My brother's PC suddenly died, and we suspect a hardware failure after replacing some older components. I initially said the graphics card may have caused it, but I meant the CPU—the details got mixed up. The computer had been upgraded piece by piece over about eight years, so we're not sure what failed or whether there was a power-related problem.
We removed the SSD and connected it to another computer to check the files. His photos, documents, and other data weren't visible, so he's worried that everything has been lost. We aren't very technical and don't know whether the SSD is being detected properly, whether it needs a special adapter, or whether the drive is damaged.
What should we check, and is professional data recovery the best option? We want to avoid making the situation worse or accidentally overwriting anything.
3 Answers
First determine what “gone” means. Is the SSD visible in the computer’s BIOS or Disk Management, but showing as RAW or without a drive letter? Or is it completely missing? Also, an M.2 SATA drive, M.2 NVMe drive, and 2.5-inch SATA SSD require different slots or adapters. A technician should identify the drive and test it without making changes to its contents.
Stop using the SSD for now and take it to a reputable data-recovery specialist or an experienced local PC technician. Do not initialize, format, repair, or reinstall anything on the drive. Recovery services can be expensive, but experimenting with the drive can reduce the chances of getting the files back.
A graphics card normally would not destroy the rest of a computer by itself. A faulty or overloaded power supply, an installation problem, or another component failure could cause broader damage. Avoid repeatedly plugging the SSD into random systems, handle it carefully to prevent static damage, and get a second opinion from someone who can identify the drive and check whether it is detected.
It was connected to a roommate’s laptop, but the photos and documents didn’t appear. We don’t know whether the laptop actually detected the SSD correctly, so we’ll have someone check that before trying anything else.