Laptop SSD full, locked out and how to retrieve data RESOLVED

[Jeronimus]

I had been chancing things for a while on my Lenovo ThinkPad T450 by letting the 125gb SSD get full up.

I think a few updates were the cause of locking me out: ie I could not successful log in on the computer: I put in the password, the screen blinked and then prompted the password again.

I was intending to replace this 125gb SSD with a 500gb SSD anyway, which I have now done with Mint 21.

I am not too bothered about retrieving all the data on the old SSD, the important stuff being in a Syncthing folder, which is easily retrievable. 90% of my work is done on desktop not this laptop.

I also thought there was merit in just starting afresh.

However, I would like to retrieve some files from the old SSD. But connecting the old SSD via cable adapter means I cannot just open up and copy files over to the new SSD.

Any thoughts for working round this: ie seeing the files and copying what I want to keep?

[Cosmo.]

If you just want to copy dome files from the 125 GB drive: Boot the live system, which you used to install Mint and copy the files to a stick.

[AndyMH]

However, I would like to retrieve some files from the old SSD. But connecting the old SSD via cable adapter means I cannot just open up and copy files over to the new SSD.

Unless you had an encrypted install you should be able to plug it in via a sata/usb connector and mount the partitions on it via your file manager. Done this many times. In fact when you plug it in, mint will automount the partitions in /media/you for you.

[Jo-con-Ël]

Most probably also you will need to check and repair filesytem before you can get read&write access to that partition(s) to copy personal data to another media or clean-up.

From Linux Live USB just open terminal and run sudo fdisk -l to see root and /home partition if it is apart. Then run sudo fsck -y /dev/XXX replacing /dev/XXX with real partition names and numbers.

[Jeronimus]

However, I would like to retrieve some files from the old SSD. But connecting the old SSD via cable adapter means I cannot just open up and copy files over to the new SSD.

Unless you had an encrypted install you should be able to plug it in via a sata/usb connector and mount the partitions on it via your file manager. Done this many times. In fact when you plug it in, mint will automount the partitions in /media/you for you.

Unfortunately, this is not working. Perhaps because the disk is full, and cannot be accessed at all? It simply shows that there are no files.

[Cosmo.]

Unfortunately, this is not working. Perhaps because the disk is full, and cannot be accessed at all? It simply shows that there are no files.

What does not work? You cannot mount as described by Jo-con-Ël? A full drive does not prevent mounting.
Or you cannot copy, because there are no files. Show it please.

[Jo-con-Ël]

Keep old SSD connected internally (do not use that adapter) and boot from Linux Live USB to do as indicated.

[John_B]

I had been chancing things for a while on my Lenovo ThinkPad T450 by letting the 125gb SSD get full up.

I think a few updates were the cause of locking me out: ie I could not successful log in on the computer: I put in the password, the screen blinked and then prompted the password again.

I was intending to replace this 125gb SSD with a 500gb SSD anyway, which I have now done with Mint 21.

I am not too bothered about retrieving all the data on the old SSD, the important stuff being in a Syncthing folder, which is easily retrievable. 90% of my work is done on desktop not this laptop.

I also thought there was merit in just starting afresh.

However, I would like to retrieve some files from the old SSD. But connecting the old SSD via cable adapter means I cannot just open up and copy files over to the new SSD.

Any thoughts for working round this: ie seeing the files and copying what I want to keep?

Related:

July 26, 2022
What Is SSD Over-Provisioning (OP)? How to Set up OP on SSDs?
https://www.minitool.com/partition-disk ... oning.html
https://archive.is/jA0Hw
https://archive.ph/jA0Hw

[Jeronimus]

Sorry, I should have updated this. I will mark it resolved.

I just replaced the SSD to a 500g and fresh installed Mint 21.

I did fresh installs on both my machines, in fact, and reinstalled the software, mainly via flatpak.

I just felt it was a major upgrade, so I started afresh.

The desktop ssd is just for software, with all files written direct to the 2TB hard drive.