How does one 'refurbish' a SSD?

Over the years I've selectively purchased refurbished items to save myself some money. I've had some good luck (my vizio tv) and some bad (various computer peripherals)

I've always been hesitant to purchase any refurbished computer hardware but I've seen several almost too good to be true refurb deals on SSDs and I am just curious, how do they 'refurb' them? With a traditional HDD, i can see how certain mechanical bits were faulty and could be replaced (drive heads, platters, etc) but what is there to refurb on an SSD? Do they identify which cells are bad and replace them?

 

I think they simply reflash the firmware if it is bricked and wipe the data of the drive. It is highly improbable that they replace the NAND flash on the boards. Too expensive in my opinion. It can damage the board in the process.

And please don't buy refurb SSDs. Not worth the risk.

 

Even though I love buying refurbished when I can, I don't think I'd get a refurbished SSD, mainly since it's very unlikely they replace the NAND.

They probably replace the casing and/or controller (*maybe*). They might replace non-working NAND chips, though that still leaves the question of how long the drive would realistically last (if they leave the rest of the chips untouched).

 

I'm even more skeptical with refurbished SSD's: I think they just let someone else try them and hope the drive finally works in the different (hopefully) system.


I agree not worth the time or money saved: when you consider how much time you're investing in getting a system up and running (properly) with an SSD (even via cloning...) why would you do so with a known bad (previously) drive. As mentioned; nothing that makes the SSD tick will be replaced easily (and if it was; I would be even more leery of the offered product).

 

It probably returned items that been tested and working, never find ssd sell/label as refurb on bigbox store though.

 

Reminds me of movies where people turn back odometers in old cars, lol.

 

Yea, it just seemed quite a weird item to be able to repair in any way. I didn't think they would be able to replace the actual cells, so I always wondered what it was they were actually 'refurbishing'.

 

Refurbished means it's been returned by the first buyer and then wiped and tested to work by the manufacturer (unless it's from a third party seller, in which case they really should be labeling them as used, but they can label them as refurbished if they've only worked a certain low amount of hours).

The usual reasons for returns within the usual 30 day (or less) period are incompatibility with their laptop/desktop, buyer did not like the speed, it did not fit inside the laptop, found a better option or just changed their mind.

For SSDs, though, it could mean a bricked drive (firmware error, not hardware damage), which the manufacturer can restore, then resell to someone else as refurbished - not the most fair practice. So you run the risk of getting an SSD that's been bricked before and runs a high risk of the same issue on your computer.

Then again, a new drive could also fail or be DOA... Hell, the safest cheap option is probably an SSD that's been used on the same hardware as yours or at least used with low hours and guaranteed to be working.

 

If you go through NewEgg's selection of "refurbished" SSDs, 9 out of 10 or thereabouts are usually OCZ, and quite often early SF models. Scary.

That being said, I've picked up several non-SF "refurbished" OCZs and have had great luck with them. Obviously, YMMV.

However, anything that is likely to carry valuable data at *any* point in the game within this household sits on an Intel or Crucial/Micron, and gets backed up to a spinner regularly.

 

I dont know how the refurbs work, but given that I have RMAed mine several times and received refurbs in return, there wasnt a single one with some wear on the nand

so thats not how things work on SSD refurb land, its something mysterious to say the least

 

Refurbs are likely where they change the controller chip when it's gone bad. I doubt they ever sell with any significant amount of used nand.