Hey there!
Every software update delivers new features and capabilities for PC‑3000 users, but we never stop improving the hardware either, regularly adding new adapters to support emerging technologies.
As you know, the PC‑3000 Portable isn’t limited to SATA‑based devices – it also supports PCIe interfaces, giving data recovery professionals access to a growing range of modern storage technologies.
We already support a wide range of SSDs built on various controllers – and we’re actively working to add even more.
Not long ago, we introduced the MacBook Pro A1706/A1708 (2016–2017) PCIe SSD adapter for PC‑3000 Portable III and Portable PRO. Let’s take a closer look at what this adapter brings to the table and why it matters for data recovery labs.
Apple devices are popular worldwide and enjoy a loyal fan base. The MacBook Pro is one of Apple’s most iconic and successful products. While many different models and modifications exist on the market today, we chose to focus on the 2016 and 2017 versions for several key reasons:
Of course, knowing Apple, we couldn’t expect anything ordinary – especially when it comes to the interfaces they use. Here’s what the SSD inside this MacBook Pro actually looks like:
Picture by ifixit.com
The drive uses a proprietary Apple NVMe interface with a custom design for which no third‑party adapters were previously available. Until we changed that.
With the MacBook Pro A1706/A1708 adapter you can recover data from both logically damaged drives and fully functional SSDs that are otherwise inaccessible due to laptop failure.
What are the most common laptop problems?
- Damaged or broken screen
- Failed motherboard
- Any number of physical issues that occur in everyday laptop use
The good news? SSDs have no moving parts, so even if the laptop is dropped, the drive itself often survives unscathed. The real problem is that you can’t simply connect it to another PC – which is exactly where our MacBook Pro A1706/A1708 PCIe SSD adapter comes in. 
Please note that there are 3 types of MacBook PRO A1706-A1708 SSDs and ACE Lab adapters support them all.
Type 1: the most common configuration, typically found in the 2016 MacBook Pro 13″ with functional keys:
Type 2: the standard configuration used in 2017 MacBook Pro 13″ models with functional keys:
Type 3: a Chinese‑manufactured copy of the Apple SSD, based on the SM2263XT controller. These drives are often purchased on e‑commerce sites by users looking to upgrade their Mac’s storage, but they frequently suffer from quality issues such as bad sectors or translator (firmware/service area) corruption. Our adapter provides full support for these models as well:
For today’s review, we’re working with an SSD from a 2017 MacBook Pro 13″ whose motherboard has failed. After removing the drive from the laptop, we connected it to the PC‑3000 Portable system using the ACE Lab adapter.
Now, we’ll open the Universal utility to verify that the drive’s ID is recognized correctly:
The drive ID looks good, so now we can check access to the user area using the Sector Edit option:
Once we’ve confirmed that the MBR is visible, the next step is to create a Data Extractor task:
As you can see, the data is accessible – meaning you can proceed with saving the files you need.
If the file structure is unavailable or damaged, we recommend starting with a full data copy:
If the drive has bad blocks, don’t forget that you can adjust the settings to improve reading stability:
After that, launch a quick disk analysis — it may help reveal the file structure:
Here are the results of the drive analysis:
If you’re unable to access the file structure after a quick disk analysis, don’t worry – you can always proceed with a full disk analysis or switch to raw recovery mode.
For drives using the non-original SM2263XT modification, the Silicon Motion SM2263XT Utility offers powerful options, including the ability to rebuild the translator and recover data that might otherwise seem lost.
As always, if you have any questions about your specific data recovery cases, you’re welcome to address them to the ACE Lab Technical Support
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