Apple Silicon Soldered SSD Upgrade Thread

[dosdude1]

anyone ever used a p15 to program these sandisk 512gb nands for a2337 (m1 MBA).

seems to be able to complete a the writing of the data for each UN000 and UN100. however consistently fails the dfu restore.

have tried with two sets of nands and same result with both. then reverted back to the original Hynix nands (256GB) and machine works fine so the issue certainly to do with these nands.... any ideas?
View attachment 2533257View attachment 2533258View attachment 2533259

Program them both with the UN000 option, then it'll work.

 

[Bradonis]

hi there, thanks a lot dosdude1 for your astonishing knowledge and help for other diy'er.
I am currently trying to upgrade my macbook airs m3... the problem is like every seller on aliexpress is telling me after the order, that the k6b2 is now out of stock. has anyone an idea, from where i could get 4 empty chips? its a real pain to get them (for sending to germany/ the EU)

Best regards

Bradonis

 

[tonyjones]

hi there, thanks a lot dosdude1 for your astonishing knowledge and help for other diy'er.
I am currently trying to upgrade my macbook airs m3... the problem is like every seller on aliexpress is telling me after the order, that the k6b2 is now out of stock. has anyone an idea, from where i could get 4 empty chips? its a real pain to get them (for sending to germany/ the EU)

Best regards

Bradonis

Any reason you're looking for k6b2 chips specifically? I believe those chips are only used on new iphones, the 2024 ipad pro and the m4 mac mini. For an m3 macbook air, you would need these:

Ali Express Listing

This ships to Germany.

 

[tonyjones]

Program them both with the UN000 option, then it'll work.

How do macs which ship with 2 nand modules handle the UN001 chip if its not present?

I've managed to get a hold of 2x 512gb nands for an m1 macbook air but UN001 has a lifted pad.

I've got an spare m1 macbook air with the base dual module 256gb config, so I'm wondering whether just installing the 1x UN000 will work if the stock UN001 is removed.

Alternatively, if that wont work could I leave the stock UN001 module in and just upgrade UN000?

As for the lifted pad, any chance you know the tracer width for these nand modules? I'm considering having a go at fixing it.

 

[Bradonis]

hi tonyjones, thank for the reply, I have rad and on the mainpage its also written that the A3114 need the K6B2. Thats the reason, am looking for this chip. and I wouldn't say, that Dosdude1 is wrong in this point.

 

[dosdude1]

How do macs which ship with 2 nand modules handle the UN001 chip if its not present?

I've managed to get a hold of 2x 512gb nands for an m1 macbook air but UN001 has a lifted pad.

I've got an spare m1 macbook air with the base dual module 256gb config, so I'm wondering whether just installing the 1x UN000 will work if the stock UN001 is removed.

Alternatively, if that wont work could I leave the stock UN001 module in and just upgrade UN000?

As for the lifted pad, any chance you know the tracer width for these nand modules? I'm considering having a go at fixing it.

The only valid single-NAND config is single-128GB. All other configs require use of both NANDs.

 

[Bassy_92]

hi there, thanks a lot dosdude1 for your astonishing knowledge and help for other diy'er.
I am currently trying to upgrade my macbook airs m3... the problem is like every seller on aliexpress is telling me after the order, that the k6b2 is now out of stock. has anyone an idea, from where i could get 4 empty chips? its a real pain to get them (for sending to germany/ the EU)

Best regards

Bradonis

ive used K5A8 chips in an M3 Air and worked great. and also cost significantly less than the k6b2 (which is used for m4 and NOT m3 air).

here is a video demonstrating the process and chips used for the M3 air upgrade. (can see the chips used for m3 upgrade around the 6 or 7th min of the video)

best of luck!

 

[dosdude1]

ive used K5A8 chips in an M3 Air and worked great. and also cost significantly less than the k6b2 (which is used for m4 and NOT m3 air).

here is a video demonstrating the process and chips used for the M3 air upgrade. (can see the chips used for m3 upgrade around the 6 or 7th min of the video)

best of luck!

K5A8s did NOT work on one M3 MBA I upgraded, may only be the 15" that doesn't support them, but I know some M3 MBAs do not.

 

[Bradonis]

hmmm okay, i will try it with the k5a8. The chinese seller told me, yeah no problem, so lets find out, because its nearly impossible to get the k6b2 for under 150 buck per piece without shipping and taxes...

 

[waterchill]

What type of solder are you using — 138°C or 183°C?

I’ve done quite a few M2, M3, and M4 Airs, as well as Mic Minis, using 138°C solder without any issues so far. However, my own M4 Air just died after only a week of use during my holiday.

The climate was warm — around 35°C in the shade. I wasn’t doing anything unusual. I simply closed the lid, then reopened it, and it froze. After a few cold starts, it now gets stuck on the Apple logo and keeps restarting in a loop.

As of today, it’s completely dead. It seems like it could be a NAND or solder-related issue. I’ll try to reball it this weekend and see what happens.

 

[Rickyandika]

for nand chip always use 183°(medium temp) solder

 

[Willybecher]

Hello all,

this is so awsome, found the page during erasing files from my M1 16GB/256 MacBook Air... who'd thought Adobe will blow up all the programms...

So I'm in need of an update, I went through the video and the first page, what is unclear for me: do I have to solder additional components onto the mainboard or is it enough to source 2x 1TB according to the table on the first page?
I'm not sure if the missing components only appear to be when upgrading to 4TB or only for M2, sorry english is not my first language.
Also, as a father of 3, I can't to pull the trigger on AliExpress (is there a recommended seller?) by mistake for the wrong chips, found some matching 2x1TB BGA110 KICM223 for 130-160€ shipped to europe...
Soldering should be fine, we have a makerspace around the corner and they are good equiped with hot air soildering station and a microsope with monitor.

I could not locate any BGA110-S5E 1TB chips delivered to germany available at the moment, am I searchig wrong (nand bga110 apple ssd 1tb KIMC233<-- tried in all combinations)

So 4 left 2 questions:
- on my 256GB M1, are all components there to use 2 NAND chips?
- is it possible to activate the new NAND chips with a second M1/Air?
- do you have a reliable source in europe/CN that ships to germany?
- how to make sure the NANDs are "empty"?

Thank you very much, this would help me keep the M1/Air running (still have my late2012 27", upgraded to 24GB, i5 to i7 and added 1TB SSD up and running from time to time) for one of my children, the big one will start college in the near future...

Thank you all for your work and tinkering!

br Mike


Modellname: MacBook Air
Modell-Identifizierung: MacBookAir10,1
Modellnummer: Z1240000MD/A
Chip: Apple M1
Gesamtanzahl der Kerne: 8 (4 Leistung und 4 Effizienz)
Speicher: 16 GB
Gerätename: APPLE SSD AP0256Q
Medienname: AppleAPFSMedia
Art des Mediums: SSD

 

[J@ffa]

Hi all! Just double checking the right chips to get for an A3114 (MacBook Air M3 15"). It currently has 512GB, looking to upgrade it to 2TB.

First of all is it definitely K6B2 NANDs that are needed for this model? Or are K5A8 NAND chips compatible? Secondly if anyone has a recommendation for where to get them (e.g. a specific vendor on Aliexpress or etc) that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[arky18]

Ive been reading this thread as an owner of M4 Air (3241) with 512gb, looking to upgrade to 2TB. Was a bit confused with post №359 that MBA M4 (regular) would only handle k8a5 chips (not K5a8). I can not find anything in the net about k8a5 nand - is it so new so there's no information around? Summary data at the first page of this thread clearly says 2xk6b2 or 2xk5a8 from Kloxia or 2x SDSFGKLKH from Sandisk for regular M4 MB air. Any clarification is highly appreciated.

 

[tamasgal]

I just watched @dosdude1's video on the NAND upgrade which is really informative! I could not find any of the KICM223 chips for my M1 MacBook Air (with 512GB) so I had to order two of the H23B8T85K7AFJ-BC(1TB) Hynix chips from aliexpress. I think they are blank, but we will see

The only problem I have is that pin 1 is not really clearly identified. There is a circle in one corner but it could also be part of the text, so I am a bit confused. Has anyone successfully installed these chips and can tell me if the unfilled circle is indeed pin 1?

 

[Fero]

I just watched @dosdude1's video on the NAND upgrade which is really informative! I could not find any of the KICM223 chips for my M1 MacBook Air (with 512GB) so I had to order two of the H23B8T85K7AFJ-BC(1TB) Hynix chips from aliexpress. I think they are blank, but we will see

The only problem I have is that pin 1 is not really clearly identified. There is a circle in one corner but it could also be part of the text, so I am a bit confused. Has anyone successfully installed these chips and can tell me if the unfilled circle is indeed pin 1?

View attachment 2536519

Hey, yes you’re right. The circle is the 1.pin or pin 1.

 

[tamasgal]

Ok one last question, Ddo I understand correctly that for the DFU mode you do not connect the battery? So the primary (at the back) USB-C is connected to host and the secondary is the one you plug into the power supply while you are shorting the pads with the tweezers?

I am asking because in the video of @dosdude1 the battery seems to be disconnected when he does the short (at 34:45)

 

[dosdude1]

Ok one last question, Ddo I understand correctly that for the DFU mode you do not connect the battery? So the primary (at the back) USB-C is connected to host and the secondary is the one you plug into the power supply while you are shorting the pads with the tweezers?

I am asking because in the video of @dosdude1 the battery seems to be disconnected when he does the short (at 34:45)

View attachment 2537022

Yes, short while connecting power to one USB-C port (non-DFU port), then once in DFU mode, connect the host Mac to the other port and proceed with the restore. Battery is left disconnected.

 

[Bradonis]

Hi there,
Got the Chips removed, But i made a small mistake, I lost These Two Chips.
M3 MacBook Air 15“

You know which One are there?
The Cap I have a replacement for Shirt at Home. But the SEDD Chip is Problematik.

Maybe you have any idea?

 

[tamasgal]

Thanks @dosdude1 everything went fine I also summarised all my experience in a short blog post including links to your video and other resources. In case anyone is interested in a write-up, here it is:

M1 Macbook Air 2T Nand Upgrade

I maxed out my 2020 MacBook Air M1 (A2337) with originally 512GB (2x256GB) storage to 2TB (2x1TB) for about 140 EUR and two hours of work. Considering such an upgrade would have cost more than 800 EUR back in 2020 (and officially only possible when purchasing a new Mac), the DIY upgrade was...

www.tamasgal.com

 

[Bradonis]

Okay I found out which chip I lost.
Maybe you have any idea, where to get the ur300/ SLG4AP44437V ?

 

[Kubzel]

Hello, I bought Mac mini m1 with nands desoldered and unfortunately pads for the second nand are completely ripped, I want to make this Mac work again so I am planning on soldering just single nand chip since I don't care much about storage. I don't have nand programmer and I wasn't able to find what chip is needed for single-nand configuration and where can I buy the clean chip to avoid programming it.

 

[Sauve Mon Mac]

Hello, I bought Mac mini m1 with nands desoldered and unfortunately pads for the second nand are completely ripped, I want to make this Mac work again so I am planning on soldering just single nand chip since I don't care much about storage. I don't have nand programmer and I wasn't able to find what chip is needed for single-nand configuration and where can I buy the clean chip to avoid programming it.

You can repair these pads and check which ones are necessary.
The first line is GND (ground) so you’ll probably have to repair only a few.