Recovering Data from a Failed SSD: A Step-by-Step Guide
13 May 2025Amanda J. Brook Senior Product Manager
Last update by Olivia Brown at 13 May 2025
Summary Recover data from a failed SSD with our step-by-step guide, maximizing your chances of retrieving lost files before they're erased by Active Garbage Collection and TRIM.
Have you ever experienced the frustration of losing data due to a failed Solid-State Drive (SSD)? While SSDs are known for their speed, affordability, and durability, they’re not immune to data loss. Fortunately, there are ways to recover data from both internal and external SSDs. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process.
What Makes SSDs Special?
SSDs are renowned for their robustness and ability to handle data at incredible speeds. However, they’re not foolproof. The average lifespan of an SSD ranges from 5 to 10 years, although heavy usage or poor maintenance can significantly reduce this duration. As an SSD begins to fail, you may notice an increase in bad sectors, which can slow down your computer, cause frequent errors, and even lead to data loss.
The SSD architecture includes features like Active Garbage Collection and the TRIM command, designed to enhance performance and prolong the drive’s lifespan. However, these features can also make data recovery more challenging if the SSD fails.
How to Recover Data from a Failed SSD
A failed SSD often results in lost data, but swift action can help recover most or all of your files. The key is to act within the window between data loss and when Active Garbage Collection and TRIM erase the deleted files.
To improve your chances, shut down your computer immediately, cutting power to the SSD and halting background processes. If it’s an internal SSD, remove it from the device; if it’s external, unplug it. To prevent automatic cleanup, connect the drive to a different computer as an external disk and avoid booting from it.
The goal is to prevent the OS or SSD controller from triggering cleanup operations that could permanently erase your data.
Method 1: Using Data Recovery Software
When you delete files from your SSD, they don’t disappear instantly; they become hidden until TRIM and Active Garbage Collection wipe them out. Data recovery tools can access these hidden bits and restore your files. For this guide, we’ll use Renee Undeleter, a top-rated recovery software that boasts high recovery rates and works with almost every file type and storage device.
Renee Undeleter is an all-in-one data recovery solution designed to help users recover lost files from SSDs, hard drives, memory cards, and other storage devices. Whether you’ve lost data due to accidental deletion, formatting, emptied recycle bin, or other unexpected issues, Renee Undeleter makes the recovery process straightforward—even for people who aren’t tech-savvy.
What really sets Renee Undeleter apart is its easy-to-use interface paired with professional-grade recovery features. It supports all major Windows file systems (NTFS, FAT, FAT32, exFAT) and is also compatible with macOS and Linux file systems.
Renee Undeleter - Powerful Data Recovery Software
Easy to use Only simple steps to recover data from storage devices.
Multiple scan modes Fast partition scan, whole partition scan and whole disk scan for different recovery needs.
File types Support to recover pictures, videos, audios, documents, mails, etc.
3000 users have downloaded Renee Undeleter and found data back!
If your SSD is failing or has already become unreadable, Renee Undeleter’s “byte-to-byte” backup feature ensures you can create a full image of your drive before attempting any recovery, protecting your data from further loss.
Tips: Ensure a free partition equal in size to the target disk for storing the backup image.
Follow these steps to safely recover your lost data from a failed SSD using Renee Undeleter:
Step 1: Download, install, and launch Renee Undeleter.
Step 2: On the main screen, select the Image Creation module to create a byte-for-byte backup of your SSD. This is crucial, especially if your disk is showing signs of failure.
Choose your SSD from the drive list, set a destination with enough free space for the backup image, and click “Create”.
Step 3: Once your backup is complete, return to the main menu and select Whole Disk Scan. This mode thoroughly examines the entire SSD, making it possible to recover files even from damaged or inaccessible partitions.
Key Features of Renee Undeleter:
- Fast Partition Scan:Quickly restores files lost to accidental deletion or recycle bin clearance.
- Whole Partition Scan: Recovers data from formatted or inaccessible partitions.
- Whole Disk Scan: Deeply analyzes your entire SSD for maximum recovery coverage.
- Image Creation: Makes a full backup image for safe, offline recovery.
Step 4: Next, load the backup image you created by clicking “Load Image”. In the advanced settings, you can generally stick with the default options.
Tip: The scanning process will first attempt to rebuild any lost partitions, then scan every data sector. If you’re using a USB connection, be aware that scanning may take longer due to slower data transfer rates.
Step 5: When prompted, select the partition you want to scan from the list provided.
After scanning, you can preview recoverable files by double-clicking them in the preview pane. To retrieve a file, highlight it and click “Recover” at the bottom-right of the window.
Step 6: Finally, click “Browse” to select a different drive (not your SSD) as the destination for your recovered files, then hit the “Restore” button. Wait for the process to complete.
By following these steps, you can maximize your chances of recovering important data from a failed SSD while keeping your original device safe from further harm.
Method 2: Contacting a Data Recovery Service
Even the best data recovery tools have limitations. If your SSD is severely damaged or your computer can’t fully recognize it, software may not be able to recover any data. In such cases, contacting a professional data recovery service is your best bet.
These services employ experts with the necessary tools and skills to recover data from SSDs, even in complex situations. However, their services come at a cost. Before proceeding, weigh the value of the lost data against the cost of recovery. Remember, if the data is completely erased, not even professionals can recover it.
Understanding SSD Failure and Warning Signs
Now that your data is safe, let’s examine what might have caused your SSD to fail and look out for any warning signs you might have missed:
1. User errors are a common cause of SSD failures.
Abruptly removing the drive during data transfer, formatting it incorrectly, or selecting an incompatible file system can all lead to serious issues. You might encounter error messages when opening files, experience an inability to read or write data, or even face frequent system crashes—all signs of a failing SSD.
2. Over time, SSDs naturally degrade due to regular use, affecting their ability to store and retrieve data efficiently.
If you notice increased lagging, file transfer errors, or unexplained slowdowns, your SSD could be nearing the end of its lifespan. These early warning signs should not be ignored.
In this case, you may try to use CrystalDiskInfo to check your SSD S.M.A.R.T. Status:
Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology, often abbreviated as S.M.A.R.T., is a hardware monitoring tool designed to detect early warning signs of hard drive failure. This technology allows users to take necessary actions to prevent data loss or corruption. Compatible with both hard disk drives (HDDs) and some solid-state drives (SSDs), S.M.A.R.T. has saved countless files and untold amounts of data over the years.
If the Health Status is “Bad”, it means it is time for you to buy a new SSD.
3. External factors can also cause SSD damage.
Overheating, physical impacts, or electrical failures may lead to performance issues. If you notice visible dents or scorch marks on the drive, experience random errors, or find that your computer no longer detects the SSD, these could be signs of hardware failure.
Upon noticing any of these warning signs, create a byte-for-byte image of your SSD immediately to prevent further data loss.
Conclusion
Recovering data from a failed SSD is possible with the right steps. Once you’ve retrieved your files, the next course of action depends on why the SSD failed. If the issue was with the file system, formatting the drive after recovery might resolve the problem. However, if the failure was due to hardware issues, replacing the SSD with a new one is the best option.
Renee Undeleter - Powerful Data Recovery Software
Easy to use Only simple steps to recover data from storage devices.
Multiple scan modes Fast partition scan, whole partition scan and whole disk scan for different recovery needs.
File types Support to recover pictures, videos, audios, documents, mails, etc.
Ashley S. Miller : Upgrade your computer's speed with a Samsung SSD. Enjoy fast read and write speeds, high performance, small size,...
User Comments
TH
thisisathrowaway8123
2025-05-17
Short version, my PC randomly restarted and now won’t boot into Windows. The primary drive (Teamgroup MP33 SSD) isn’t showing in BIOS, so I’m guessing it’s toast (my other M.2 drive shows up fine, so it’s probably dead). Lesson learned, I’m going with Samsung from now on.
Got a replacement drive coming. I’d love to copy all the data from the failed SSD to the new one, if that’s doable. The SSD LED blinks red when I start the PC, so maybe it’s not totally gone. Can I handle this myself? Thanks folks
FL
Flashy_Internet_5696
2025-05-17
My SSD crapped out too, it’s a Western Digital WD Blue SA510. Was in an Acer laptop, then one day it just wouldn’t boot. Can’t even get it to show up on my desktop with a SATA-to-USB cable. And it’s not even 2 years old.
Reading other comments, I’m starting to think SSDs aren’t as dependable as old-school hard drives (the spinning ones).
CO
Content_Drop_8141
2025-05-17
Same thing happened to my computer’s SSD. Been acting up for a bit—corrupted files, system errors saying the HDD has bad blocks that chkdsk couldn’t fix. Good thing I only keep the OS on my internal drive. Got a 2TB external hard drive and a 2TB SSD for my data. One’s for daily use, the other (the trusty hard drive) is for backups. Only bummer is losing my APPDATA—it’s got all my game saves. There goes all my progress.
OP
opticalnebulous
2025-05-19
Maybe. I had a failing SSD and used EaseUS to get most of my stuff back. They got a free version you can test out. Let me know if it works for you, OP.
ZO
Zorb750
2025-05-19
Not trying to call anyone out, but that software usually doesn’t cut it in most cases. If your drive was really failing and not just having some filesystem glitch, it’s practically a miracle if that program worked.
TH
thisisathrowaway8123
2025-05-19
Thanks, I’ll give it a shot and let you know.
77
77xak
2025-05-23
Don’t do it. First, no software works if the drive isn’t detected. Second, EaseUS is overpriced junk, almost a scam. Third, if your drive somehow shows up again, just clone it to a stable drive with ddrescue (or HDDSuperClone, but it’s the same for NVMe drives).
Z3
Z3non
2025-05-26
Yup. Don’t connect it to a running Windows OS. Try a Linux environment (it might show up) and do a full sector-by-sector copy. DDRescue’s solid—it can grab all the good sectors first before stressing the bad ones.
TH
thisisathrowaway8123
2025-05-26
Why do you suggest Linux over Windows for this?
Z3
Z3non
2025-05-26
Just from my experience. Can’t quite nail it down, but I think Windows messes with the device somehow. Had a few failing HDDs recently that wouldn’t show in Windows, but my Linux live tools picked them up. Did a full sector copy with ddrescue to another HDD (as an image file) and pulled the data off the image no problem.
TH
throwaway_0122
2025-05-29
> Basically I want to do a 1 to 1 copy of all the data on the failed ssd to the replacement, if possible.
> Is this possible to do on my own?
Nope, because
> The main drive (Teamgroup MP33 ssd) no longer shows up in BIOS
That’s game over for DIY recovery. If it’s not in BIOS, no software can touch it.
> Lesson learned, I'm sticking with Samsung from now on.
Teamgroup makes some of the worst SSDs out there, but even better ones can fail suddenly, going from working to dead fast. Only real fix is solid backups.
TH
thisisathrowaway8123
2025-05-29
That sucks. Not gonna stop me from trying, tho.
Weird thing is, this drive did this once before. A quick reboot fixed it, so I’m hoping it magically comes back and I can recover my data. Fingers crossed, and thanks for the tips.
ZO
Zorb750
2025-05-29
Here’s a heads-up: SSDs often die without warning. What you saw—stops working, then works again after a reboot or two—is usually the first sign of trouble. It might last one more cycle or a few hours, but don’t count on it happening again. Next time, skip the cheap drives and back up everything the second you notice anything weird.
[D
[deleted]
2025-06-06
[removed]
ZO
Zorb750
2025-06-06
Platter swaps? That’s super rare. Platters are like the last thing you’d move.
TH
thisisathrowaway8123
2025-06-10
Quick follow-up: Should I send it for RMA? Got some personal stuff on there.
TH
throwaway_0122
2025-06-10
RMA will get you a new drive (sell it quick if you’re smart), but it won’t save your data. If it’s not worth a specialist, go for the RMA. The company’s not gonna care about recovering your data—they’ll probably just note the issue (if they can) and toss it in the shredder.
ZO
Zorb750
2025-06-10
Not sure what you’re asking. RMA means you get a new drive, but your old one’s probably headed for the scrap heap. They might try to refurb it, but most of these drives fail because of lousy flash memory, so no need to stress about someone snagging your data if they don’t wipe it.
TH
thisisathrowaway8123
2025-06-13
Yeah, I’m torn between eating the loss or risking my data for an RMA replacement.
ZO
Zorb750
2025-06-16
Go for the RMA.
TH
TheCSUFRealtor
2025-06-16
Even Samsung drives can tank. My Samsung 970 EVO Plus just died on me after 1.5 years. MicroCenter couldn’t recover anything—it’s done for! Now I say always, ALWAYS back up your stuff!
ER
erkadrka
2025-06-16
My drive failed too, after about 2.5 years.
IR
IrishThree
2025-06-20
How’d it go with MicroCenter? I’m dealing with an NVMe external reader and nothing’s showing up after getting my PC running again.
Did they charge $50 just to say it’s unreadable and $200 to recover if it was possible?
VE
VehicleAppropriate75
2025-06-20
My Samsung 970 EVO crapped out too, lesson learned :(
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Got a replacement drive coming. I’d love to copy all the data from the failed SSD to the new one, if that’s doable. The SSD LED blinks red when I start the PC, so maybe it’s not totally gone. Can I handle this myself? Thanks folks
Reading other comments, I’m starting to think SSDs aren’t as dependable as old-school hard drives (the spinning ones).
> Is this possible to do on my own?
Nope, because
> The main drive (Teamgroup MP33 ssd) no longer shows up in BIOS
That’s game over for DIY recovery. If it’s not in BIOS, no software can touch it.
> Lesson learned, I'm sticking with Samsung from now on.
Teamgroup makes some of the worst SSDs out there, but even better ones can fail suddenly, going from working to dead fast. Only real fix is solid backups.
Weird thing is, this drive did this once before. A quick reboot fixed it, so I’m hoping it magically comes back and I can recover my data. Fingers crossed, and thanks for the tips.
Did they charge $50 just to say it’s unreadable and $200 to recover if it was possible?