SanDisk SSDs are widely used in Asus laptops for their speed, efficiency, and durability. However, when an SSD is not detected in BIOS after repeated Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors, it often indicates controller failure, NAND degradation, or firmware corruption, leading to data loss.
This case study details how we successfully recovered critical research data for a university/government business project from a SanDisk SSD inside an Asus laptop, after system crashes led to complete SSD failure.
As Glasgow Data Recovery, Scotland’s oldest and best data recovery company, we have 25 years of experience using advanced SSD diagnostics, chip-level NAND recovery, and forensic data extraction techniques to restore lost files.
SSD Not Detected in BIOS After Frequent BSODs
A university/government researcher contacted us after their Asus laptop experienced frequent crashes, with the following issues:
- Frequent BSOD errors before complete SSD failure.
- The SSD was no longer detected in BIOS or Windows Disk Management.
- Attempts to boot from recovery media failed.
- The SSD contained confidential research data for an academic/government project.
Since further use of a failing SSD can lead to permanent data loss, an immediate professional recovery solution was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the SanDisk SSD arrived at our cleanroom facility, we conducted a full NAND memory and controller diagnostic. Our findings:
- SSD controller failure – The drive’s controller was preventing data access.
- Frequent bad NAND blocks – Likely due to SSD wear leveling issues.
- No visible physical damage to the PCB – Indicating a logical recovery approach was possible.
Since SSD failures require specialised techniques for successful data extraction, we prioritized chip-level NAND recovery and firmware repair.
The Recovery Process
1. Cleanroom Disassembly & PCB Repair
To restore access to the SSD’s NAND memory, we:
- Opened the SSD in our ISO 5 Class 100 cleanroom.
- Repaired the SSD power delivery system to attempt drive recognition.
- Bypassed the damaged controller using advanced SSD recovery tools.
2. Chip-Off NAND Flash Extraction
Since the controller was damaged beyond repair, we:
- Carefully removed the NAND flash memory chips from the SSD PCB.
- Used specialized NAND readers to extract raw data.
- Rebuilt the SSD’s file system structure to recover missing research files.
3. Extracting & Verifying Research Data
Once the SSD data was extracted, we:
- Recovered all university/government research data and project files.
- Rebuilt corrupted Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, and spreadsheets.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a secure external backup device.
The Results: 100% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our chip-off NAND recovery and SSD controller repair techniques, we successfully recovered 100% of the lost research data, including:
✅ Research papers, reports, and government project documents
✅ Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and technical data files
✅ Organized file structures restored for easy access
The researcher was able to retrieve all critical project files, ensuring no disruption to the academic/government research initiative.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful SSD recoveries, we are Scotland’s leading SSD data recovery specialists. Our expertise includes:
✔ SanDisk SSD chip-off NAND recovery
✔ Firmware repair & controller failure data extraction
✔ University & government research file retrieval
✔ Secure & confidential SSD data recovery services
If your SSD is not detected in BIOS, causing frequent BSODs, or preventing access to critical research files, stop using it immediately and contact us for expert SSD data recovery.