I croaked two SSDs while removing them from an external enclosure...how to avoid iThis one worked only for a few days in the new enclosure the future?

[camner]

In the last two years I have killed two NVMe SSD's after moving them from one enclosure to another. In the first case, I had installed my first SSD in a 10 GBPS enclosure, and wanted an upgrade to a thunderbolt enclosure, and in the second case, SMART was reporting some high temperatures so I decided to move the SSD to an enclosure with a small fan.

Removing the first SSD from its enclosure seem to go very smoothly, and after moving it to a new enclosure, things seem to work fine for a couple of weeks. Then one day, the SSD simply died. It could've been coincidence, but I bet there was some thing about the transfer process that did it in.

In the second situation, I have a much better idea of what happened. The SSD was an HP FX900 Pro 4TB, which comes with a graphene heat pad preinstalled. This one was the one that was repeatedly telling me that it was running very hot, so I wanted to move it to an enclosure with a fan. The problem was getting the SSD out of the old enclosure. The graphene pad (I later learned after getting the enclosure open) had fused itself to the top of the enclosure, and I had to pull with pretty much my full strength to open the enclosure. The graphene pad did not come loose from the top of the enclosure, it pulled off of the SSD itself. This one worked only for a few days in the new enclosure, and once again, I went to wake up my computer, and the SST wouldn't mount. I tried different enclosures and different cables, and it obviously was dead as a door nail.

Obviously, I'd like to avoid this in the future. I'd like to think it isn't necessary to conclude that once an NVMe SSD is installed in an enclosure, one shouldn't move it to another one, but based on my experience, I am heading in that direction.

Thoughts?

 

[Bigwaff]

Can you provide specifics about the new enclosures? Make/model/manufacturer/specs?

 

[camner]

The HP FX900 Pro was in an Acasis TBU405 (not the newer version, the TBU405 Air), and I wanted to move it to an Acasis TBU405Pro M1, which has a small cooling fan inside.

 

[TzunamiOSX]

The HP FX900 Pro was in an Acasis TBU405 (not the newer version, the TBU405 Air), and I wanted to move it to an Acasis TBU405Pro M1, which has a small cooling fan inside.

I have opened my Acasis cases several times and have not damaged an SSD yet.
You seem to be too rough when opening. It also help to put a thermal pad between circuit board and M.2. this reduces the likelihood of bending.

Last time I replaced the thermal pads with thermal Putty for better cooling.
The putty does not stick as firmly as some pads.

 

[camner]

I have opened my Acasis cases several times and have not damaged an SSD yet.
You seem to be too rough when opening. It also help to put a thermal pad between circuit board and M.2. this reduces the likelihood of bending.

Last time I replaced the thermal pads with thermal Putty for better cooling.
The putty does not stick as firmly as some pads.

Just to be clear, by "put a thermal pad between circuit board and M.2." you mean on the BOTTOM side of the SSD, yes? I'm not sure how that helps reduce the bending, since there isn't much stiffness to the thermal pad.

Thanks for the tip about the thermal paste. How do you know how thickly to layer on the putty, since you need it thick enough so that there is good contact with the underside of the top of the case but you don't want it so thick that excessive pressure is applied to the ssd board?

 

[TzunamiOSX]

Just to be clear, by "put a thermal pad between circuit board and M.2." you mean on the BOTTOM side of the SSD, yes? I'm not sure how that helps reduce the bending, since there isn't much stiffness to the thermal pad.

Yes, then the M.2 also sticks on the circuit board. This gives the m.2 more stability when opening the case.

Thanks for the tip about the thermal paste. How do you know how thickly to layer on the putty, since you need it thick enough so that there is good contact with the underside of the top of the case but you don't want it so thick that excessive pressure is applied to the ssd board?

The Putty is like playdough. Simply form a sausage and place it on bottom and top of the M.2. It get the right high when closing.