So, I have a flashing question mark folder which can not be repaired and bootable, therefore, how can I save my files. its a MacBook Air 2015 ssd drive
MacBook Air
Modify the earlier Terminal command to include "internal" option in order to get rid of all the virtual volumes associated with the installer:
diskutil list internal
If the physical SSD is seen, then make sure if the SSD uses the APFS file system that you are using a Mac running macOS 10.13+ since older versions of macOS are unable to mount and read the newer APFS file system. Technically macOS 10.12.6 can mount & read an APFS volume, but it has very basic support and is unable to repair an APFS volume. Accessing data from a drive used with macOS 10.15+ can be a bit tricky mounting and finding the mounted data volume containing the user folders and data.
If the physical SSD is not seen, then most likely the SSD is bad, but there is a chance it may not be considered compatible by macOS. While the SSD may physically fit into another Mac, it does not mean that macOS will work with it installed in a different Mac. I personally experienced this myself. I've seen macOS outright not boot while the wrong SSD was installed, to where macOS would boot, but not work properly with the incorrect SSD, to where macOS would actually install to the incorrect SSD and boot properly. I actually have no idea which Apple SSD will fully work in which other Macs. The SSD you pictured physically fits into a 2013-2015 laptops (plus the 2017 MBAir), but it is hard to say whether it will be fully usable in all those models.
Another, better option if you are not using the exact same model Mac is to install the SSD into an OWC Envoy Pro Enclosure. Keep in mind that Apple uses a proprietary PCIe SSD connector so options for connecting an Apple PCIe SSD are rather limited since there is not a huge market for such an accessory. An OWC enclosure will solve the physical compatibility problems with macOS, but it still adds more complexity by using an enclosure that you have not used/tested before.
You also have to consider that the liquid damaged laptop destroyed the SSD as well.
Contacting a professional data recovery service such as Drive Savers or Ontrack is another option. Both vendors provide free estimates and both are recommended by Apple and other OEMs.
cetin34 Said:
"I can't see the hard drive"
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About my Reply:
I authored my reply, while all others were typing theirs. So, mine would not apply.
I tried the nvram did not worked. Btw, this ssd had been swapped from a soda damaged same model MacBook air, I am just trying to recover my data at this point.
is this compatible with 2015 MacBook Air ssd drive?
and the other one that I thought it didn't worked, it actually worked, I wasn't writing the right code
it does not open up its own recovery, it uses internet access to download OS X utilities each time when I try to open up in recovery mode. Would bootable drive could work?
Backup data from a corrupted ssd drive
