Dead 2016 MacBook Pro needs data recovered

[timeshifter]

A friend brought me her 2016 13" non-touchbar MacBook Pro that has had water spilled on it. It's completely dead and won't power on. They understand that the repair costs may be high. They're mostly focused on recovering data.

Unfortunately, they have some data on there that has not been backed up and it's important to them.

I have no interest in offering any kind of repair of this machine. I do want to help them recover the data.

The machine is model A1708. My understanding is that this machine has a PCI-e SSD that uses a proprietary interface that only existed on the 2016-2107 models.

I've looked but can't find any adapters that would allow me to connect this SSD to another system. Do any of you know of an adapter that will help?

Here's what I'm thinking: Recommend they buy a used machine of the same vintage. Open that machine and install their SSD. Sell the leftovers as is for parts on eBay.

Thoughts?

 

[britechguy]

How long ago was the spill? Has the machine been given days, plural, in a sunny and warm location like a car interior to dry out?

I have seen quite a few water spilled or dropped-into devices come back to life (and, yes, they would not boot and showed no signs of life) after drying out thoroughly.

 

[timeshifter]

Only a couple of days so far. None in a warm car, not many of those days left around here. How about some gentle coaxing with a heat gun?

 

[britechguy]

Oh, there are plenty enough sunny autumn days still to come that will raise the temperature in a car to a nice "drying oven" temperature.

And I say the following not as a joke, but if you have a small oven (as in regular oven), just leaving the light on raises the temperature to around 100° F, which is also an ideal gentle drying temperature (so long as you don't accidentally turn the actual oven on with the thing in there). Those of us who bake bread, and use the oven as our proofing box, know how well this constant, low but way-warmer-than-room-temperature "box" technique is when things are too cool in the house.

 

[overburnz]

You’re best shot is to try and use the SSD on another machine from the same year... usually owc has adapters for MacBook machine but only until the 2015 models

 

[Markverhyden]

I seem to remember a conversation I had with @labtech about data recovery on MBP's from that era. They utilize a another chip on the MB for security. Seem to remember he had bought the kit for that which enabled proper recovery from a deab MBP. His website is
https://www.datarecoveryguru.com/, you can submit a ticket there if you want.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Here's his YouTube video of using it to recover data from a MBP with dead MB.

 

[britechguy]

I'd still try a long, slow drying in elevated temperatures - up to 2 weeks, but at least 5 days before I'd even consider trying to fire the thing up again.

There are lots of little nooks and crannies that get very little air exposure that take a very, very long time to completely dry out.

Now, the above assumes no real time constraints from the client's end. If there's a real rush, that changes the dynamic entirely.

 

[labtech]

Here's his YouTube video of using it to recover data from a MBP with dead MB.

Thanks, that video was terrible, lol

 

[timeshifter]

I proposed the idea of them buying a similar model and I'll swap the data over. She's a bit of the paranoid type. Now I'm wondering if she may have turned on File Vault. If that's the case then I presume this plan is out the window?

Does the File Vault encryption use something in the hardware (T2 chip?) to assist in the encryption? Or, will it be a matter of just logging on and signing in to the system once a successful drive swap is made?

 

[overburnz]

The 2016 model does not have a T2 Security Chip, but if it’s FileVault encrypted they must now the password in order to acess the data

 

[Oswald Rodriguez]

I recommend you to clean it. The first step is to disassembly it (you need a special screwdriver to open it, pentalobe tip), then remove the logic board and examine thoroughly in the spilled areas (there must be small corrosion), afterwards you have to clean it with dielectric solvent or if you have an ultrasonic machine wash it with Branson EC Cleaner solution. Then check if it turns on... maybe you'll have luck.