Aspire S3 951-6646: Where did my 20GB SSD go?

dvictori · May 2019

I have an old Aspire S3 951-6646 ultrabook that has a 320Gb HD and 20GB SSD. I had Linux installed in the SSD and a couple of days ago that disk "went missing". That is, I can't access it anymore and I had to install Linux on the spinning disk.

I noticed that when I boot up, I get an error message saying

</code><code>ata2: COMRESET failed (errno=16)

Does this means the 20Gb SSD is defective? Can it be saved?

On a related question, is it possible to substitute the 20Gb SSD in this laptop? Or is the 20Gb SSD integrated into the HD (hybrid disk) or into the main board? I opened up the laptop and could not find the SSD so I'm imagining this 20GB is inside the 320HD.

JackE · May 2019

The S3-951 may have an internal msata SSD card slot. Was your 20GB SSD internal? And did you boot to Linux or Windows using the F12 key? Can you post a screenshot of your BIOS Information tab? Jack E/NJ

dvictori · May 2019

I only have linux installed in this notebook. Also, I opened the laptop and the card slot is occupied the WIFI card (image bellow).

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/l6/k15526eqv54k.jpg

The bios does not show any additional disks. And I can't recall if the 20Gb SSD showed up in the bios prior to this incident.

JackE · May 2019

>>> I had Linux installed in the SSD>>>

If Linux still boots now , then it's booting from the HDD. Are you sure you weren't booting from a live Linux USB stick, not an internall SSD? Jack E/NJ

dvictori · May 2019

I'm certain Linux was installed in the SSD and it stopped working. But in order to get back to my files, I reinstalled the system on the HDD. So I can boot from the HDD but I'm not able to see the SSD.

JackE · May 2019

If you're sure then the SSD card should be located next to the wifi card as shown below. Try finding it and re-seat the card a few times to try to clean its contacts. Jack E/NJ

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/ji/l1fe7wk189j5.jpg

dvictori · June 2019

Thanks for your help. The number 14 in the diagram you sent is where the golden flat cable starts. I removed it a couple of times on both ends to try to clean the contacts.

Also, the board that the golden flat cable connects to is the one I posted a picture before. You can see that the Wireless card is connected to this board (left corner with white and black antenna cables). I saw some other pictures of acer notebooks that instead of a WiFI board, there was a mSATA card, which I hoped I could replace. But it looks like in this model, the SSD is nowhere to be seen

JackE · June 2019

Yes, but you said earlier >>>I'm certain Linux was installed in the SSD>>>

No. There should be no cable connected to slot number 14. There should only be a card in that slot if the SSD was ever in there. The wifi card should be in the slot number 13 right next to it. If there indeed was a cable in number 14, you must find where it leads to on the other end. Jack E/NJ

dvictori · June 2019

Hi JackE,

Thanks for your help. Where did you get that board image from? Because I can assure you that when I opened the notebook there were two flat cables connected to slots 13 and 14. And these cables lead to another board where the wireless card is attached (as you can see from the picture I sent). So maybe, looking at this other card schematics could help.

Thanks

JackE · June 2019

The spec image posted is supposed to be the top of the mainboard. I can't tell from your picture, the orientation of the mainboard relative to this image to see if we're looking at the same connectors. Jack E/NJ

dvictori · June 2019

Here is the uncropped image. It has the same orientation of the image you posted

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/ck/9g95ktohxc3q.jpg

JackE · June 2019

>>>the golden flat cable connects to is the one I posted a picture before. You can see that the Wireless card is connected to this board (left corner with white and black antenna cables).>>>

Unfortunately, it appears that you have a combo wifi+BT+mSATA board, part #55.RSF01.003. Doesn't seem to be separate cards in your particular machine. To be absolutely sure, I think you need to disconnect the two ribbon cables to make sure it is indeed one card we're looking at. Perhaps even extracting the card itself. This may be enough to kickstart it upon re-connecting everything. If you google the part number, you'll see why we got to try to bring this one back to life. Jack E/NJ

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/1l/kd0yh9fv06dd.jpg

dvictori · June 2019

That is one expensive card

I did take it out and disconnected the cables. Still no luck. Also, I just found another part # written at the back of the card: SM30-HS Sata BD 48.4QP06.011

I guess I'll just have to keep working without the 20Gb SSD until I get a new notebook

Bellow is the back side of the card

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/hl/ivegpb2v8v2w.jpg

And here the front side, without the Wireless card

JordanB · June 2019

Try using diskpart or installing or booting Windows 7 or Windows 10 USB to see if you can see your 20GB ssd.
The error that you reported doesn't necessarily mean that the 20 GB SSD has failed, it could just mean you had corruption or a partition problem.

See links below....

https://us.answers.acer.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/12339/related/1

https://us.answers.acer.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/12335/related/1

https://us.answers.acer.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/12336/related/1

If you just want an SSD, they are pretty cheap now days.

https://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ct250mx500ssd1?cm_mmc=shopping-_-lengow-_-null-_-us&ev_chn=shop&gclid=Cj0KCQjwitPnBRCQARIsAA5n84lXUn8bUjyRilD2ojwbujVVbbGW7NyKfo6Yb857ylSKMrQgzqWczowaAsOfEALw_wcB

https://gparted.org/liveusb.php

https://askubuntu.com/questions/62295/how-to-fix-a-comreset-failed-error

JackE · June 2019

Thanks Jordan. Googling the nonACER part number does reveal cheaper sources. Aliexpress sells them new for a more reasonable price if the mSATA is toast. The only issue is that it's put on a slowboat from China. Usually takes about a month or so to get here. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/PC-NANNY-original-FOR-ACER-S3-951-board-SM30-HS-SATA-BD-48-4QP06-011-WORKS/32840115139.html

Jack E/NJ

dvictori · June 2019

Great. But is the 20Gb SSD embeded in this board? I could not get this information anywhere.

JackE · June 2019

Yep. Sure looks like a wifi+bluetooth+SSD all-in-one. Maybe that's why it's called a wlan btconnect msata board? Probably not enough room in there for a separate normal msata SSD + wifi card. Somewhat related to what Jordan was getting at, can you see the SSD listed in the BIOS Information or Boot tabs? If not, can you run GPartEd or PartEd from the HDD or USB stick to see if they see it? Jack E/NJ

dvictori · June 2019

The SSD is not listed in the Bios. I also can't see the SSD device in Gparted or parted.

JackE · June 2019

How many times have you actually tried to fully re-seat both ends of the two ribbon cables to try to clean off possible corrosion on their contacts? Jack E/NJ

dvictori · June 2019

I did this a couple of times, 3 or 4.

JackE · June 2019

You might try to wipe the contacts with a soft cloth and rubbing alcohol to make sure they're really clean. If this doesn't work then it probably means the SSD has failed. This is not unusual for these earlier flash memories. Jack E/NJ