SolarwindsMSP: SSD Data Recovery Best Practices

Warning signs of SDD failure

Bad blocks:

• Data storage/retrievea is impeded due to memory corruption or physical damage.
• Saving, reading and/or moving files may result in failure
• Active applications may operate slowly or frequently crash
• A user my receive prompts to repair the file system
• General performance steadily descrease esp while handling large files
• Recommend run software to search for physical defects

File system repair:

• If the physical defect software shoes not damage, this could indicate an issue with the connector port.
• Recommend using OS specific software to repair the system

Crashing:

• Computer crashes on boot but seems to work normally after several reboots.
• Recommend run software to assess the performance/health of SSD
• Recomment reinstalling OS after clearing data on the partition set

Read-only mode:

• SSD stops functioning except in read-only mode. This indicates the drive is most likely corrupted.

How to fix a failed SSD

Formating the drive and redownloading the operating system

Power cycling the SSD:

• Unplug the SATA data cable but leave the power cable in
• Leave the power on for 30 mins then turn it off for 30 seconds
• Turn the power back on and reconnect the data cable

Idling in the boot menu:

• Unplug the SATA data cable but leave the power cable in
• Leave the power on for 30 mins, leave the computer on idle in the boot menu
• Turn off the computer for 30 seconds
• Turn the power back on and reconnect the data cable

Updating the SSD firmware:

• Run a firmware update tool to check whether the SSD has the latest version
• If there is an update, install it and wait to see if funtionality is restored
• Note: if firmware if too damaged, odds are it cannot be reveresed and data may be lost forever

Updating drivers:

SSD Protection best practices

• Have a program designed to monitor SSD health by tracking operating temperature and performance metrics
• Inverst in new SSD strategically. Many SSDs come equipped with SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) that warns users of potential failure and prompts them to take preventative measures
• Backup regularly and routinely even if your SSD was purchased recently and appears to be in good health.

How to Erase a Hard Drive Using DBAN

What to know:

• Darik's Boot And Nuke (DBAN) is an entirely free data destruction program used to completely erase all the files on a hard drive.
• DBAN has to run while the operating system isn't in use so you'll need to burn the program to a disc (CD, DVD, USB) and run it from there.

Steps:

• Download the DBAN program. The goal is to get the ISO file downloaded and then burned to a bootable device like a CD or flash drive.
• Save the DBAN ISO file to your computer. Make sure to remember where you saved the file.
• Burn DBAN to a disc or USB device. Follow the steps here to get this part completed correctly: How to Burn an ISO File to a USB Drive
• Restart and boot into the DBAN disc or USB device. Insert the disc or plug in the USB device that you burned DBAN to in the previous step, and then restart your computer.
• Choose an option from the DBAN main menu. DBAN is designed to be used with your keyboard only... your mouse is useless in this program. Need regular letter keys and the Enter key and the function (F#) keys

DBAN Menu Options:

• F2 & F4 are informational only. Read these if you have a RAID system
• F3 is the quick erase method for every hard drive plugged in
• To have the flexibility to choose the hard drives you want to erase, how many times you want the files to be overwritten, and more specific options, press the ENTER key at this screen to open interactive mode.
• While in interactive mode, pressing the J and K keys will move you up and down a list, and the Enter key will select an option from a menu. As you change each option, the top left of the screen will reflect those changes. The middle of the screen is how you choose which hard drives you want to erase.
• Wait for DBAN to erase the hard drive(s). There is no going back
• Verify DBAN has successfully erased the hard drive(s).