Solid State Drives (SSDs) have become a popular storage technology in computers and other devices over the past decade. Their fast performance and lack of moving parts makes them appealing compared to traditional hard disk drives (HDDs). However, one key difference between SSDs and HDDs is that SSDs require power to maintain the data stored on them, while HDDs can retain data even when powered off.
How SSDs Work
SSDs store data using flash memory, which consists of a grid of cells made from floating-gate transistors. Each cell can store one or more bits of data using the electronic charge held in the floating gate. The amount of charge determines whether the cell holds a 1 or 0 bit value.
To read the data from a cell, the SSD controller applies voltages to detect the level of charge. To write data, the controller tunnels electrons in or out of the floating gate to adjust the charge level. This sets the cell to the desired 1 or 0 state.
However, the charge stored in a flash cell will leak off over time, causing the data to be lost. For this reason, SSDs need to regularly refresh the charge level of each cell through a process called rewrite or garbage collection. This involves reading the cell, amplifying the charge level back to the full value, and writing it back to the cell.
Power Required for SSD Operation
In order for an SSD to operate and maintain the integrity of its stored data, power must be continuously applied for the following reasons:
- The SSD controller chip and other components like the RAM cache require power to run the firmware and manage operations.
- Power is needed to monitor the cells and perform rewrite operations to prevent charge leakage.
- Voltage must be applied to the flash memory grid for the SSD controller to be able to read/write data when commanded.
- The host interface and any other background tasks need operating power as well.
With the SSD powered off, none of these critical functions can take place. The SSD controller is unable to run, monitor the cells, or access the NAND flash memory. This means no data can be read or written.
Data Retention with No Power
When an SSD loses power, the charge stored in its flash memory cells will begin to deteriorate. Leakage currents and charge diffusion will cause the cells to lose their programmed state over time.
Most SSD manufacturers specify a data retention period of around 1-3 months at room temperature with the SSD powered off. Higher quality enterprise SSDs may guarantee 6 months or longer retention. However, elevated temperatures can drastically reduce the retention period. At 80°C, some SSDs may only retain data for a few days with no power applied.
Without the SSD controller running rewrite operations in the background, there is nothing to counteract the charge loss. Eventually the distribution of charge levels in the cells will become so broad that the original data cannot reliably be read back. At this point, the stored data is essentially lost on the SSD if power has not been restored.
Data Recovery from Unpowered SSDs
If an SSD goes too long without power, is exposed to high temperatures, or suffers from internal charge leakage issues, the original data may become unrecoverable. However, advanced data recovery techniques may still be able to rescue some or all of the data in certain scenarios:
- Partial charge loss – If some charge remains in the cells, recovery software can potentially read back bits and remnants of files.
- Low-level drive access – Directly reading raw flash pages may recover recoverable data that is inaccessible at the file system level.
- Repairing failed cells – Some tools can identifies weak cells and restore them to a readable state.
The feasibility of data recovery depends heavily on the SSD model, the age of the data, time without power, and other factors. But in many cases at least a partial restore of lost data is possible even from an unpowered SSD, especially if caught quickly before all charge is lost.
Mitigating Data Loss Without Power
To reduce the risk of data loss on an SSD that may be unpowered for an extended period of time, there are some best practices to follow:
- Minimize storage time at high temperatures to avoid accelerated charge leakage.
- Use enterprise SSDs designed for better retention when unpowered.
- Enable power loss protection modes that force all cached data to flash.
- Keep a powered-on backup computer ready to access data from the SSD if needed.
For ultimate protection, the SSD can be connected to an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) that will continue providing power from its battery in the event of an outage. This allows the SSD controller to remain active and continue rewrite operations as normal.
Conclusion
In summary, SSDs fundamentally require power to reliably store data in the long term. When an SSD loses external power, the lack of charge refresh operations causes the stored data to start deteriorating after around 1-3 months at room temperature. Higher temperatures accelerate this decay. While advanced recovery techniques may be able to rescue data from an unpowered SSD, steps should be taken to prevent data loss if the SSD will go unpowered for an extended period. Connecting the SSD to a UPS or powered server provides the best assurance that the data will remain intact and accessible as needed.
