970 EVO plus 2TB ssd displaying only 128GB storage

[mar2mar2mar2]

Hi, I just bought a 2TB 970 EVO plus ssd and plug it to my mac using usb adaptor. I intend it to be used as my internal ssd for my macbook.

It said it is not readable and so I clicked initialise. After initialising, it only shows 128 gb of storage no matter how I erase my drive.

Can anyone help? The harddrive label shows 2TB on box and ssd, and there is no 128GB version of 970 EVO plus.

 

[the54thvoid]

I'm confused. It's listed as an nvme drive - it plugs into an M2 slot. How are you connecting it via USB?

 

[tabascosauz]

I'm confused. It's listed as an nvme drive - it plugs into an M2 slot. How are you connecting it via USB?

There are external M.2 enclosures designed for SATA drives or NVMe drives. Generally, the NVMe ones are either 3.2Gen2 or TB3 interface.

What I want to know is what enclosure this is, and what chip it uses. Also, what does diskutil say? Does it recognize your drive, and are you able to use it to format it with erasedisk? I'm guessing the command hasn't changed, but I'm not sure what sort of filesystem the newest macOS uses, so I'm hesitant to type the rest of that command, as I'm pretty sure Apple uses APFS instead of JHFS+ now and I have no idea how to format a disk from command line as such.

diskutil list

 

[Regeneration]

Plug it directly without USB adapter and check if all capacity is detected without it.

Good chances the problem is in the USB adapter/enclosure.

 

[mar2mar2mar2]

I ran recovery mode and plug this into the internal ssd dock of the macbook with adaptor. It still shows 128GB.

It should be disk 2 and disk 3.

 

[mar2mar2mar2]

I either plug it into my macbook with an Sintech NGFF M.2 nVME SSD Adapter adaptor, or I plug it into USB via nvme to usb adaptor.

 

[Ahhzz]

Hi, I just bought a 2TB 970 EVO plus ssd and plug it to my mac using usb adaptor. I intend it to be used as my internal ssd for my macbook.

It said it is not readable and so I clicked initialise. After initialising, it only shows 128 gb of storage no matter how I erase my drive.

View attachment 156344

Can anyone help? The harddrive label shows 2TB on box and ssd, and there is no 128GB version of 970 EVO plus.

At this point, after connecting it directly, I'd be questioning the drive source. Did you buy it from a reliable vendor? Also, do you happen to have access to a different computer to see if it sees the same?

 

[mar2mar2mar2]

At this point, after connecting it directly, I'd be questioning the drive source. Did you buy it from a reliable vendor? Also, do you happen to have access to a different computer to see if it sees the same?

I buy it directly from amazon samsung official vendor. I don't really have another computer.

 

[Ahhzz]

Yuck. The Samsung Magician software is not available for Macs, altho I might try the Firmware update before giving up completely. There might be some flag that's mis-set and a firmware update might overwrite whatever's not showing properly.
I did see something about an activation software in a small partition on an SSD. Of course, if it was unreadable and you initialized it, that partition if it existed, is gone. I think I'd reach out to Samsung/vendor if the firmware upgrade doesn't do any good, and see what they say. I found another buyer on Amazon who said they purchased a 1Tb from Samsung, and received a 250 instead.

 

[mar2mar2mar2]

Yuck. The Samsung Magician software is not available for Macs, altho I might try the Firmware update before giving up completely. There might be some flag that's mis-set and a firmware update might overwrite whatever's not showing properly.
I did see something about an activation software in a small partition on an SSD. Of course, if it was unreadable and you initialized it, that partition if it existed, is gone. I think I'd reach out to Samsung/vendor if the firmware upgrade doesn't do any good, and see what they say. I found another buyer on Amazon who said they purchased a 1Tb from Samsung, and received a 250 instead.

I also tried the firmware update with bootable drive, it does not detect my samsung ssd 970 Evo plus, either in the external or internal form... Now from your advices, I think it is a hardware problem instead of a software one... But I am confused that the sticker on it is 2TB. How can they mix it up with another product? Maybe I will ask Samsung for a change if possible and leave a review too.

Or is it possible that both of my adaptor is also damaged im the same time? Or is it physically or design-wise possible that the chip is damaged so that I only have access to one part of a ssd storage? It seems very odd to me.

Actually, I bough my first samsung ssd in February and put it inside my macbook.
It suddenly stopped working 1 week ago so I asked for a replacement from amazon.

My first SSD broke down when i was just watching youtube, i think it somehow overheated.
After it i cannot boot my macbook so I replaced it with my original 128GB macbook ssd. And everything works fine.
The first SSD cannot be detect in any form either via adaptor or put it into macbook internally again.

Or does both of these problem has to do with my macbook itself? But it is functioning properly with my original SSD.

The second one just straight-out can be detected but with a wrong volume.

Or would it be possible that my adaptor is damaged too?

 

[the54thvoid]

It's reassuring that at least folks in TPU have replied to you. I've done some googling and found your post in the Apple community forums - no replies there yet.

I can't find any similar problems online so it might well be hardware as @Ahhzz is suggesting. Did you pay normal price for it on Amazon? Just trying to figure if it's a bogus SSD or just not working. But even that's not right as they don't do smaller than 250GB.

@mar2mar2mar2 - try to edit your posts and keep them as one. I've edited it for you and combined your three posts.

 

[mar2mar2mar2]

It's reassuring that at least folks in TPU have replied to you. I've done some googling and found your post in the Apple community forums - no replies there yet.

I can't find any similar problems online so it might well be hardware as @Ahhzz is suggesting. Did you pay normal price for it on Amazon? Just trying to figure if it's a bogus SSD or just not working. But even that's not right as they don't do smaller than 250GB.

Yeah so true... Apple forum people did not reply, and I cannot even post a question in the samsung forum, there is login issue due to their website coding problem. I find it very frustrating for samsung support. Like when I ask for support from america they ask me to ask for Hong Kong. When I ask for Hong Kong they redirect me to a local vendor. I ask the local vendor they said I should I the America Samsung.

 

[tabascosauz]

Uh, so it is internally connected, but because Apple uses this ridiculous M.2-that's-not-actually-M.2 interface, even an M.2 needs an adaptor to actually be usable.

If your previous "Samsung SSD" wasn't a 970 EVO Plus, then there are no comparisons to be drawn. Straight from the product page of this Sintech adapter:

Sounds like you forgot to read the product description before buying the thing. There doesn't look to be anything wrong with the product itself, according to the reviews on Amazon.

Either try again with an SSD in the Supported list, or source an actual Apple "NVMe" drive that fits without an adapter. You still haven't told us the actual model of your Macbook; each generation uses a different M.2-but-not-M.2 drive. I have a feeling that the 2TB 970 EVO Plus, like a lot of other 2TB SKUs, is laid out and designed differently than the smaller models, and your Macbook doesn't want to play nice with a capacity that didn't even exist when it was released.

Also, yeah, Samsung really doesn't want to help you if you move somewhere different than where you purchase the drive. I spend half the year in the UK, and Samsung didn't want anything to do with my 850 EVO that had a corner chipped off the connector; even under warranty, I'd have to come back to Canada and do an RMA.

 

[the54thvoid]

Uh, so it is internally connected, but because Apple uses this ridiculous M.2-that's-not-actually-M.2 interface, even an M.2 needs an adaptor to actually be usable.

If your previous "Samsung SSD" wasn't a 970 EVO Plus, then there are no comparisons to be drawn. Straight from the product page of this Sintech adapter:

View attachment 156350

Sounds like you forgot to read the product description before buying the thing. There doesn't look to be anything wrong with the product itself, according to the reviews on Amazon.

Either try again with an SSD in the Supported list, or source an actual Apple "NVMe" drive that fits without an adapter. You still haven't told us the actual model of your Macbook; each generation uses a different M.2-but-not-M.2 drive. I have a feeling that the 2TB 970 EVO Plus, like a lot of other 2TB SKUs, is laid out and designed differently than the smaller models, and your Macbook doesn't want to play nice with a capacity that didn't even exist when it was released.

I read that it's actually Samsung that make the Apple drives as well - but obviously (because Apple) they need to go down a proprietary path....

 

[tabascosauz]

I read that it's actually Samsung that make the Apple drives as well - but obviously (because Apple) they need to go down a proprietary path....

You are actually right on that. From the variety of adapters sold on Amazon, I'm guessing his is a 2013 or 14 model and thus part of Generation 3 of Apple's stupid drives; this vendor that sells the OEM drives only sells the Samsung 1TB one, but there are other OEMs for the drives as well:

(655-1810) 1TB Apple Blade SSD, PCIe 2.0 x4 SSUAX

Original Apple blade SSD with 12+16-pin connector & PCIe 2.0 x4 interface. Compatible with the Apple Mac mini, Mac Pro, iMac 21.5″ A1418, iMac 27″ A1419, MacBook Pro 13″ Retina A1502 & MBP 15″ A1398. OEM Samsung drive with PNs 655-1810A, 655-1810C, 655-1810D & MZ-KPU1T0T/0A1*. Model SM1024F.

beetstech.com

I hate these drives with a passion, because they are the very archetype of planned obsolescence. On PC, M.2 gets faster from 2.0 x2 to 3.0 x4 and 4.0 x4, but the M-keyed connector is still the exact same one. Every time Apple needs to increase PCIe storage bandwidth, they revise the connector.

I have a 256GB Toshiba Sandisk OEM Generation 3 as well out of a dead Macbook, and I literally can't even wipe the data off the drive or reuse it, because I don't have a means of accommodating the stupid connector.

Also, I don't know why the 1TB drives are always fatter than the others. Makes me wonder if they even fit.

 

[mar2mar2mar2]

I see, thanks for the responses. But regarding the previous ssd, it is the same model, 2TB 970 EVO plus. It was working very well with expected read and write speed.

The adaptor worked too. I am not sure whether it is the reason that caused the malfunction later.

Moreover, i also have this external connector.

Amazon.com: TDBT M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure with Heat Sink, 10Gbps USB-C to PCIe NVMe M.2 Hard Drive Enclosure with Thermal Cooling Pad, NVMe M.2 Drive to USB-C External Storage Enclosure, Fits M-Key B+M Key NVMe SSD: Computers & Accessories

Buy TDBT M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure with Heat Sink, 10Gbps USB-C to PCIe NVMe M.2 Hard Drive Enclosure with Thermal Cooling Pad, NVMe M.2 Drive to USB-C External Storage Enclosure, Fits M-Key B+M Key NVMe SSD: Hard Drive Enclosures - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

And it shows the same 128GB ssd after I connect to it. This should work with the 970 EVO Plus.

My macbook is macbook Pro retina 13", early 2015. The SSD with the adaptor fits into the slot quite well.


I see: Now i search for another adaptor this should work better

Amazon.com: M.2 NVME SSD Convert Adapter, 12+16pin M.2 NGFF M-Key SSD Convert Card for MacBook Air Pro Retina Mid 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017, NVME AHCI SSD Upgraded Kit for A1465 A1466 A1398 A1502: Computers & Accessories

Buy M.2 NVME SSD Convert Adapter, 12+16pin M.2 NGFF M-Key SSD Convert Card for MacBook Air Pro Retina Mid 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017, NVME AHCI SSD Upgraded Kit for A1465 A1466 A1398 A1502: Internal Solid State Drives - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

as suggested by this video:

Uh, so it is internally connected, but because Apple uses this ridiculous M.2-that's-not-actually-M.2 interface, even an M.2 needs an adaptor to actually be usable.

If your previous "Samsung SSD" wasn't a 970 EVO Plus, then there are no comparisons to be drawn. Straight from the product page of this Sintech adapter:

View attachment 156350

Sounds like you forgot to read the product description before buying the thing. There doesn't look to be anything wrong with the product itself, according to the reviews on Amazon.

Either try again with an SSD in the Supported list, or source an actual Apple "NVMe" drive that fits without an adapter. You still haven't told us the actual model of your Macbook; each generation uses a different M.2-but-not-M.2 drive. I have a feeling that the 2TB 970 EVO Plus, like a lot of other 2TB SKUs, is laid out and designed differently than the smaller models, and your Macbook doesn't want to play nice with a capacity that didn't even exist when it was released.

Also, yeah, Samsung really doesn't want to help you if you move somewhere different than where you purchase the drive. I spend half the year in the UK, and Samsung didn't want anything to do with my 850 EVO that had a corner chipped off the connector; even under warranty, I'd have to come back to Canada and do an RMA.