How to use these drives?

[Dryst]

I have 24 of these flash array modules that I purchased from a liquidation auction about a year or two back. I'm not sure how I can/should use them. I assume they were used inside a server at some point and thought maybe it could be a fun little project to work on. Any ideas on how I could test if these drives still work? Or what I could do with them? I have no experience with building or managing servers so any help is appreciated

Each of them are 1 tb and they look like they use a U.2 connector. The drives themselves do not have a shell around them and are just exposed green pcb. They are manufactured by Lite-On Corp.

 

[lunadesign]

Any part numbers? Maybe post a photo?

 

[Dryst]

Here's some photos.

 

[T_Minus]

They look like drives used internally in a laptop would that sound right based on what you were told when you got them?

I'd guess a normal connection would work.

 

[BlueFox]

They look like drives used internally in a laptop would that sound right based on what you were told when you got them?

I'd guess a normal connection would work.

Definitely not out of a laptop. They're custom boards that look to be PCIe based on the pinouts. Given the date, either looking at early NVMe or potentially AHCI over 4 PCIe lanes (like the Samsung XP941).

These came from a Bay Area startup that so far as I can tell, went bust by 2016.

 

[chip]

the pins on the notch inbetween to power and data pins say "PCI-express" to me, so not sure a laptop will be much use. Maybe a U.2 adapter card would work.

edit: beaten

 

[lte]

Easiest way to find out: attach it to a Tri-Mode controller like the Broadcom 9440

 

[Dryst]

Thanks for the replies. I ordered a U.2 adapter to try it out and see if they work. Is it just a standard drop it in and it works or will I have to jump through some hoops to get it to work as a regular drive? Not sure what to do with them yet but I figure I'll search for a way to put them to use or else just sell them.