Resolved Macbook Pro 15'' (Mid 2015) freezes and crashes after SSD upgrade

[apfelmann]

Hi Mac-friends!

I've had Macs since 2007 and never had this problem ... maybe you can help.

I upgraded a Macbook Pro 15'' (Mid 2015) with SSD adapter and 1 TB Samsung SSD.

SSD adapter: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07889YRFT/
SSD: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07CGJNLBB/

I read here in the forums that these SSD upgrade components should work fine. well, it doesnt my case ... they work fine in my brothers macbook (same macbook, same parts) actually.

Since the upgrade the Macbook crashes and freezes quite often. And its getting worse ...

i get these two screens from time to time:

What should I do?

Is it most likely that the SSD and/or adapter is faulty? I could just tell Amazon they must exchange these parts. that would be easy.
Or could I try something before exchanging the hardware?

Greetings from Austria! (second apple store to open after covid worldwide, yeah!)
Jakob

 

[vince22]

Hi Mac-friends!

I've had Macs since 2007 and never had this problem ... maybe you can help.

I upgraded a Macbook Pro 15'' (Mid 2015) with SSD adapter and 1 TB Samsung SSD.

SSD adapter: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07889YRFT/
SSD: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07CGJNLBB/

I read here in the forums that these SSD upgrade components should work fine. well, it doesnt my case ... they work fine in my brothers macbook (same macbook, same parts) actually.

Since the upgrade the Macbook crashes and freezes quite often. And its getting worse ...

i get these two screens from time to time:
View attachment 912413
View attachment 912414

What should I do?

Is it most likely that the SSD and/or adapter is faulty? I could just tell Amazon they must exchange these parts. that would be easy.
Or could I try something before exchanging the hardware?

Greetings from Austria! (second apple store to open after covid worldwide, yeah!)
Jakob

i would try put a Kapton tape with your adapter or replace it with longer or shorter Sintech adapter below, good luck.

NGFF M.2 nVME SSD Adapter, für Upgrade MacBook Air 2013-2017 MacBook Pro Late 2013-2015 iMac 2013-2017 Jahr (ST-NGFF2013C)

Der Sintech ST-NGFF2013-C ist dafür da ihre NGFF M.2 PCIe SSD Anschluss zu einem für ein Macbook Air/Pro Retina kompatiblen SSD Anschluss zu konvertieren oder das SSD Module zu ersetzen.Dazu wird ...

www.amazon.de

NGFF M.2 nvme SSD Adapter Karte, kompatibel mit Macs 2013–2015

NGFF M.2 nvme SSD Adapter Karte wurde verwendet, um das Macs 2013-2015 zu aktualisieren

www.amazon.de

 

[Sanpete]

If the same parts (meaning not only the same models but the same pieces) work in your brother's machine, it might be the cable in yours. If you still have the old drive, you could try putting it back in to see if it works. If so, the cable is probably OK, though it could be the cable is having trouble with different current or data demands.

Have you run the disk utility?

How to repair a Mac disk with Disk Utility - Apple Support

Use the First Aid feature of Disk Utility to find and repair disk errors.

support.apple.com

 

[apfelmann]

I just noticed it could have something to do with my magic mouse 2.

I turned the mouse on and the macbook crashed instantly.

then boot up again. now system preferences freezes when I turn the mouse on

very strange ...
[automerge]1588764341[/automerge]
Thank you!

@Sanpete yes I could try the old drive. still have it

@vince22 yes, I read about sintech. but like I said, the exact same parts work in my brothers (exact same) machine ...

 

[vince22]

I just noticed it could have something to do with my magic mouse 2.

I turned the mouse on and the macbook crashed instantly.

then boot up again. now system preferences freezes when I turn the mouse on

very strange ...
[automerge]1588764341[/automerge]
Thank you!

@Sanpete yes I could try the old drive. still have it

@vince22 yes, I read about sintech. but like I said, the exact same parts work in my brothers (exact same) machine ...

you may have found the culprit, excellent work.

 

[apfelmann]

Can anyone help?

I still have the problems I described in the title ...

 

[Quackers]

Try running it without the mouse and without any peripherals plugged in.

 

[Sanpete]

What have you done since your earlier posts to narrow down the issue?

 

[OVERTASK]

Can anyone help?

I still have the problems I described in the title ...

Have you tried updated the firmware on the SSD itself? May have gotten an old batch from vendor with older firmware, seem to recall there were some compatibility issues with the 970 Evo and Macs on earlier firmware revisions

 

[apfelmann]

Have you tried updated the firmware on the SSD itself? May have gotten an old batch from vendor with older firmware, seem to recall there were some compatibility issues with the 970 Evo and Macs on earlier firmware revisions

On the Samsung SSD support site it says there is no way on MAC OS to update the firmware ...
So I need to get the SSD out of the macbook again first?

 

[apfelmann]

Have you tried updated the firmware on the SSD itself? May have gotten an old batch from vendor with older firmware, seem to recall there were some compatibility issues with the 970 Evo and Macs on earlier firmware revisions

maybe it really is the firmware

because as I wrote in the first posting, I installed exactly the same parts in my brother's macbook pro 2015. and his is working perfectly ... but we bought his ssd half a year later than mine ...

 

[OVERTASK]

On the Samsung SSD support site it says there is no way on MAC OS to update the firmware ...
So I need to get the SSD out of the macbook again first?

Shouldn’t need to take it out, get latest firmware from Samsung website for your drive, then burn the ISO onto a USB (Using BalenaEtcher likely easiest way) and boot from the USB, follow prompts.

Usual caveat, make sure you back the drive up before, generally good idea to have both a TimeMachine back up and a clone of the drive.

 

[apfelmann]

Shouldn’t need to take it out, get latest firmware from Samsung website for your drive, then burn the ISO onto a USB (Using BalenaEtcher likely easiest way) and boot from the USB, follow prompts.

Usual caveat, make sure you back the drive up before, generally good idea to have both a TimeMachine back up and a clone of the drive.

In the meantime I found out that it is not the firmware

so now I ordered a new SSD adapter. that is my last hope ?

(in the meantime I swapped in the original Apple SSD. And no problems ...)

 

[OVERTASK]

In the meantime I found out that it is not the firmware

so now I ordered a new SSD adapter. that is my last hope ?

(in the meantime I swapped in the original Apple SSD. And no problems ...)

I thought you had already ruled out faulty adapter?

 

[apfelmann]

Problem solved!
It was the adapter...

I now use the “legendary” SINTECH adapter and it works flawlessly with the 970 EVO SSD. Sleep-wake also no issues

thank you for your help!

I ordered the SINTECH adapter from here:

NGFF M.2 PCIe SSD Card as 2013 2014 2015 MacBook SSD [ST-NGFF2013-C] - $9.99 : Sintech Eshop!, The World of PC Adapter Card

Sintech Eshop! NGFF M.2 PCIe SSD Card as 2013 2014 2015 MacBook SSD [ST-NGFF2013-C] - ST-NGFF2013-C NGFF M.2 PCIe SSD Card as 2013 2014 2015 MacBook SSD is used to convert NGFF M.2 PCIe SSD as Apple 2013-2014 MACBOOK AIR/PRO Retina ssd .Specifications and features:1.Support Following M.2 nVMe...

eshop.sintech.cn

 

[OVERTASK]

Problem solved!
It was the adapter...

I now use the “legendary” SINTECH adapter and it works flawlessly with the 970 EVO SSD. Sleep-wake also no issues

thank you for your help!

I ordered the SINTECH adapter from here:

NGFF M.2 PCIe SSD Card as 2013 2014 2015 MacBook SSD [ST-NGFF2013-C] - $9.99 : Sintech Eshop!, The World of PC Adapter Card

Sintech Eshop! NGFF M.2 PCIe SSD Card as 2013 2014 2015 MacBook SSD [ST-NGFF2013-C] - ST-NGFF2013-C NGFF M.2 PCIe SSD Card as 2013 2014 2015 MacBook SSD is used to convert NGFF M.2 PCIe SSD as Apple 2013-2014 MACBOOK AIR/PRO Retina ssd .Specifications and features:1.Support Following M.2 nVMe...

eshop.sintech.cn

Congrats, glad you managed to figure it out!

 

[jonywalker]

I have exactly the same issue with the samsung ssd 970 evo 1 TB. At the every beginning the macbook just didn't wake up sometimes, now it begins to crash, more and more frequently. Mine is MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014), and I use this adapter, whats wrong with this adapter?