Power cycling SSD drive

Question

My Crucial M4 SSD stopped working after I had shutdown irresponsive MacBook Pro. I've connected the drive to a USB enclosure but it's not detected by OS (a lamp on enclosure keeps lighting red, whereas it blinks for other drives), however some quiet high frequency noise of changed structure can be heard from the drive (that noise can also be heard when the drive is attached in the MacBook, but noise seems to be quite common thing for a Crucial SSD, so I wouldn't bother too much about it).

I would like to try "power cycling" method described here: https://dfarq.homeip.net/fix-dead-ssd/

In the comments under that post and also in few other forums there're anecdotal evidences that the method worked for their SSD drive, like here for another Crucial M4 drive: https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/1n01dc/troubleshooting_strange_fix_to_an_ssd_i_thought/

Moreover, I found a thread in a web archive of Crucial Support Forum where a Crucial employee suggests the same fix:

Below is the procedure for a power cycle, in most cases your SSD can be returned to normal operating condition by performing the steps listed below:

1. Find a computer that you can use for approximately 1 hour. We recommend that you try to perform this procedure on a desktop computer because it allows you to only connect the SATA power connection. This will improve the odds of the power cycle being successful. A USB enclosure with an external power source will also work.

   Apple desktop users please follow the same steps as Windows desktop users. If you don't have a desktop, a laptop will work as well. With a laptop you will want to have the drive connected and navigate to the systems BIOS menu. Please refer to your system manufacture’s documentation on how to access the BIOS. Letting the drive sit in the BIOS will improve the odds that the power cycle will work. It is not recommended to use a USB enclosure that is powered via USB. Apple laptop users will want to boot the system to the open firmware.

2. Once you have the drive connected and sitting idle for a desktop it is simply powering the computer and waiting. Laptop user will need to be in the BIOS menu, or open firmware as stated above. The computer will need to stay powered on for 20 min, and it is recommended that you don't use the computer during this process.

3. Power the computer down and disconnect the drive for 30 seconds.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 one more time.

5. Reconnect the drive normally, and boot the computer to your operating system.

6. Update your firmware, if you are not already at the latest on your drive.

So my question is, how can I provide just power without a data, as my USB enclosure board has just one connector combining data and power (see photo)? The first idea was to connect a USB enclosure board with the drive attached to a USB charger, then I thought it might be actually a bad idea, and I rather need a charge-only USB cable. Any other options or thoughts about the method in general?

Answer 1

you could put sticky tape over the data contacts

Answer 2

The power cycling didn´t work on my SSD Mushkin Chronos Deluxe 240GB. I unpluged for 2 years and it worked fine at the last time I need it. To revive it I connected the power cable, but no data cable, to the SSD. Turned the PC on and then hit whatever key boots the PC into the BIOS. Let it sit for 12 hours at the BIOS screen then power down. I connected the data cable and turned the PC on. Now the SSD is working like new one.

Answer 3

It's actually a simple task. You need nothing more but do a meme trick of inserting usb stick into wall charger: that's exactly what you should do. You just plug that thing into phone charger. It gives the same 5V as your USB ports, but it doesn't have datalines. 5V is 5V, no matter where they come from.

But make sure it's not some Walmart charger, those 50c/10pcs chinese chargers are really noisy. Any charger from more or less known brand will do the trick 100% safely.

MAKE SURE IT'S 5V! You don't want to send 9V or whatever by accident. Output voltage is usually written on the charger itself.

Answer 4

All of a sudden my corsair force gt 120gb ssd stopped working and was not detected at all either in computer or in any hdd box so I dig in internet and find this fix power cycyle method and gave it a chance and it worked happily ever after. I used a usb 3.0 hdd box, sticky taped my ssd's data pins(the shorter set is the data pins) and a wall charger. I kept my ssd 2 times 30 minutes powered on. Then connected to computer in a hdd case thru usb. At first it was not detected but after 8-10 mins it was detected and still up. So before ditching your ssd away try this method.