened and rebooted. When it did the only error was No Boot Disk Available. I rebooted a few times, then tried ThinkVantage recovery, same result. I tried the format SSD option in the BIOS but the machine just froze. I booted up with a Windows memory stick and it showed the drive as having 0GB and running disk utility software was futile.

Since an SSD is silent and the X100e has no HD activity LED, I had no idea what was happening with the drive - a somewhat uncomfortable feeling. So I popped the drive into a carrier and inserted it into a T61. Same result, the drive showed as 0GB and even Intel's SSD utilities froze when addressing the drive.

Thankfully, Intel has a 3 year warranty on SSDs so it's being swapped for a replacement. I must say, I prefer loosing a mechanical drive, at least some times there is warning in the form of noise. SSDs just go poof!

I guess that is their downside.

[ausmike]

Giday Under* ...
Sorry for your loss
Welcome to the world of SSDrives! > I had one go poof back in Mar. this year.
Yip was a shock to me as that was my FIRST DEAD SSD from intel ! (glad RAID in W serie

Glad about waranty - but still data loss is always painfull! There are few SSD tools etc that help forwarn some of the 'degragations in SSD" ....but still I am shocked at the failure = means nothing can be ever recovered from SSD
when its 'dead" unlike the 'mechanical platter versions'

Now all my laptops - SSD are only used for OS+Apps only (non RAID)

[AMATX]

Anyone know about utilities that allow one to extract data from a dead SSD? Seems I recall reading somewhere that when one goes poof, the data is still retrievable, even though the disk can no longer be used normally.

[ThinkRob]

Thankfully, Intel has a 3 year warranty on SSDs so it's being swapped for a replacement. I must say, I prefer loosing a mechanical drive, at least some times there is warning in the form of noise. SSDs just go poof!

As someone who's had a mechanical drive die of controller failure, I feel compelled to point out that no, you don't always get an audible warning. I had a Seagate drive simply spontaneously cease functioning. I booted the machine, and -- as we've said in this thread -- "poof".

Solid state electronics can fail. It's rare, but it does happen.

[RealBlackStuff]

Read this: http://www.storagesearch.com/recovery.html

Only last weekend did I need software desperately, to retrieve data from a screwed-up hard disk.
After trying umpteen recovery programs, and various Linux Live CDs that all refused to boot with this (partition misaligned) HD connected, I finally stumbled upon the Ultimate Boot CD from http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/
I was specifically looking for a working distro with the Testdisk program.
This UBCD managed to boot, and with the help of Testdisk I could recover every single file from the old HD.
Don't know if this applies, but they may have a program on it that works with SSD.
Be very careful though, especially after reading more info on the above storagesearch website!

[spuddog]

I have had flash drives just quit.

I guess what they say is true "backup,backup,backup" to more than one destination.

Scott

[ThinkRob]

I guess what they say is true "backup,backup,backup" to more than one destination.

Good advice. As anyone who's been in computing for a couple years will tell you: drives do fail, and Murphey dictates they'll do so when you least expect (and can least afford) it.

[mediasponge]

Only last weekend did I need software desperately, to retrieve data from a screwed-up hard disk.
After trying umpteen recovery programs, and various Linux Live CDs that all refused to boot with this (partition misaligned) HD connected, I finally stumbled upon the Ultimate Boot CD from http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/
I was specifically looking for a working distro with the Testdisk program.

I've used UBCD too, and I like it. I also recommend the small but pricey Spinrite program which can do things with a hard drive that Testdisk cannot.

[ThinkRob]

I've used UBCD too, and I like it. I also recommend the small but pricey Spinrite program which can do things with a hard drive that Testdisk cannot.

I'll second the Spinrite recommendation. It really can work wonders on spinning-platter drives. AFAIK it's not really aimed at SSDs, but for magnetic drive recovery it's second-to-none.

[RealBlackStuff]

I had Spinrite already, but it was on the hard disk that I needed to access. Catch22!
But Testdisk did the trick, and very well.
The only problem with that hard disk was a misaligned partition, not deleted files.
I got them all back, and after a DOD wipe, that HD is back up and running with new partitions.

[virge]

I'm currently running a few SSD's in the family. None have gone belly up yet. Except for the X61S, I'm running mechanical drives in work machines. I KNOW that if I need a file that wasn't backed up yet (weekly cycle), when the drive crashes, it can be recovered. Might be expensive, but not too bad since the platters usually be read still. If an SSD goes POOF with an important file, the chances of recovering are much slimmer.

It's just a matter of time before any hard drive goes bad.

[underclocker]

Intel's RMA turnaround was quite efficient. They surprised me with a G2 version of the X25-M as a replacement. The Windows 7 disk data transfer rate now scores a 7.6 (vs. 7.5 for the G1 version).

The X100e boots to Windows 7 in 40 seconds from push the power button which is only 30 seconds after the ThinkPad splashscreen goes away.

Snappy...but I'll be backing up this machine a little more often.

[Harryc]

They surprised me with a G2 version of the X25-M as a replacement.

Nice!