SMR Hard Drive Data Recovery
At Rossmann Repair Group, we specialize in the recovery of data from Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) hard drives, which is new tech. SMR drives are widely used in consumer and enterprise environments since they provide higher storage capacity for less money. Their unique structure makes them very difficult to recover when they fail.
If your SMR hard drive is not working, we have all the tools necessary to get your data back!
If your SMR hard drive is not working, we have all the tools necessary to get your data back!
Why Rossmann Repair?
What Makes SMR Drives Unique and Challenging for Recovery?
SMR hard drives write data in overlapping tracks, like shingles on a roof. This allows for higher storage density. While this technology maximizes capacity, it makes recovery more difficult due to the following reasons:
- Overlapping Data Tracks: Modifying or recovering one track risks overwriting or corrupting adjacent tracks.
- Second-Level Translators (SLT): These firmware components map logical block addresses (LBA) to physical block addresses (PBA). If the translator is damaged, the drive can return empty or corrupted data.
- Trim-like UNMAP Commands: SMR drives used in host-managed or host-aware configurations can process UNMAP commands (similar to TRIM for SSDs) in some systems. These commands tell the drive to mark certain data blocks as no longer in use, which can sometimes erase important mapping information in the Second-Level Translator (SLT) that connects logical addresses to physical storage locations. Deleted translator metadata or zone mappings can prevent reconstruction of the overlapping data tracks unique to SMR drives.
- Firmware Dependence: SMR drives heavily rely on firmware for managing data zones, and corruption here can make recovery extremely complex.
Who Uses SMR Hard Drives?
SMR drives are commonly found in:
- Consumer Electronics: External hard drives like the WD My Passport and Seagate Backup Plus.
- Network Attached Storage (NAS): Models like the WD Red series often use SMR drives for storage solutions.
- Surveillance Systems: High-capacity drives for storing security camera footage, such as some of Seagate’s SMR-based surveillance models.
Common Issues with SMR Drives
- Quick Formatting:
- If you format a drive and unplug it, old-style CMR drives (CMR referring to Conventional Magnetic Recording) are trivial to recover with standard software like R-Studio or UFS. Sometimes a pain, but mostly doable.
- With SMR drives like some WD My Passport models, you have to deal with second translators, translator dependencies, and you may not even get all the data from it.
- Basic software like UFS Explorer and R-Studio will show only empty sectors with zeroes in a case like this where the drive was formatted.
- Recovery often requires advanced tools to bypass damaged SLTs and restore fragmented data, like the Acelab PC3000.
- Firmware Corruption:
- SMR-specific firmware handling is more complicated compared to older CMR drives.
- If the second translator has an issue, the drive may click even if the heads are good, which can confuse new technicians into believing the heads are a problem.
- Sometimes this means blocking access to the service area or special modules.
- Software like UFS Explorer and R-Studio will not handle this. In this case, UFS stands for "u find shit" - only zeroes :'(
Our SMR Data Recovery Process
We use advanced technology and methods to deal with the challenges specific to SMR recovery:
- Translator Repair:
- We rebuild or bypass the damaged second-level translator to recover fragmented data.
- Firmware Restoration:
- Our tools safely repair corrupted firmware modules to get the drive back to working condition so we can recover all of its data.
- Zone Recovery:
- By carefully handling overlapping zones, we ensure adjacent data tracks remain intact during recovery.
- Physical Repairs:
- For drives with mechanical issues, our Purair VLF-48 laminar flow bench provides the controlled environment necessary for repairs. The Purair VLF-48 Laminar Flow Bench allows an ultra-clean workspace with ULPA filtration capturing 99.999% of particles down to 0.1 microns. Its vertical airflow design minimizes turbulence, making it perfect for handling delicate media during data recovery. We are NOT opening your drive in any old office!
Watch a Real Data Recovery Service below!
Why SMR Data Recovery Requires Experienced Technicians
Recovering data from SMR hard drives is a highly specialized task that requires lots of technical expertise & precision. New technicians working with tools like the PC3000 or performing cleanroom repairs on a laminar flow bench are on their way to success if they are committed to learning, but newer technicians often make mistakes that lead to permanent data loss. Here’s why choosing an experienced technician matters!
Common Mistakes Made by Inexperienced Technicians
Mishandling Second-Level Translators (SLT):
- SMR drives rely on SLTs to map logical data to physical locations. A newbie may overwrite or improperly rebuild this translator, causing irreversible data loss.
- Using generic PC3000 scripts without understanding SMR-specific firmware quirks can result in fragmented or missing data.
Damage to Overlapping Data Tracks:
- SMR drives write data in overlapping tracks, meaning a mistake in one area can overwrite or corrupt adjacent tracks.
- Inexperienced techs often use cloning methods meant for standard old CMR drives which can destroy the integrity of overlapping zones.
Improper Use of Cleanroom Tools:
- Handling delicate internal components like heads or platters in a laminar flow bench requires experience. Common errors include:
- Scratching platters while removing heads.
- Misaligning replacement components, rendering the drive unreadable.
- Handling delicate internal components like heads or platters in a laminar flow bench requires experience. Common errors include:
Not addressing UNMAP Issues:
- New techs sometimes overlook the impact of Trim commands, which can prematurely delete data necessary for a data recovery from SMR drives. Misconfiguring recovery software can make things worse.
Inadequate Firmware Handling:
- SMR drives depend heavily on proprietary firmware for managing shingled zones. Without training a technician might apply firmware fixes meant for CMR drives, bricking the device.
Why Choose Rossmann Repair Group?
- Certified Expertise: Our technicians are extensively trained and certified by ACE Lab, the developers of PC3000. We understand the nuances of SMR drives and their unique recovery challenges. While "Apple certification" is useless & often means the technician is not allowed to do real repairs, acelab's actually matter!
- Industry-Leading Tools: We
- Experience You Can Trust: With years of expertise in data recovery, we handle cases other labs cannot.
- Top Rated: No, really. Check google maps - we have the highest(and most) ratings of any data recovery company.
- No paid advertising: No banner ads, no yelp promotions, no google adwords. We rely on word of mouth and videos demonstrating our abilities. The lack of paid advertising means the savings are passed onto you.
Contact Us Today
If your SMR hard drive has failed, don’t lose hope. Contact Rossmann Repair Group for professional data recovery services!
We Can Extract Information From These Types of Media at Our Lab
Laptop Hard Drives
Liquid damaged iPhones
Physically damaged USB flash drives
SD & microSD cards
WD MyPassport
Desktop Hard Drives
External Hard Drives
USB Hard Drives
RAID configurations
SATA, IDE, SCSI, SAS, SSD Hard Drives
Our Rates?
Giving a price without seeing the device, assessing its condition is impossible. Everyone feels better having some basic idea of what things may cost, so for a basic idea, see below. Do realize the + means price can go up! Please do note that drives that have been opened before are rarely if ever recoverable by us: mention this prior to sending it in as we rarely work on pre-worked on drives.
Hard Drives
$100 for basic data retrieval, $250-$650 for firmware repair, $900-$2000 for heads swap.
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CellPhones
$300-$650 for drop or liquid damage, $1200+ for difficult cases(board swap). $400+ for any damage inflicted by inept repair technicians(long screw) that is above and beyond terrible.
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Love From Our Customers
Hear from our satisfied customers who trust us for their data recovery needs in Austin. We didn't become the top rated repair shop on Google maps by accident - this was a 15 year effort of providing best-in-class service, with no gimmicks.
I was referred to this company via a friend who I trust undoubtedly in tech. So, I knew they had to be good.....and they were! Their process is exactly what is shared online. The team was very responsive, accommodating and helpful. I couldn't be happier to receive all my lost work/data back again. I appreciate Rossmann being such an honest and trustworthy tech company which you don't see too often because most tech/data recovery companies will use your loss for their financial gain...Rossmann doesn't regulate like this. To those who are looking for data recovery services/repair, I highly, highly recommend this company.
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Diandra Renee
1/17/2025
I was a big fan of Rossmann. I have been watching him on YouTube for years. Naturally, when I was having a hardware problem with my Framework Laptop, I was so excited to be able to use the business owned by one of my heroes. I emailed them in advance since I know they focus on Apple Product repair. They emailed me warning it may take several weeks. I thought to myself. I can wait as long as it takes, I just want my issue resolved so I shipped it out. The issue was after a spill on the charge port the machine would periodically stop charging and need the power cable re-seated. I shipped it out and waited. I even pre-approved like 300 dollars for repairs. I was ready to pay the price for quality work. Finally, they call me to tell me they cannot fix it. They said they observed the issue but saw no signs of water damage and found no shorts on the board and said all they could do was a data backup. I said why would I pay for a data backup of a working drive? They said good point. I pleaded please maybe if you look at it for longer or have another tech check it out you can figure it out. They refused and shipped it back (at cost to me but I knew that going in). I basically gave up. I figured if the legendary Rossmann can't fix it then nobody can. One day a week later I walked past a repair shop in NYC called iFixit. I walked in and told them my story and they seemed super confident they could fix it and would not charge to take a look. Less than a week later they called and said it was fixed 95 bucks please. I was excited and skeptical. I picked it up and paid. I asked what they had done and all they did was clean the motherboard (like ultrasonic cleaning I think). I was worried. There was no way this would be all that was needed, because no way Rossmann's people missed such an easy fix. Well It's been weeks and I can confirm this was all that was needed. My Framework is now fully functional. I am thrilled but so disappointed. Rossmann Repair Group has been the biggest disappointment for me of the entire year of 2023. I seriously hope that my experience was the exception to the rule and that everyone else is having a better experience. My experience was what I expect from Geek Squad at Best Buy. Now I worked for Geek Squad and its great to send your mum or granny to get a virus cleaned and a basic hard drive data backup, but real repairs its not the place you want to go. I thought Rossmann was... I was wrong. iFixit in NYC was the place to go. Finishing the story: I received a call from Rossmann Repair. Initially I didn't take the call. I figured it was going to be an underhanded attempt to get me to amend the review above. When I got a second call several minutes later I figured I would take the call and see what they were going to say. The gentleman that was speaking said they wanted to talk about the review I had left. They wanted to let me know what happened from their side. I was skeptical but already on the phone and to be fair nobody had been unprofessional in their communications with me so I felt it would be rude not to let the man finish. Ultimately he told me that they dropped the ball and that my review was one of the few bad reviews that was justified. He went over in great detail what had happened from their end and why they believed there was no option for repair. He really wanted to convey that they were sorry they let me down that this truly was an anomaly and I believe him. I will be changing the review from a 1 to a 2 star but will not change the contents only add this ending to the story. While I doubt I will be using Rossmann Repair again I do believe they are a capable and professional shop. Edit: I have since received correspondence from Louis Rossmann himself and I truly believe that I am an edge case and that this shop is an amazing place and I just got very unlucky. Thank you Louis. Keep up all the good work you do.
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Tech Girl Tiff
4/21/2024
If I could give this place 10 stars I would. Long story short my wife's macbook pro wouldn't see hard drive. Upon startup all we saw was a blinking file with a question mark. Called apple and made appointment with "genius" bar. They said that hard drive was dead and to take it to a micro center or similar store to try and get my wife's pics and videos (which she NEVER backed up) off of the dead drive. My wife was in tears now because it wasn't even a definite that she could recover them. Pricing for this according to numerous data recovery shops was 500-1500 and like I said it wasn't definite they could get the data. Well went on yelp and saw Rossman repair group which was a 40 minute drive and had 4.5 stars on yelp. Their pricing was tiered according to what had to be done to get the data and started at around 200 bucks so I figured I'd take a ride into the city with the wifey and hope for the best. Upon walking into this little shop a nice young lady asked to see the computer. She started started it up, saw the blinking file and handed it to a gentleman sitting at a work desk right next to her. The guy says might be a cable issue they're known to go bad in these computers. He then opened the computer, hooked up his hard drive and it still didn't work. Cable is bad and NOT HARD DRIVE!!!! Give us about 20 minutes we have these in stock and it will cost 100 bucks plus tax!!!!! OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH !!! went for a nice little dinner right on next block at this great little pizzeria/restaurant while we waited. Got the wifey a nice glass of wine and picked computer up 45 minutes later. THESE GUYS ARE THE BEST !!!!read more
Glen L.
11/25/2019
Amazing staff. Super helpful. Brought in a drive to be recovered. Other places will recover files often times renaming the files in the process. Rossmann group was able to keep the files and the names. Above and beyond grateful.
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Tony Schmidt
4/11/2024
World-class Mac repair service. If you want it done right and fast, this is the shop. Rossmann Repair had my damaged Macbook Pro screen replaced and ready for pick up less than six hours after drop off. Prior to that, I had spilled a cup of tea on another laptop- they successfully retrieved all data. Their quiet, friendly efficiency is very much appreciated pandemic or not. Great guys and gals.read more
Ron Link
12/17/2021
iMac FIXED! One happy Mac owner!Knowledgeable, Qualified and Reasonably priced. What more can one ask for? These guys saved me the expense of a new system or Apple's greedy authorized network. I love Apple equipment but if it breaks and you're past Applecare, you may be at the mercy of Apple's mercenary group of authorized repair centers, or if you are lucky enough to find Rossman's, you should get a fair deal.
Taking the glass screen off a 27in iMac for a hard drive replacement was something I didn't want to do myself though there are kits to do - it's risky business. Buying an iMac that is remotely close to what I have is astronomical in price.
Louis Rossman and his well qualified team of real Mac genius' told me to save some money and get a recommended SSD on Amazon and bring it in. Though they said a week to 10 days and looked busy, I received an email 3 days later that my machine was ready. I saw distressed people with damaged laptops and Rossman's team gave them a diagnosis while they waited- or fixed it.
My iMac seems to be working better than new and I will update this if I see otherwise. Louis Rossman makes videos about Apple and the repair industry that I found informative and entertaining - non-authorized reasonably priced places are under siege. He is part of the thread of "urban legends" and I saw one client ask for a selfie with him- A You Tube celebrity but more.
I was victim to a horrible screen repair on an iPad with junk parts done at an unauthorized dealer, which I write about extensively on Yelp. Finding the "right" repair center is critical and with the tools of Social Media- "Yelp" you can do it. I sincerely believe if you come to Rossman- the job will be done right at a fair price. They put a screen protector on my iPad no charge-gratis. Perks of being a customer?
You can't go wrong at this Apple repair center! It's not just for laptops. *****
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Larry G.
6/09/2019
Hard drive came back perfectly. I think it took a bit long for Rossman group to get the motherboard, but that may be partially my fault due to buying a board and then realizing it was incompatible. Everything was excellent, only complaint was that I had to scratch off a sticker, but it's literally nothing to worry about. Still kinda wondering if the store is an advertisement for the youtube channel or if the youtube channel is an advertisement for the store. Either way 5/5
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Mark Mann
12/17/2020
I can't wait to tell people about my trip to Rossmann Repair Group™®©°.I walked in there to ask quotes on replacing an old HHD in my laptop with a new SSD.The second I walked in I KNEW this place was ~special~."What up Rossman?" I bellowed as I entered, despite never being a customer before."What it is, NERD" retorted Rossman, decked out in some weird mixture of a dog and raver-clown costume.While I tried explaining that I was looking to replace my HHD with an SSD he interrupted and said "hold on a minute", and immediately jumped the counter and started rolling around on the floor, ecstatically, like some sort of mad man."I'm a pew-pew roller coaster on my way to tinsel town, and not a hogwash in a tornado can stop me!" he exclaimed.He then made "airplane noises" as he went around and around on the floor.I was shocked and amused."I'll puck off every straw kettle this side of the Mason Dixie line! Even the spanked tangerine ones! I ain't no bigot!" he continued.I didn't know what to think.Just then another customer entered the store.Rossman jumped up and loudly stomped up to the customer, very child-like."I am very mister business man to meet you" Rossman said, as he stuck out his hand in a shaking gesture.But the costumer just collapsed into gleaming sands! No kidding!Rossman turned to me in amazement and said "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS? WE'RE PRESIDENT PARTIES NOW!".I had no idea what that meant, but that was just the beginning of our adventures.2 million years later and a Time Trucker later, we arrived back at his store (and hour before I originally entered) and he quoted me a price on SSDs, drive cloning and labor.Best darn repair shop ever.He was the best friend a guy could ask for and the greatest space pilot I'd ever known, (and an ever better repair man!).Here's to you, Rossman!read more
Project H.
6/30/2020
Anyone with a 1 star review is absolutely ridiculous and I will personally report every 1 star review that has absolutely no basis for being 1 star worthy. Not only did I choose this company because I've been watching Rossman the last 12 years but because I know the work I need done is the work they can do on any typical weekday afternoon in just under an hour. My data was easily recovered. And the service was impeccable. Thank you good sir 🫡
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Patrick
8/08/2025
These guys were super helpful. They did a data transfer for me from a dead 2011 Mac Air to a 2TB external hard drive. They literally made a clone of my hard drive for only $100. Now when I plug in the external to my new laptop, it's like a beautiful little USB of my entire old computer! So great. Apple Genius Bar WILL NOT do this data transfer for you. They only work on your computer if you can turn it on. Totally useless if your logic board is dead. The Rossman Group are real tech geniuses. They take off the back and do the manual work of examining the physical parts. Definitely go here instead of a brand name store.
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Katie Stuller
1/21/2019
I took my iPhone 6 Plus with a motherboard completely damaged took it to other technicians that were specialist in motherboards and no one could’ve get my data recovered or fix my phone to power back on these people of (Rossmann Repair Group) got the phone fully repaired and in perfect working order and also backed up all my data in to a new hard drive . I totally recommend this company they are very responsive responsible and very professional .. thank you Rossmann Repair Group 😊
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Hector Nunez
12/17/2021
Mailed my Mac in for speaker issues and they swapped the speaker out and got it working again. I have been trying to find someone to perform this work for like a year. I could not find anyone else willing to perform this work that also wouldn't wipe my hard drive (??), so it's really nice that Rossman Repair Group just does repairs that work without messing with my laptop. Would absolutely send them more macs. Thanks y'all!
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James Kraus
9/26/2025
Had a raid 0 array (windows storage pool) (failed 2tb Seagate, and a working 1tb wd blue) recovered last year, it was much cheaper than the $1500 to $3500 Canadian dollars i was quoted by a Canadian data recovery service. the price while expensive was a comparatively reasonable $900USD (about $1100 CAD at the time). they had very good communication with me about the status of my recovery and were extremely professional. the drive they sent back was Very well packaged. I would 100% have a drive recovered by them again if i ever needed to again.
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Christopolis
4/09/2024
Place was great! I went in with a clearly injured Mac Book and they told me point blank it wasnt worth fixing, the Mac was opened and diagnosed properly. I recieved my Mac more in tact than when I took itin. 10 minutes was how long I waited to get my answer. I also wasn't charged a diagnosis fee. This was my 2nd opinion. The first place said i need to pay $130 just for them to look at it. Well worth my 30 minute drive into Manhattan. Thanks!!!read more
Fatima A
12/17/2020
I'm very satisfied with the data recovery performed by Rossmann Repair. The turnaround time was fast, their cost estimate was fair, and the final amount was well within their estimated amount. Every step of the process was painless and the customer service is excellent. I dealt with exactly *zero* B.S. the entire time. Highly recommended.
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Kevin M.
5/20/2021
Our Recent Work
Our highly trained technicians have worked on some of the most complex cases with great success. If your hard drive or SDcard is no longer responsive, we’ll get your information back!
Have a failed external USB drive? We can by-pass the USB on your drive and go straight for your data!
Stuck heads? No problem! We have the tools and the clean room to un-stick your heads..
We can do clean room data recovery on premises when necessary.
Inspecting a 6 head stack from a donor drive before it goes into the patient.
Bottom Line:
At Rossmann Repair Group, we don’t just recover data; we restore your peace of mind. Contact us today for your hard drive data recovery needs in Austin and experience service that sets the industry standard.
Top Reasons To Have Your Repairs Done By Us
All data recovery done on-site.
Our pricing is fair.
High success rate.
You can meet & speak with the recovery specialist working on your case directly.
Get In Touch with Us
Give us a call or fill out the form below to get a fast price estimate on a fix for your device. If you are not local, we also offer a very streamlined Mail-In Service which makes it very easy to work with us from anywhere in the country.
Mail-In Repair ServiceEmail, Call or Walk Into Our Store. We Want to Hear From You!
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Common Questions
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We Can Fix Your Problem
We provide the best unauthorized MacBook, iPad & iPhone Repair in Austin. You can come to our store for a free estimate without an appointment, or mail your device to us from anywhere in the world to receive service.
Made In America
No Outsourcing
Experienced Technicians
Address
Rossmann Repair Group Inc 2410 San Antonio Street,
Austin, TX 78705
(347) 552-2258
OPENING HOURS
Monday-Friday – 11 AM to 7 PM
Austin, TX 78705
(347) 552-2258
OPENING HOURS
Monday-Friday – 11 AM to 7 PM
QUICK LINKS
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