"Media test failure, check cable"...How to know if SSD or mobo?

whitenack · Apr 27, 2015

Hi all.

Working on my dad's Latitude E6220. It's been a great little travel laptop, but it has been having some boot trouble lately. I get the "Media test failure, check cable" error. I have checked the bios and changed the boot order around but this doesn't change anything. The only thing that fixes it (temporarily) is removing and reinserting the SSD. This fixes things for a few weeks and then it happens again. I'm wondering if there is a loose connection somewhere between the mobo and the SSD. Is there any way to know where the trouble is other than just taking a guess at it and ordering a new drive?

Mattios · Apr 27, 2015

Not really any way of knowing - possible a connector just works itself loose over a period of time. Does the cable click in properly?

Saberus · Apr 27, 2015

Are there mounting screws to hold the SSD in place? does the SATA interface directly on the mobo, or via a small surface-mount cable? Make sure these are secure, and if it's a direct board connection, make sure the mobo-side connector is firmly soldered down with no wiggle.

whitenack · Apr 27, 2015

Mattios :

It doesn't really click, but it slides into place snugly and then has 4 screws that holds it down tight. I don't see anything loose when inspecting either the SSD connector or the port it slides into.

whitenack · Apr 27, 2015

Saberus :

Screws hold it in place. Not sure about the answer regarding sata interface, I'll open it up and look again. I haven't noticed anything loose, but will inspect it closely. I'll also see if I can post a pic.

Saberus · Apr 27, 2015

It is possible that the SSD is starting to fail. That model of laptop is a few years old at least, and if it's been the main drive, then it could have been written to death handling the pagefile. But if you can get a picture, I can explain what I meant before a bit better.

whitenack · Apr 27, 2015

Saberus :

Ok, I see what you are asking now. Yes, the sata connection is fixed to the mobo, there is no cable. There is no wiggle, the connection looks like a continuous piece of the mobo.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2b53nxuxnhhyng4/2015-04-27%2014.42.53.jpg?dl=0

Speaking of wiggle, the sata connection on the ssd has a bit of a wiggle. Not huge, but it does wiggle. Not sure if this is by design, or a flaw.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/181nbndclmnf8g2/2015-04-27%2014.42.27.jpg?dl=0

ETA: Yes, it has been the main drive. And yes, it is a few years old now. I was wondering about the drive going out, but wondered if the fact that I could play with the connection to get it to work again pointed to something else.

Saberus · Apr 27, 2015

Ok, that wiggle on the SSD, that's an adapter for the connector to the mobo. It should actually come off with ease, which will be handy if you need to change the drive, as it will or should slot right into the new drive. The reseating of the drive just prolongs the inevitable, when a drive starts goofing up, it's time to make a backup and look for a new drive.

There's usually no room in a laptop for a second drive, so a new one will face the same stresses as the old one, but it might last longer as the technology has improved in the interim.

jsmithepa · Apr 27, 2015

Next time you unplug the thing, run a pencil erase over the exposed pins of the connector(s). Use a compressed air can.

I would also worry about how full that drive is (I want <80%), run a maintenance utility if it came with one, monitor S.M.A.R.T. for error rate and temperature. Vacuum everything in the laptop to rid of accumulated dust. Fan working? blowing good warm air out? (good sign for the cooling system).

whitenack · Apr 28, 2015

Thanks for your replies, and sorry for the delay. For some reason I didn't get a notification that there were replies.

Saberus, thanks for pointing out that it had an adapter. I hadn't noticed. I may have not realized that was detachable and been in trouble when I went to replace the drive! However, the wiggle isn't coming from the adapter, it is coming from the actual drive itself. It looks like the entire card is a little lose inside the enclosure. Not sure if this is the cause of the problem, but it isn't helping I'm sure.

Jsmithepa, thanks for the tip about cleaning the pins. I noticed in that pic that I posted that there was some corrosion. The drive is currently less than 70% full. I'll install a SMART monitor and check things out. The laptop runs pretty cool so I'll see if I can challenge it and get the fan running.

Saberus · Apr 28, 2015

If the whole SSD board is loose it could be nothing if you can re-secure it. As long as the connector is still solidly mounted to the SSD board, it should still be ok.

That bit of freeplay may be what's causing the disconnection, and your reseating is correcting that minuscule movement that caused the connection to drop.

I hate those Dell adapters with a passion, because they're frankly crappy design compensating for sloppy engineering. It wouldn't cost any more to have put a proper SATA connector there and eliminate another part in the way to cause trouble.

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"Media test failure, check cable"...How to know if SSD or mobo?

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