I've now had 4 different models (3 brands) on new NVMe drives in 3 different 2015 Retinas ... to have lost the partition map over the last 18 months. If you're unfamiliar with this phrase, it means the media works, the drive can be reformatted and used ... but the partition data is lost -- and along with it the 'table of contents' as to where your data is. Making the partition invisible and requiring the data to be recovered.
MODELS:
2TB - Samsung EVO 970
2TB - HP EX920
2TB - HP EX950
2TB - Toshiba XG4
Some more than once.
The XG4 was a customers.
The other 4+ times has been to 1 of two 2015 Retinas of mine.
I do data recovery (professionally) and have 30 years tech experience. This is just to say that I'm not accidentally causing this to occur ... or not reporting it.
I believe the cause is from random restarts common while using 3rd party NVMe SSDs.
I reject 1/30 random reboots being caused by a lost partition map, precluding loading the OS.
I believe random reboots occasionally cause a lost partition map.
I'm not sure if using an OWC drive mitigates these reboots associated with 3rd party drives... by using compatible cluster sizing or sleep specs... (I believe I've heard Apple uses an usual specs)
Despite using HP NVMe SSDs in iMacs ... I haven't seen this occur in iMacs ... likely due to portable Macs more aggressive power saving // sleep rules vs. an iMac. But I'm not sure...
I'll still use 3rd party SSDs as it's primarily happened to me (not customers). Another aspect I don't understand... but perhaps it's as simple as the volume by which I use my laptop.
Hope this helps someone else with anything.
MODELS:
2TB - Samsung EVO 970
2TB - HP EX920
2TB - HP EX950
2TB - Toshiba XG4
Some more than once.
The XG4 was a customers.
The other 4+ times has been to 1 of two 2015 Retinas of mine.
I do data recovery (professionally) and have 30 years tech experience. This is just to say that I'm not accidentally causing this to occur ... or not reporting it.
I believe the cause is from random restarts common while using 3rd party NVMe SSDs.
I reject 1/30 random reboots being caused by a lost partition map, precluding loading the OS.
I believe random reboots occasionally cause a lost partition map.
I'm not sure if using an OWC drive mitigates these reboots associated with 3rd party drives... by using compatible cluster sizing or sleep specs... (I believe I've heard Apple uses an usual specs)
Despite using HP NVMe SSDs in iMacs ... I haven't seen this occur in iMacs ... likely due to portable Macs more aggressive power saving // sleep rules vs. an iMac. But I'm not sure...
I'll still use 3rd party SSDs as it's primarily happened to me (not customers). Another aspect I don't understand... but perhaps it's as simple as the volume by which I use my laptop.
Hope this helps someone else with anything.