Troubleshooting a Non-Responsive Samsung 870 EVO SSD: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve encountered issues with your Samsung 870 EVO 2TB SSD and it’s become unresponsive, you’re not alone. Many users face similar challenges when external drives or internal storage devices begin to malfunction. In this post, we’ll explore the symptoms you’re experiencing, potential solutions to recover your data, and steps to troubleshoot this frustrating issue.

Understanding the Problem

In your case, the SSD was functioning normally until suddenly it stopped responding. You noted that when the drive is connected during boot-up, your computer significantly slows down but ultimately reaches the desktop. Unfortunately, accessing the SSD through File Explorer results in numerous failures, and while Disk Management can detect the drive, any attempts to interact with it lead to performance issues.

Additionally, external connections don’t yield any results, and diagnostic tools like Samsung Magician and SeaTools have indicated problems with the drive. At this point, you’re understandably concerned about losing valuable data and hope to find a recovery solution.

Steps to Troubleshoot Your Samsung SSD

Here are some actionable steps you can take to troubleshoot your non-responsive SSD and potentially recover your files:

1. Check Connections and Hardware

• Ensure that the SATA cables and power cables are securely connected. Try using different cables or ports on your motherboard to rule out connection issues.
• If you’re using the SSD externally, test it with another USB adapter or enclosure.

2. Boot in Safe Mode

• Start your computer in Safe Mode. This will limit the number of drivers and programs running, which could help in accessing the SSD more smoothly. Once in Safe Mode, try to access File Explorer again.

3. Use Disk Management

• Open Disk Management (Right-click on ‘This PC’ > ‘Manage’ > ‘Disk Management’). Check if the SSD shows up as unallocated or has no drive letter assigned. If so, you may need to assign a letter or initialize the drive (note that initializing will erase data).

4. Data Recovery Software

• If you’re unable to access the drive through File Explorer, consider using specialized data recovery software. Programs like Recuva, Stellar Data Recovery, or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard may help retrieve your files from the failing SSD.

5. Run CHKDSK

• Open a command prompt as an administrator and run the command `ch