Problem Data recovery from a compact flash card?

[Ronnie Dent]

I have a transend 4gb flash card that has failed! I need to recover the data from it. I popped it open and it has 1 x FBGMM3P-0S03 chip. I have a wellon programmer but not a TSOP adaptor, I thought about buying a transend 4gb USB pen in the hope it had the same chip I could swap in mine and hopefully read the contents? Anyone know of a cheap solution or offer any other advice?

Thanks Ronnie

 

[Georgian2]

Maybe it is easyer to buy a new controller SM2232T if I can read corectly.

 

[Ace`]

I'd buy the same cf card again (if you can find one) and swap the flash chip, far less pins and easier to swap. Saying that chances are the flash chip is what is dead and your data is gone with it.

 

[Ronnie Dent]

I'd buy the same cf card again (if you can find one) and swap the flash chip, far less pins and easier to swap. Saying that chances are the flash chip is what is dead and your data is gone with it.

Thanks guys, the chip that was getting hot was the control chip, sop hope the other storage chip is ok.

That probably makes sense to buy the same card and do a transplant, it’s tricky to open without damaging the case, I did find the same card on eBay fairly cheap
Thanks Ronnie

 

[Georgian2]

I'd buy the same cf card again (if you can find one) and swap the flash chip, far less pins and easier to swap. Saying that chances are the flash chip is what is dead and your data is gone with it.

Far less pins and easier to swap, yes. But there is a chance of damaging the flash chip with overheat or break some pins and so on. By swapping the controller one can have more freedom. If you damage it, you can buy another one and still don't lose any data. Just my opinion.

 

[Ronnie Dent]

Far less pins and easier to swap, yes. But there is a chance of damaging the flash chip with overheat or break some pins and so on. By swapping the controller one can have more freedom. If you damage it, you can buy another one and still don't lose any data. Just my opinion.

I see your point but I’m no expert soldering this stuff so the less pins would be easier for me, I do have a rework station but I don’t have a microscope lol
Thanks Ronnie

 

[ArcadePCB]

If you're not expierenenced in soldering 0.5mm pitched chips, I'd highly recommend to search for a person who is and who has the equipment to solder this type of components. Otherwise it's almost sure you'll destroy it. I't very important to use good soldering tools and a microscope or a vision system for this task.

 

[Ronnie Dent]

If you're not expierenenced in soldering 0.5mm pitched chips, I'd highly recommend to search for a person who is and who has the equipment to solder this type of components. Otherwise it's almost sure you'll destroy it. I't very important to use good soldering tools and a microscope or a vision system for this task.

Thankyou, well I have done some smd work, not much mainly resistors diodes and transistors, I do have a rework station but nothing fancy, I have ordered a usb microscope, thinking hot air for removal and drag solder for replacement. I do a lot of soldering and have all the flux wick tweezers etc, what I'm never very sure of is temp for the station, I have it around 380 degrees?

Thanks Ronnie

 

[Bods]

After 2 failed HDD's in 6 months one being the newest I had and SSD I bought couple of 4TB USB hard drives, one to backup the 2tb Nas before anything happens as the drives are now probably 15+ years old, backup all the PC Hard Drives, Camera Memory cards
2nd one to store more arcade games on for TP and then I've another Netgear Nas box same with 4x 2tb drives
Considering they say 3-5 years for mechanical drives and 10 years for SSD it the Mechanical ones have lasted 10+ and SSD died in less than 3

 

[Ronnie Dent]

Had a practice on a similar chip, it’s the top of the two, removed it and soldered it back on, no idea if I killed the chip in the process! Found a card with same chip on so will practice on that next!

 

[Ronnie Dent]

Ok happy to report swapping the chip with the needed data to a new CF was a success! The CF card now reads on my pc and I have backed up the data. It was a fiddly job and I almost convinced myself not to try it.

Thanks Ace and georgian2 for your input

Cheers Ronnie

 

[Venom]

Must be some important data and glad all sorted for you.

Perhaps you can do that Microsoft surface that needs the SSD soldered out, that sod in the non arcade items !!!

 

[Ronnie Dent]

Must be some important data and glad all sorted for you.

Perhaps you can do that Microsoft surface that needs the SSD soldered out, that sod in the non arcade items !!!

Seen that lol, I bought a surface with a smashed screen few years back it was cheap but the screen was £120! Fitted a new one but after a few months part of the touch died!