How ADATA SSDs Fail
ADATA sources controllers from Silicon Motion, InnoGrit, & Realtek. This means ADATA SSDs share failure modes with every other brand using the same controller silicon: Crucial, Kingston, WD, Sabrent, Corsair.
The recovery advantage: PC-3000 SSD's Silicon Motion utility covers the SM2258XT, SM2259XT, SM2262EN, & SM2263XT. The same loader injection & FTL reconstruction procedures that recover a Crucial MX500 apply to an ADATA SU800. Controller-level expertise transfers across all Silicon Motion brands.
Two failure categories dominate. Firmware failures cause the controller to lock out, report wrong capacity, or drop the drive's identity string. Hardware failures include shorted voltage regulators, dead PMICs, & NAND cell degradation from write exhaustion. Both require lab-level intervention with firmware repair or board-level microsoldering.
What Are the Known ADATA SSD Failure Patterns?
Each ADATA product line uses a different controller generation with different firmware architecture & different failure modes. The most common failures we see map to the controller, not the ADATA branding.
SU800 & SU650: Silicon Motion FTL Corruption
The ADATA SU800 uses a Silicon Motion SM2258 controller with DRAM cache. The SU650 is a DRAM-less budget drive that shipped with SM2258XT controllers in early production, then switched to Realtek or Maxio controllers in later batches without changing the model name. Both controllers store critical Flash Translation Layer data in TLC NAND. When those NAND pages degrade past the controller's LDPC error correction capacity, the FTL mapping corrupts. The drive enters ROM mode: it reports 0GB, 1GB, or 1023MB capacity in BIOS & may display a raw controller string like "SM2258XT" instead of "ADATA SU650." This is the same failure mechanism that produces the SATAFIRM S11 lockout on Phison-based SSDs. PC-3000 SSD's Silicon Motion utility loads a safe mode module to bypass the corrupted boot sequence & reconstruct the FTL from NAND residuals.
XPG SX8200 Pro: Controller Swap & Firmware Instability
The XPG SX8200 Pro was one of ADATA's most popular NVMe SSDs, originally shipping with a Silicon Motion SM2262EN controller. ADATA later substituted the SM2262G (a cost-reduced variant) in some production runs without changing the product name. Both controllers share the same core architecture, but different firmware branches handle wear leveling & garbage collection differently. Failures on the SX8200 Pro include sudden BIOS disappearance after heavy write loads, read-only lockout from depleted spare blocks, & firmware panics during power loss events. Recovery requires identifying which controller variant is actually on the PCB, then using the correct PC-3000 SSD Silicon Motion NVMe utility module.
XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade: InnoGrit IG5236 Firmware Panic
The GAMMIX S70 Blade uses the InnoGrit IG5236 (Rainier), a high-performance Gen4 NVMe controller with AES-256 hardware encryption. When the IG5236 firmware panics, all cores stall & the drive drops off the PCIe bus completely. The AES-256 encryption keys are fused to the controller die, so desoldering the NAND yields only ciphertext. Board-level repair to revive the original InnoGrit controller is the only recovery path. Once the controller is operational, it handles AES decryption natively and we image the drive via standard NVMe read commands.
ADATA LEGEND Series: Mixed Controller Failures
ADATA's LEGEND line spans budget to high-end NVMe drives, each using a different controller. The LEGEND 700 & 710 use Realtek NVMe controllers. The LEGEND 850 uses the Silicon Motion SM2269XT. The LEGEND 960 uses the SM2264, Silicon Motion's flagship Gen4 NVMe controller with DRAM cache. The LEGEND 840 uses a different NVMe controller that varies by production batch. When a LEGEND drive fails, the first step is identifying the actual controller on the PCB, because the recovery procedure, PC-3000 utility module, & encryption status all depend on which silicon is inside.
How Much Does ADATA SSD Data Recovery Cost?
ADATA SATA SSD recovery (SU800, SU650, SU760) ranges from $200 for a simple data copy to $1,200–$1,500 for NAND swap with microsoldering. ADATA NVMe recovery (XPG SX8200 Pro, GAMMIX S70 Blade, LEGEND series) ranges from $200 to $1,200–$2,500. Free evaluation, firm quote before paid work, and no data means no charge.
ADATA SATA SSD Pricing (SU800, SU650, SU760)
Simple Copy
Low complexityYour drive works, you just need the data moved off it
$200
3-5 business days
Functional drive; data transfer to new media
Rush available: +$100
File System Recovery
Low complexityYour drive isn't showing up, but it's not physically damaged
From $250
2-4 weeks
File system corruption. Visible to recovery software but not to OS
Starting price; final depends on complexity
Circuit Board Repair
Medium complexityYour drive won't power on or has shorted components
$450–$600
3-6 weeks
PCB issues: failed voltage regulators, dead PMICs, shorted capacitors
May require a donor drive (additional cost)
Firmware Recovery
Medium complexityMost CommonYour drive is detected but shows the wrong name, wrong size, or no data
$600–$900
3-6 weeks
Firmware corruption: ROM, modules, or system files corrupted
Price depends on extent of bad areas in NAND
PCB / NAND Swap
High complexityYour drive's circuit board is severely damaged and requires NAND chip transplant to a donor PCB
$1,200–$1,500
4-8 weeks
NAND swap onto donor PCB. Precision microsoldering and BGA rework required
50% deposit required; donor drive cost additional
50% deposit required
Hardware Repair vs. Software Locks
Our "no data, no fee" policy applies to hardware recovery. We do not bill for unsuccessful physical repairs. If we replace a hard drive read/write head assembly or repair a liquid-damaged logic board to a bootable state, the hardware repair is complete and standard rates apply. If data remains inaccessible due to user-configured software locks, a forgotten passcode, or a remote wipe command, the physical repair is still billable. We cannot bypass user encryption or activation locks.
No data, no fee. Free evaluation and firm quote before any paid work. Full guarantee details. NAND swap requires a 50% deposit because donor parts are consumed in the attempt.
Rush fee: +$100 rush fee to move to the front of the queue.
Donor drives: A donor drive is a matching SSD used for its circuit board. Typical donor cost: $40–$100 for common models, $150–$300 for discontinued or rare controllers.
Target drive: The destination drive we copy recovered data onto. You can supply your own or we provide one at cost plus a small markup. All prices are plus applicable tax.
+$100 rush fee to move to the front of the queue. A donor drive is a matching SSD used for its circuit board. Typical donor cost: $40–$100 for common models, $150–$300 for discontinued or rare controllers.
ADATA NVMe SSD Pricing (XPG, GAMMIX, LEGEND)
Simple Copy
Low complexityYour NVMe drive works, you just need the data moved off it
$200
3-5 business days
Functional drive; data transfer to new media
Rush available: +$100
File System Recovery
Low complexityYour NVMe drive isn't showing up, but it's not physically damaged
From $250
2-4 weeks
File system corruption. Visible to recovery software but not to OS
Starting price; final depends on complexity
Circuit Board Repair
Medium complexityYour NVMe drive won't power on or has shorted components
$600–$900
3-6 weeks
PCB issues: failed voltage regulators, dead PMICs, shorted capacitors
May require a donor drive (additional cost)
Firmware Recovery
Medium complexityMost CommonYour NVMe drive is detected but shows the wrong name, wrong size, or no data
$900–$1,200
3-6 weeks
Firmware corruption: ROM, modules, or system files corrupted
Price depends on extent of bad areas in NAND
PCB / NAND Swap
High complexityYour NVMe drive's circuit board is severely damaged and requires NAND chip transplant to a donor PCB
$1,200–$2,500
4-8 weeks
NAND swap onto donor PCB. Precision microsoldering and BGA rework required
50% deposit required; donor drive cost additional
50% deposit required
Hardware Repair vs. Software Locks
Our "no data, no fee" policy applies to hardware recovery. We do not bill for unsuccessful physical repairs. If we replace a hard drive read/write head assembly or repair a liquid-damaged logic board to a bootable state, the hardware repair is complete and standard rates apply. If data remains inaccessible due to user-configured software locks, a forgotten passcode, or a remote wipe command, the physical repair is still billable. We cannot bypass user encryption or activation locks.
No data, no fee. Free evaluation and firm quote before any paid work. Full guarantee details. NAND swap requires a 50% deposit because donor parts are consumed in the attempt.
Rush fee: +$100 rush fee to move to the front of the queue.
Donor drives: A donor drive is a matching SSD used for its circuit board. Typical donor cost: $40–$100 for common models, $150–$300 for discontinued or rare controllers.
Target drive: The destination drive we copy recovered data onto. You can supply your own or we provide one at cost plus a small markup. All prices are plus applicable tax.
+$100 rush fee to move to the front of the queue. A donor drive is a matching SSD used for its circuit board. Typical donor cost: $40–$100 for common models, $150–$300 for discontinued or rare controllers.
How Do We Recover Data from ADATA SSDs?
ADATA SSD recovery follows a four-step process: identify the controller vendor & model, diagnose the failure type, stabilize the controller through firmware intervention or board repair, & image the data. The controller determines which PC-3000 SSD utility module we use.
- 01
Identify the controller
We open PC-3000 SSD & identify the specific controller: Silicon Motion SM2258/SM2259XT (SATA), SM2262EN/SM2262G (NVMe Gen3), InnoGrit IG5236 (NVMe Gen4), or Realtek RTS5762/5763 (NVMe Gen3). ADATA uses different controllers across product lines & sometimes within the same model name, so visual PCB inspection confirms the silicon.
- 02
Diagnose the failure category
If the controller responds to PC-3000 SSD, we check firmware status, FTL integrity, & NAND health. If the controller is dead (no response at all), we use FLIR thermal imaging to locate shorted voltage regulators or failed PMICs on the PCB. An SU800 reporting 0 bytes is a firmware failure. An XPG drive that dropped off NVMe entirely is either firmware or hardware.
- 03
Repair or reconstruct firmware
For firmware failures on Silicon Motion SATA controllers, PC-3000 SSD loads a safe mode firmware module into the controller's SRAM, bypassing the corrupted boot sequence. The utility then accesses the raw NAND pages & rebuilds the FTL mapping from residual metadata. For NVMe controllers, ROM pin shorting or vendor-specific commands halt the NAND boot & force controller initialization. For hardware failures on any model, we replace shorted components using a Hakko FM-2032 on an FM-203 base station.
- 04
Image & verify
With the controller stabilized, we image the drive sector-by-sector. On Silicon Motion SATA drives, data is scrambled (XOR randomization) but not encrypted; PC-3000 SSD reverses the scrambling automatically. On InnoGrit NVMe drives, the repaired controller handles AES-256 decryption natively during the imaging pass. File system analysis verifies directory structure & individual file integrity. Data ships via nationwide mail-in service. All work is in-house at our Austin, TX lab.
Can Recovery Software Fix an ADATA SSD?
Recovery software works on ADATA SSDs with logical failures only: accidental deletion (with TRIM disabled), partition table corruption, or a formatted volume. The drive must be physically healthy, detected in BIOS with its correct model name & capacity, and responding to read commands.
Software can't fix an SU800 showing 0 bytes in BIOS, an XPG drive that dropped off the NVMe bus, or any ADATA SSD with a dead controller. These failures mean the controller isn't serving data to the operating system. No software running on the OS can talk to hardware the OS can't see.
TRIM is the other boundary. On ADATA SSDs with TRIM enabled (the default on Windows 7+ & macOS 10.6.8+), deleted files are unmapped from NAND within seconds to minutes. The controller unmaps those logical addresses and schedules garbage collection. Once garbage collection completes, no software & no lab can recover that data. If your ADATA SSD has failed (not detected, wrong capacity, or sudden death), power it down & send it for evaluation.
What Should I Do if My ADATA SSD Is Not Detected?
An ADATA SSD that doesn't appear in BIOS has a dead controller, a shorted power management component, or corrupted firmware that prevents initialization. A drive showing 0 bytes or wrong capacity is detected but locked; a drive that's completely invisible is a different failure class.
Before sending the drive, rule out the obvious. These checks take two minutes & cost nothing.
- Check the BIOS/UEFI device list. Reboot, enter BIOS (F2 or Del on most boards), and look under Storage or NVMe Configuration. If the ADATA SSD shows any model string (even with 0MB capacity), the controller is partially alive. If nothing appears at all, the controller or PMIC is dead.
- Try a different SATA port or M.2 slot. Some motherboards disable M.2 slots when specific SATA ports are populated. For SU800/SU650 SATA SSDs, try a different SATA cable & port. For XPG/LEGEND NVMe drives, try the primary M.2 slot closest to the CPU.
- Test in a USB enclosure. A USB-to-SATA or USB-to-NVMe enclosure on another computer isolates whether the issue is the drive or the motherboard.
- Stop here if the drive isn't detected anywhere. Do not run ADATA SSD Toolbox, do not attempt firmware updates, do not run secure erase. A drive with a dead controller needs board-level repair, not software troubleshooting. Power it down & send it for evaluation. Free diagnosis, no obligation.
SATA ADATA SSD board repair: $450–$600. NVMe ADATA SSD board repair: $600–$900. +$100 rush fee to move to the front of the queue.
Controllers Used in ADATA SSDs
ADATA sources controllers from three vendors: Silicon Motion (SATA & NVMe), InnoGrit (NVMe Gen4), & Realtek (NVMe Gen3). Unlike Samsung, which designs its own controllers, ADATA customizes the vendor's reference firmware for branding & warranty telemetry. The underlying silicon, FTL architecture, & diagnostic mode entry points match the vendor's reference design.
Silicon Motion SATA (SM2258, SM2259XT)
The Silicon Motion SM2258 powers the ADATA SU800, ADATA's long-running mainstream SATA SSD. The SM2258 includes a DRAM buffer for FTL caching, which gives it better endurance than DRAM-less alternatives. The SU650 originally shipped with the SM2258XT (a DRAM-less variant) but later production batches switched to Realtek or Maxio controllers without changing the model name. When SM2258 or SM2258XT FTL pages degrade, the controller enters ROM mode & the drive reports 0GB, 1GB, or 1023MB capacity. PC-3000 SSD's Silicon Motion utility loads a safe mode firmware module for both controllers, bypassing the corrupted boot sequence & rebuilding the translation table from NAND residuals.
Silicon Motion NVMe (SM2262EN, SM2267XT, SM2269XT)
The SM2262EN in the XPG SX8200 Pro is a dual-core ARM NVMe Gen3 controller with DRAM. It's the same silicon behind the HP EX950 & ADATA SX8100. The SM2262G variant that appeared in later SX8200 Pro production runs is architecturally identical but uses a different firmware branch. Both are well supported by PC-3000 SSD. The LEGEND 850 uses the SM2269XT (Gen4). The LEGEND 960 uses the SM2264, Silicon Motion's highest-end Gen4 controller with dedicated DRAM cache. Each requires the correct Silicon Motion utility module for safe mode entry & FTL reconstruction.
InnoGrit NVMe (IG5236 Rainier)
The InnoGrit IG5236 (Rainier) powers the XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade, ADATA's flagship Gen4 NVMe SSD. The IG5236 uses AES-256 hardware encryption with keys fused to the controller silicon. When the IG5236 firmware panics, all cores stall & the drive disappears from the PCIe bus. The encryption makes chip-off recovery impossible; the original controller must be revived through board-level repair. Once the controller boots, it handles AES decryption natively and we image the drive via standard NVMe read commands.
Realtek NVMe (RTS5762, RTS5763)
ADATA's budget NVMe drives, including the SE770G and some LEGEND 700/710 models, use Realtek NVMe controllers. Realtek is a newer entrant in the SSD controller market, and PC-3000 SSD does not currently support Realtek NVMe controllers. Recovery from Realtek-based ADATA drives focuses on board-level hardware repair to keep the original controller alive & serving data. Chip-off is not a viable fallback because Realtek controllers also implement data scrambling that requires the original silicon to reverse.
How Does Encryption Affect ADATA SSD Recovery?
ADATA SSDs have different encryption implementations depending on the controller. Understanding which model uses what encryption determines whether chip-off recovery is viable or whether the original controller must be repaired.
- SU800 & SU650 (Silicon Motion SM2258, SM2259XT)
- No always-on AES-256 hardware encryption. Data is scrambled using Silicon Motion's XOR data randomization (required for NAND cell wear leveling) but not encrypted with a controller-bound key. PC-3000 SSD reverses the scrambling automatically during imaging. Chip-off is theoretically possible but impractical because the FTL page mapping must still be reconstructed.
- XPG SX8200 Pro (Silicon Motion SM2262EN/SM2262G)
- The SM2262EN supports AES-256 hardware encryption, but implementation depends on the firmware version & whether ADATA enabled the encryption engine on that production run. Even without encryption, the Silicon Motion NVMe controller uses XOR data scrambling. The original controller is required for FTL access & descrambling in all cases.
- GAMMIX S70 Blade (InnoGrit IG5236)
- AES-256 hardware encryption with the Media Encryption Key fused to the controller die. Every byte on the NAND is encrypted, even without a user-set password. Chip-off yields ciphertext only. Board-level repair of the original InnoGrit controller is the only recovery path.
- LEGEND Series (Mixed Controllers)
- Encryption status depends on which controller is inside the specific LEGEND model. Silicon Motion-based LEGEND drives use XOR scrambling without always-on AES. Realtek controllers implement data scrambling. In all cases, the original controller is the safest recovery path. We identify the specific controller on the PCB before determining the recovery procedure.
ADATA SSD Product Line Reference
ADATA's SSD lineup spans budget SATA, mainstream NVMe, & high-performance Gen4 drives under both the ADATA & XPG brands. Each model uses a different third-party controller with different failure patterns, encryption implementations, & PC-3000 recovery procedures.
| Model | Interface | Controller | Encryption | Common Failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SU800 | SATA | SM2258 | Scrambled (no AES) | FTL corruption, 0 bytes |
| SU650 | SATA | SM2259XT | Scrambled (no AES) | DRAM-less FTL failure |
| SU760 | SATA | Silicon Motion SATA | Scrambled (no AES) | FTL corruption |
| XPG SX8200 Pro | NVMe Gen3 | SM2262EN / SM2262G | Varies by firmware | Firmware panic, BIOS disappearance |
| XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade | NVMe Gen4 | InnoGrit IG5236 | AES-256 | Firmware panic, PCIe dropout |
| XPG GAMMIX S50 Lite | NVMe Gen4 | Silicon Motion NVMe | Scrambled | Firmware corruption |
| SE770G | NVMe Gen3 | Realtek RTS5762 | Scrambled | Controller death |
| LEGEND 700/710 | NVMe Gen3/Gen4 | Realtek NVMe | Scrambled | Sudden death, firmware lockout |
| LEGEND 840 | NVMe Gen4 | NVMe (varies) | Varies | Firmware panic |
| LEGEND 850 | NVMe Gen4 | SM2269XT | Varies | FTL corruption, firmware panic |
| LEGEND 960 | NVMe Gen4 | SM2264 | Varies | Firmware panic |
XPG SX8200 Pro Controller Swap: What It Means for Recovery
ADATA shipped early XPG SX8200 Pro units with the Silicon Motion SM2262EN, then switched some production runs to the SM2262G without updating the model name. Reviewers flagged the swap when benchmark results on new SX8200 Pro purchases didn't match the original reviews.
The SM2262EN & SM2262G share the same core dual-core ARM architecture & interface to NAND. The difference is in firmware revision branches, DRAM caching behavior, & the controller's silicon stepping. From a data recovery perspective, both controllers are supported by PC-3000 SSD's Silicon Motion NVMe utility. The recovery procedure is the same; the utility module selection differs.
When an SX8200 Pro arrives for recovery, we inspect the PCB to confirm the actual controller IC. The chip markings identify SM2262EN vs. SM2262G. This takes 30 seconds & prevents loading the wrong firmware module, which could corrupt the controller's existing state. Both variants recover at the same rate. The swap was a consumer trust issue, not a recovery obstacle.
ADATA SSD Recovery FAQ
How much does ADATA SSD data recovery cost?
ADATA SATA SSD recovery (SU800, SU650, SU760) starts at $200 for a simple copy and ranges up to $1,200–$1,500 for NAND swap. ADATA NVMe recovery (XPG SX8200 Pro, GAMMIX S70 Blade, LEGEND series) starts at $200 and ranges up to $1,200–$2,500. Free evaluation, firm quote before paid work, no data means no charge. +$100 rush fee to move to the front of the queue.
Can data recovery software fix a failed ADATA SSD?
Recovery software works on ADATA SSDs with logical failures only: accidental deletion (with TRIM disabled), partition corruption, or a formatted volume. The SSD must be physically healthy, detected in BIOS with correct model name & capacity, and responding to read commands. Software cannot communicate with a dead controller, a drive showing wrong capacity, or one that dropped off the SATA/NVMe bus. Running software scans on a failing ADATA SSD stresses degrading NAND cells and can trigger garbage collection that permanently erases data.
Why did my ADATA SSD suddenly show 0 bytes or wrong capacity?
ADATA SATA SSDs using Silicon Motion SM2258XT or SM2259XT controllers store their Flash Translation Layer in TLC NAND rather than in dedicated DRAM cache. When those NAND pages degrade beyond the controller's LDPC correction capacity, the FTL mapping corrupts and the controller enters ROM mode. The drive reports 0GB, 1GB, or 1023MB capacity in BIOS and may display a raw controller string like 'SM2258XT' instead of the ADATA model name. This is the same failure mechanism behind the SATAFIRM S11 bug on Phison controllers. PC-3000 SSD's Silicon Motion utility loads a safe mode firmware module to bypass the corrupted FTL and reconstruct the translation table from NAND residuals.
Does ADATA SSD encryption prevent data recovery?
It depends on the model and controller. ADATA SATA SSDs using Silicon Motion SM2258XT or SM2259XT use XOR data scrambling for NAND cell health but do not implement always-on AES-256 hardware encryption. PC-3000 SSD reverses the scrambling automatically. ADATA NVMe SSDs using InnoGrit IG5236 (GAMMIX S70 Blade) implement AES-256 with keys fused to the controller silicon; chip-off recovery yields ciphertext only. NVMe drives using Silicon Motion SM2262EN (XPG SX8200 Pro) support hardware encryption but implementation varies by firmware version. In all cases, board-level repair of the original controller is the safest recovery path.
What ADATA SSD models do you recover?
We recover all ADATA consumer and XPG gaming SSDs: SATA models (SU800, SU650, SU635, SU760, SU630), NVMe models (XPG SX8200 Pro, XPG SX8100, XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade, XPG GAMMIX S50 Lite, SE770G), LEGEND series (LEGEND 700, 710, 800, 840, 850, 960), and ADATA portable SSDs (SE800, SC685). Each product line uses a different third-party controller with different failure patterns and different recovery procedures.
What should I do if my ADATA SSD is not detected?
An ADATA SSD invisible to BIOS has a dead controller, a shorted power management component, or firmware that failed to initialize. Try a different SATA port or M.2 slot first, then test in a USB enclosure on another computer. If the drive isn't detected anywhere, the failure is internal. Do not run ADATA SSD Toolbox or attempt firmware updates on an undetected drive. Power it down and send it for evaluation. SATA board repair: $450–$600. NVMe board repair: $600–$900. Free diagnosis, no obligation.
How long does ADATA SSD data recovery take?
ADATA SSD recovery timelines depend on the failure type. Simple data copies take 3-5 business days. File system recovery and firmware repairs take 2-4 weeks. Board-level circuit repair (shorted voltage regulators, dead PMICs) takes 3-6 weeks. NAND swap cases requiring microsoldering take 4-8 weeks. +$100 rush fee to move to the front of the queue to move to the front of the queue.
Did ADATA switch controllers in the XPG SX8200 Pro?
ADATA shipped early XPG SX8200 Pro units with the Silicon Motion SM2262EN controller, then silently switched some production runs to the SM2262G (a cost-reduced variant). The SM2262G has the same core architecture but uses different firmware revision branches, which affects PC-3000 SSD recovery procedures. When we receive an SX8200 Pro, we identify the actual controller on the PCB before selecting the correct Silicon Motion utility module. The controller swap doesn't affect recoverability; both variants are well supported by PC-3000 SSD.
Does ADATA's warranty cover data recovery?
No. ADATA's SSD warranty covers hardware replacement only. ADATA will send a replacement drive but does not recover data from the failed unit. If you file a warranty claim, ADATA may require the failed drive to be returned, and any data on it is gone once they receive it. Complete data recovery before pursuing a warranty claim for the hardware cost.
ADATA SSD not detected, showing 0 bytes, or dead after firmware update?
Free evaluation. SATA recovery from From $200. NVMe recovery from From $200. No data, no fee.