1

I'm trying to recover data from a cheap kingspec ssd that stopped working some months ago. It is not recognized by the computer at all. I get some messages saying the computer is trying to connect to the sata link (ubuntu server) but it eventually gives up.

The information is not irreplaceable so I thought I'd give it a shot at trying to repair it, just for fun. I looked up some methods online. I first tried to "power cycle" the SSD, that didn't work.

I then tried to bake it in a small oven I have for non-food experiments, by setting the temperature to 250ºC, without preheating it. I was supposed to leave it for around 8 minutes, but since the pcb plastic started "crackling" I shut off the oven after about 6 minutes and let it cool for 20 minutes. This also didn't work.

I then tried to set the temperature to 200ºC, preheated the oven, and left it in there for around 9 minutes. Still no luck, but I can now see that one of the solders on one of the chips looks "wrong". See image below. I have a soldering iron and some decent solder with flux inside, but no standalone flux or heating gun. Should I try to use my soldering iron to set that solder or should I just try to bake it again and at what settings?

KingPsec SSD board

Many thanks.

Meruje
  • 103
  • 7
  • 'the pcb plastic started "crackling"' - can't help feeling you've done it more harm than good now. Reflow soldering shouldn't usually last more than a minute. – Finbarr Jun 10 '20 at 12:31
  • @Finbarr yes, that part didn't feel good to me either, but all the tutorials I saw mentioned 8 minutes, even a video from Linus Tech Tips. – Meruje Jun 10 '20 at 12:32
  • **IF** the part in trouble is this pin within a red circle, it seem to me a good idea trying to fix it with a soldering iron. But, **IF** you will try to repair this with a soldering iron, please, don't use only the solder, even if is the best solder of the world. Make a favour to yourself and **use standalone flux.** Put a few drops of flux in this part and touch it with the soldering iron. Doing it, with or without flux, are too much diverse things with different results. With standalone flux, the task is feasible. – mguima Jun 10 '20 at 12:46
  • I'd imagine all convection ovens (and hot plates) being slow to heat the PCB thoroughly. I've reflowed small boards in a dedicated toaster oven, but it was uncomfortably pushing the dwell time. Really need kilowatt-rated IR heat lamps to get PCB's hot in seconds. The problem might be the controller chip (under the sticker.) ID it, buy two, and try to swap it. Will need good skill, good flux, and hot-air soldering tools (or a friend or repair company) with such. – rdtsc Jun 10 '20 at 12:53
  • Oh and kapton tape. Cover SATA connector and NVRAM chips to shield them from the heat. – rdtsc Jun 10 '20 at 12:54
  • 1
    It's hard to tell, but the PCB appears to be 'bubbly' in the lower right corner, indicating blistering of the PCB. Blistering may have been a result of your reflow efforts, or an original defect that was marginal... until it failed. If this is the issue then this type of repair is difficult because any via/pad/trace connections in the area are really suspect. Sometimes, via's can be repaired by inserting a fine-gauge wire into the hole, and soldering in place. Good luck. You'll need it. – Chris Knudsen Jun 10 '20 at 14:50
  • Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I'm declaring this one as dead. I tried @mguima 's suggestion, and got some flux, it worked very well, had never tried it before. However, I'm guessing the problem is either somewhere else such as in the controller or that the blistering completely wrecked the SSD. – Meruje Jun 10 '20 at 15:30

0 Answers0