SSD disaster

[cgroen]

Get a SSD of same type, move the memory chips from the dropped board to the new one, job done ?
I know, it requires someone with the right equipment, but its still doable if not possible in any other way (which I'm sure it is)
But yeah, "real men don't do backups, they cry"

Hello no  . Don't move anything, this SSD is easily fixable with bodge wires and preferably new connector if you still intend to use it. You will certainly need to move 2 NAND and controller chip + EEPROM if there is any. Almost any modern SSD have data encrypted and key is within controller. Not to say that even if it's not encrypted, it may have different firmware within it. Recommending moving BGA instead of bodge wires is just lame, not to say risk to screw up the data increases by many times.

You selected NOT to read all what I wrote ?
"lame", thanks 

[wraper]

You selected NOT to read all what I wrote ?
"lame", thanks 

I've read before writing in your later post that bodge wires are OK as well. But even suggesting moving the chips deserves a harsh reprimand. Because you suggested a cumbersome way of easily destroying the data which can be easily recovered with nearly zero risk.

[cgroen]

You selected NOT to read all what I wrote ?
"lame", thanks 

I've read before writing in your later post that bodge wires are OK as well. But even suggesting moving the chips deserves a harsh reprimand. Because you suggested a cumbersome way of easily destroying the data which can be easily recovered with nearly zero risk.

Totally agree, thats why I put "If NOT possible in any other way"
On a note, it can actually be done, moving the chips and saving your data that way. It wasn't easy, but the guy standing next to my desk in the lab seemed pretty happy about it

[wraper]

On a note, it can actually be done, moving the chips and saving your data that way. It wasn't easy, but the guy standing next to my desk in the lab seemed pretty happy about it

I can do it myself but risk is there.

[Howardlong]

While the physical connections might be easy enough to repair for a skilled technician with the right tools, if there is FileVault storage encryption (with or without the T2 chip), how recoverable is it if the logic board is toast? I'm not saying it isn't recoverable, I am just interested to know how or if it could be achieved.

[wraper]

if there is storage encryption (with or without the T2 chip), how recoverable is it if the logic board is toast? I'm not saying it isn't recoverable, I am just interested to know how or if it could be achieved.

If controller holding encryption key is dead, you are screwed. Unless you have access to quantum computer which can brute-force decryption  .

[tooki]

While the physical connections might be easy enough to repair for a skilled technician with the right tools, if there is FileVault storage encryption (with or without the T2 chip), how recoverable is it if the logic board is toast? I'm not saying it isn't recoverable, I am just interested to know how or if it could be achieved.

100% recoverable in this situation, since FileVault encryption is not tied to a logic board, but simply requires a decryption key, which is accessed via password. (You can use FileVault to encrypt external disks, too, and they simply need a password to mount.) Since the OP knows their login, they can mount the disk on any Mac, or use it to boot any Mac compatible with the OS version installed on the disk.

T2 encryption is separate from FileVault, and is strictly for onboard SSDs which use the T2 as the SSD controller itself. Basically, T2 encryption is the hardware-level encryption, while FileVault is the filesystem-level encryption. (FileVault is aware of the T2 hardware encryption and won't bother layering software encryption on top. Since a T2-based SSD cannot be separated from its logic board except by desoldering the flash chips, there's no ordinary situation in which you'd be attempting to mount it on a Mac other than the one it was written on.)

[Berni]

Why would you desolder any of the chips if all you need to do is bodge wire in SATA and power to get it running again.

But yeah Rossman does offer data recovery services and this drive is a pretty easy job for him.

[Howardlong]

While the physical connections might be easy enough to repair for a skilled technician with the right tools, if there is FileVault storage encryption (with or without the T2 chip), how recoverable is it if the logic board is toast? I'm not saying it isn't recoverable, I am just interested to know how or if it could be achieved.

100% recoverable in this situation, since FileVault encryption is not tied to a logic board, but simply requires a decryption key, which is accessed via password. (You can use FileVault to encrypt external disks, too, and they simply need a password to mount.) Since the OP knows their login, they can mount the disk on any Mac, or use it to boot any Mac compatible with the OS version installed on the disk.

T2 encryption is separate from FileVault, and is strictly for onboard SSDs which use the T2 as the SSD controller itself. Basically, T2 encryption is the hardware-level encryption, while FileVault is the filesystem-level encryption. (FileVault is aware of the T2 hardware encryption and won't bother layering software encryption on top. Since a T2-based SSD cannot be separated from its logic board except by desoldering the flash chips, there's no ordinary situation in which you'd be attempting to mount it on a Mac other than the one it was written on.)

OK thanks for the clarity, the FileVault sounds much like Bitlocker in that respect.

So if I am to understand you correctly, a failure of the T2 chip, practically speaking, renders the unit unrecoverable?

It looks like the T2 chip, as well as for soldered in SSDs, is also used for the new Mac Pro modular (but proprietary) SSD modules, so two points of failure if a T2 failure is also fatal.

[Renate]

Data pairs can be easily bodged (if you have a good iron with thin tips) from capacitors.

Yeah, SATA is (usually) capacitively coupled. C1-C4 are it.

If it were mine, I think that I'd just solder blob, suck up C1-4, tombstone big ol' 0805 caps on both pads and connect wires to the top.

[testpoint1]

this is a SM2258XT chip SSD, and the chip, Nand seems is OK, just use a Sata socket solder it, since the pad already strip, please be aware you have at least 10 years soldering tech with microscope, if no, I can help you in free, even replace the SM2258 chip; BTW, for the SM chip, if it failed, just replace a new chip, all data still over there.

[tooki]

While the physical connections might be easy enough to repair for a skilled technician with the right tools, if there is FileVault storage encryption (with or without the T2 chip), how recoverable is it if the logic board is toast? I'm not saying it isn't recoverable, I am just interested to know how or if it could be achieved.

100% recoverable in this situation, since FileVault encryption is not tied to a logic board, but simply requires a decryption key, which is accessed via password. (You can use FileVault to encrypt external disks, too, and they simply need a password to mount.) Since the OP knows their login, they can mount the disk on any Mac, or use it to boot any Mac compatible with the OS version installed on the disk.

T2 encryption is separate from FileVault, and is strictly for onboard SSDs which use the T2 as the SSD controller itself. Basically, T2 encryption is the hardware-level encryption, while FileVault is the filesystem-level encryption. (FileVault is aware of the T2 hardware encryption and won't bother layering software encryption on top. Since a T2-based SSD cannot be separated from its logic board except by desoldering the flash chips, there's no ordinary situation in which you'd be attempting to mount it on a Mac other than the one it was written on.)

OK thanks for the clarity, the FileVault sounds much like Bitlocker in that respect.

I believe so, with the caveat that I'm not much of a Windows expert. (Also, I should mention that what I described is the current version of FileVault, which is FileVault 2. The original FileVault 1 used in very old versions of Mac OS X worked entirely differently, merely moving a user's home folder (user directory) into an encrypted disk image.)

So if I am to understand you correctly, a failure of the T2 chip, practically speaking, renders the unit unrecoverable?

Yes. Exactly the same as in any other SSD with hardware encryption using a long key that's present only in the SSD controller.

It looks like the T2 chip, as well as for soldered in SSDs, is also used for the new Mac Pro modular (but proprietary) SSD modules, so two points of failure if a T2 failure is also fatal.

Oh! I didn't realize the new Mac Pro has modular SSDs! According to this report, the SSD module is married to the T2 on the logic board. It won't even POST without it present. Presumably, Apple has an internal utility to marry replacement parts, as they've had for other models (and iOS devices) for years.

Regardless, I don't see the T2 as being any more or less a point of failure than in any other SSD, since every SSD, by necessity, contains an SSD controller, and it can fail. And if it did, it presumably would take all the data with it.


What I love about Apple's ecosystem is that they REALLY, REALLY got backup and restore down PERFECTLY. Using Time Machine on a Mac means its backups are updated hourly. iCloud sync is usually real-time-ish. iCloud backups of iOS devices are performed daily, and local backups can be done manually. But whether it's a Mac backup from Time Machine or an iOS backup from iCloud or a local backup, when restoring to a new disk or new device, everything gets restored perfectly. Only the very pickiest of copy-protected applications on the Mac may need a license reactivation. I think that the ability to recover from disaster by, in the absolute worst case, going to Apple and purchasing a new device, and be back up and running within a few hours, is an advantage that is not valued nearly enough by most people. So anyway, if one is actually using Time Machine, then a T2 failure would normally mean a loss of no more than 1h of work.

[sokoloff]

So anyway, if one is actually using Time Machine, then a T2 failure would normally mean a loss of no more than 1h of work.

I agree with most everything you say above, but have differences on this point. I’m frequently traveling for days or a week-plus at a time, often with limited or intermittent Internet connectivity and those are windows of exposure where my TimeMachine backups will not cover me against hardware failure within the laptop.

[tooki]

So anyway, if one is actually using Time Machine, then a T2 failure would normally mean a loss of no more than 1h of work.

I agree with most everything you say above, but have differences on this point. I’m frequently traveling for days or a week-plus at a time, often with limited or intermittent Internet connectivity and those are windows of exposure where my TimeMachine backups will not cover me against hardware failure within the laptop.

I travel with my MacBook, and so I bring a backup drive with me. Obviously it won’t protect against the backup drive AND the MacBook getting lost/stolen/damaged, but it will protect against hardware failure, disk corruption, or user error. No, I don’t keep the backup disk connected to it at all times, but even just remembering to do it after any session where I’ve saved lots of data will help. When no backup disk is connected, Time Machine will create hourly local backups (kinda like versioning) to protect against user error or software error, and then when you reconnect the backup disk, the local backups get synced into the backup disk.

Remember, time machine supports using multiple backup disks, so you can have, for example, two separate USB backup disks, and keep one at home only, and the other you take on the road. Or use a NAS for the backup at home, and a USB hard drive for travel/secondary backup. You can encrypt a backup disk with FileVault, so having it with you doesn’t pose much of a security risk.

When more than one backup disk is configured, Time Machine will simply alternate the hourly backup among all the currently-mounted backup disks in a round-robin fashion. On my Mac Pro, I have one internal 10TB backup disk (so always mounted), and one 10TB external USB disk that I connect periodically (for offsite backup). So when both backup disks are mounted, the hourly backups alternate between the two. When the USB disk is not connected, then every hourly backup is made to the internal backup disk.

Also, just to clarify a common misconception: Time Machine is the backup software, and it does NOT require you to use an Apple Time Capsule (network disk)! (Of course, the time capsule is discontinued now anyway.)

[scooby860110]

Who on here should i PM to see if they can help ? I got a quote and its $450, as I said i have 3 kids and a wife and $450 is too much.

Plz keep helping me get pointed to the right direction. Thanks yall for your help.

[drussell]

That would be a $65-100 job here, (not including a replacement disk to dd the data onto.)

$450 is insane for a temporary connector fix if that's really all it needs.

[Ed.Kloonk]

$450 sounds a bit exy.

Quotes are negotiable. Did you negotiate?

[scooby860110]

Dear Testpoint1, Could you email me scooby9261@gmail.com ? I could really use the help and you seem to know much about this SSD.

[scooby860110]

I think I have hope now. Lets see. 40+gb transferred to 320gb SATA laptop drive and ill be in heaven.

THANKS to you everyone, i cant thank you all enough

-Walt