Laptop died, need to rescue data from SSD

[Abominable1]

Hi,

I had a 6 year old Sony Vaio laptop die on me and it has an internal SSD. The problem is, the SSD seems to have two types of connectors on each end of the drive and I can't figure out how to properly connect it to my PC. Does anyone know how I might go about rescuing data off this drive? Could there be adapter that might be in existence for these type of SSD's? I was looking around online and found some adapters but they seem to only have one connector on them. Thanks!
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[ATMINSIDE]

Looks like a standard SATA data connection and then a SATA power connection with an extra piece molded on.
You can try cutting a notch to make the power connector fit if you want...

 

[mackerel]

I just googled the part number of the drive, and it shows as micro SATA. There looks like adapters you can buy to convert it to regular SATA.

 

[Abominable1]

That's the thing. It has (x2) micro SATA slots on each end, so could there be some kind of dual connection happening, like 2x power and 2x data? These adapters I'm looking at only have 1x micro SATA connector on them.

 

[mackerel]

Were both connectors used in the laptop? I have heard of dual-ported drives before but never seen one. I'd guess you should be able to use a single port. I don't see anything about this in Toshiba's datasheet.

 

[Abominable1]

Absolutely, here is a picture of the connector. I just ran out and got one of those adapters and the single port is not recognizing the drive.

 

[mackerel]

I assume you've tried each end without luck? Was the adapter expensive? At risk of stating obvious, get a 2nd one and try both simultaneously.

 

[Abominable1]

Yes, of course I tried both ends, and that was my next idea. Am I risking any voltages with connecting two?

 

[mackerel]

Given they were connected to the same system I think it unlikely, but couldn't say anything 100% here. Dual port devices are more specialised and if that is what it is, I'm not sure what it would be doing in a laptop. It isn't something like two devices stuck to each other is it?

 

[Abominable1]

Actually,

Upon closer inspection after you suggested that it could be two separate devices, I noticed that it is just two divers stuck to eath other in the reverse direction. So.... these drives were setup or partitioned in RAID to divide the data? Might explain why it is not being recognized as well.

 

[Abominable1]

I got the second adapter and still not being recognized. Any other ideas?

 

[mackerel]

How are you powering it? It looks like they run off 3.3V as opposed to more common 5V (and 12V) of full size SATA. Connections from a proper PSU should be fine but if you're using other power adapters it is less certain they provide that.

 

[Abominable1]

The adapters are plugged into my standard Corsair PSU SATA power connectors right off my PC. I noticed there are only 3 wires coming off the adapters, red, yellow and black. Are there possibly additional wires needed for 3.3V?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

For 3.3V you need an orange wire.

Red is +5V, yellow is +12V.

 

[Abominable1]

Aha! Think I could have fried it without the orange?

 

[mackerel]

The different voltages go to different pins. If it doesn't use 5 or 12V, they simply wont get connected. Thinking more, I was wrong earlier in assuming a typical desktop PSU would supply 3.3V, as you pointed out they only tend to supply 5 and 12V to the SATA/molex connectors.

A USB to SATA adapter might or might not generate 3.3V, since USB is also 5V it would have to convert to 3.3V which is uncommon in usage in full size SATA. You're going to have to do some research on how to connect and power it up.

 

[Abominable1]

Got it mackerel, thanks! I think I found what I need as it has the orange wire: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SATA-Power-...528028?hash=item1c6222bcdc:g:ZdQAAOSw~OVWz1NH

edit: Orange wire, but no data plug? More research...

 

[mackerel]

That looks like a simple splitter, so it will only provide 3.3V if the source does.

 

[Pierre3400]

I have used Micro SATA to normal Sata before.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Micro-SAT...780018?hash=item3ac48e8e32:g:POsAAOSwkNZUooOC

Fairly basic and easy.