back to repairs

2023.07.23 TJ flash:


A co-worker killed a flash drive by running it through the wash. It still had some pics on it he didn't have
another copy of, so I took on the challenge.

The board looks okay, and the controller posts up on the computer but no storage. So the controller probably
isn't talking with the nand. Closer inspection shows the nand chip itself is a bit warped, with the ends just
a little higher off the board than the middle. A few balls probably lost contact when it ran through the
dryer.

I tried to reflow it, hoping the chip was deformed unevenly by the dryer heat, and hopefully a slow reflow
would bring the balls back down into contact long enough to get the data off. Unfortunately when heated, the
nand actually lifted the ends up FARTHER and lifted off more balls. I got a picture (below) on-edge with the
nand, showing a black gap between the balls and the board, along with a strangely "pancaked" ball at the far
corner. Given the large gap between the nand's edges and the board, a re-ball is unlikely to succeed. I don't
have the equipment to do that anyway. It's possible that the reflow might have been more successful if I was
able to preheat the board, but again I don't have adequate tools here for that and would probably end up
dropping all the parts off the bottom of the board in the process.



2023.07.23 TJ flash:



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last updated 08/04/2023 at 06:34:01