MacBook Air - SSD fault?
I have a MacBook Air that was purchased in 2017. Flashing [?] on start up. I can boot from an external drive but the Hard Drive is not seen with Disk Utility or Terminal. (no devices showing at all).
Having worked in I.T. for many years I have spare SSD Hard Drives but the issue with this model is that the SSD Storage is built onto the Logic Board so non replaceable. Tried resetting SMC and PRAM / NVRAM but still no joy. Starnge thing is that after instaling an OS on a 128GB USB Flash Drive and then booting from it, the internal SSD Storage then showed and I was able to retreive data. After doing this it then booted from the internal drive but after a shut down it then reverts to not being visible? So I would say the symptoms now are that the SSD is intermittently not seen with Disk Utility or Terminal.
I really wish they hadn't built the storage onto the Logic Board as a repair cost is likely to exceed the value of the MBA. (quoted £600)
My issues with SSD Storage built onto the Logic Board:
- No upgradability.
- Data Recovery much more tricky and often impossible.
- MacBook life expectancy reduced due to less replaceable components.
- Increased out of warranty repair costs because the option to replace the SSD or RAM has been taken away.
- Reduced second hand value. (with an older MacBook you could remove the SATA SSD and still get £100+ for it. To do that now you run the risk of someone accessing your data and it's less like to be ecconomically repairable).
- This MBA also had very limited connectivity; has just one USB-C input. Can't plug in any peripherals whilst still being able to charge it!