Apple Fusion Drive Data Recovery

Name: Rossmann Data Recovery Lab
Address: 2410 San Antonio Street, Austin, TX, 78705, US
Telephone: +15122129111
Price range: $100–$2,000

iMac and Mac Mini Fusion Drives combine an SSD blade with a spinning hard drive under one volume. When either component fails, we image both drives independently and reconstruct the CoreStorage or APFS container at our Austin lab.

Free Estimate Mail-In Service

Author

Written by

Louis Rossmann

Founder & Chief Technician

Updated March 2026

10 min read

No Data = No Charge

PC-3000 Equipped

In-House Austin Lab

Nationwide Mail-In

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What Apple Data Recovery Customers Say

4.9 / 51,837 Google reviewsverify on Google Maps

February 17, 2026

“My story isn't much different than anyone else on here leaving a Rossmann review, but I feel compelled to write all this anyway. After importing 14GB of RAW photos from my brand new camera to my 13" MBP (A2338), I started to excitedly sift through my gorgeous sunset photos in Lightroom. After 5 minutes of editing, my MacBook died. Wouldn't turn on, wouldn't charge, wouldn't make any sound. It's always been well taken care of and I was dumbfounded as to why this happened. Absolutely clueless as to what to do next, I took it to the "Genius Bar".”

Joseph Tischner

MacBook

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March 22, 2022

“I used their mail-in service and followed their simple instructions on how to send it it. First fill out a form, then you get a ticket number and write it down and put it in the box you ship the device in. Few days later from delivery I got an email indicating diagnosis was beginning.”

Josue Montalvo

MacBook

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September 26, 2020

“I just got my Macbook Pro back from RRG. I have to say I was overjoyed and honestly getting my Macbook Pro back was the one time I felt pure joy in a while. I caught Louis on the phone a couple of the times that I called and he is super nice, incredibly nice to customers. I called in to tell him I wanted rush service and he noted that I approved $45 rush service.”

Alex

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January 7, 2021

“True story: I found the shop through Louis's youtube. Love his content. So I didn't even think twice about trusting the repair I needed for my macbook 13" 2017. One of my usb-c ports died, and my battery was bad. Here's where things get interesting. I got an update saying my facetime camera failed during QA testing after the repair.”

Danny Yoo

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Fusion Drive Recovery

How Fusion Drive Recovery Works

A Fusion Drive is two physical drives managed as one logical volume. Recovery requires handling both.

Apple introduced the Fusion Drive in late 2012 as a middle ground between pure SSD speed and HDD capacity. A small SSD blade holds the files you use most, and a spinning hard drive holds the bulk of your data. macOS ties the two together with CoreStorage (through High Sierra) or APFS (Mojave and later). You see them as a single volume.

When a Fusion Drive fails, the recovery path depends on which component broke. If the HDD has a mechanical failure (clicking, head crash, motor seizure), we perform a standard hard drive recovery on the HDD, then merge its image with the SSD data to reconstruct the full volume. If the SSD blade has a firmware lockout or controller failure, we address that through our SSD recovery workflow. If both components are functional but the logical volume is corrupted (the "split" scenario), we image both drives and rebuild the volume metadata offline.

All Fusion Drive recovery work is performed in-house at our Austin, TX lab using PC-3000, DeepSpar Disk Imager, and a 0.02µm ULPA-filtered clean bench for any head swap work on the HDD component.

Fusion Drive Architecture

SSD Component

The SSD blade is Apple's own proprietary flash module, not a standard M.2 drive. It holds the frequently used data that macOS moves to the fast tier.

If the blade fails, macOS can't mount the Fusion volume at all, because the volume spans both devices.

HDD Component

The HDD is a SATA hard drive. It holds the less frequently used data that macOS moves off the fast tier.

The HDD is the mechanical half of the pair. It can start clicking or beeping, its firmware can get corrupted, or it can show growing bad sector counts as the media degrades. Each of these follows our standard HDD recovery workflow before the Fusion volume reconstruction step.

Common Failure Modes

Common Fusion Drive Failures

Three distinct failure categories, each with a different recovery path.

HDD Mechanical Failure

The hard drive starts clicking or grinding, or it won't spin. We work on head and spindle faults on the clean bench, then image the drive with PC-3000 and rebuild the volume.

Pricing: $1,200–$1,500 for head swap, $600–$900 for firmware repair.

Fusion Volume Corruption

Software-level failure.

The CoreStorage LVG or APFS container loses its binding between the SSD and HDD. macOS shows two separate unformatted drives instead of one Fusion volume.

Pricing: from $250, because the drives are physically intact and the recovery is logical.

SSD Blade Failure

Firmware or controller issue.

The proprietary Apple SSD blade stops responding or shows incorrect capacity. Because the volume spans both devices, you lose access to all of it, even though the HDD is physically fine. We deal with the SSD first, then rebuild the volume.

Pricing: $450–$600 to $600–$1,200 for SSD component, plus HDD imaging if needed.

Recovery Process - Technical

Fusion Drive Recovery Process

Every Fusion Drive recovery follows a four-step process. The specific tools and duration vary based on the failure mode, but the workflow is consistent.

Fusion Drive recovery process steps
Step	Action	Tools
1. Diagnosis	Identify which component failed. Determine if the failure is mechanical, firmware, or logical.	PC-3000 Portable III
2. Component repair	If the HDD has a head failure: swap head stack assembly from a matching donor in the clean bench. If both components read cleanly: skip to step 3.	0.02µm ULPA clean bench, donor drives
3. Dual imaging	Create a bit-for-bit image of both the SSD blade and the HDD independently. Head-mapped or multi-pass imaging for drives with surface damage.	PC-3000 Portable III, DeepSpar Disk Imager
4. Volume reconstruction	Merge the SSD and HDD images into a single Fusion volume. For CoreStorage: parse the CoreStorage metadata to rebuild the block map. For APFS: read the APFS container metadata. Extract files from the reconstructed volume.	Offline work on the images

Technical Deep Dive - CoreStorage vs APFS

CoreStorage vs. APFS Fusion Recovery

CoreStorage Fusion Through High Sierra

CoreStorage creates a Logical Volume Group (LVG) that spans the SSD and HDD. macOS moves blocks between the tiers based on access frequency.

If the CoreStorage metadata is damaged, macOS can't mount the volume. We parse the CoreStorage metadata from the raw disk images to rebuild the block map. If that metadata is destroyed, we fall back to carving files directly from the images.

APFS Fusion From Mojave On

Upgrading to macOS Mojave converts a Fusion Drive to APFS. One APFS container spans both the SSD and HDD, so recovery needs images of both.

Do not run Disk Utility First Aid on a failing Fusion Drive

Shut down the Mac and contact a recovery lab before attempting any repair utilities.

Pricing

Fusion Drive Recovery Pricing

Pricing depends on which component failed and the type of failure. No data = no charge.

HDD Component

Applies to: the spinning hard drive inside the Fusion Drive pair.

Low complexity
Simple Copy
Your drive works, you just need the data moved off it
Functional drive; data transfer to new media
Rush available: +$100
$100
3-5 business days
Low complexity
File System Recovery
Your drive isn't recognized by your computer, but it's not making unusual sounds
File system corruption. Accessible with professional recovery software but not by the OS
Starting price; final depends on complexity
From $250
2-4 weeks
Medium complexity
Firmware Repair
Your drive is completely inaccessible. It may be detected but shows the wrong size or won't respond
Firmware corruption: ROM, modules, or translator tables corrupted; requires PC-3000 terminal access
CMR drive: $600. SMR drive: $900.
$600–$900
3-6 weeks
High complexity
Head Swap
Bench diagnosis found the read/write heads have to be replaced. Clicking can also come from firmware, the preamp, or the spindle
Head stack assembly failure. Transplanting heads from a matching donor drive on a clean bench
50% deposit required. CMR: $1,200-$1,500 + donor. SMR: $1,500 + donor.
50% deposit required
$1,200–$1,500
4-8 weeks
High complexity
Surface / Platter Damage
Your drive was dropped, has visible damage, or a head crash scraped the platters
Platter scoring or contamination. Requires platter cleaning and head swap
50% deposit required. Donor parts are consumed in the repair. Most difficult recovery type.
50% deposit required
$2,000
4-8 weeks

Hardware Repair vs. Software Locks

Our "no data, no fee" policy applies to hardware recovery. We do not bill for unsuccessful physical repairs. If we replace a hard drive read/write head assembly or repair a liquid-damaged logic board to a bootable state, the hardware repair is complete and standard rates apply. If data remains inaccessible due to user-configured software locks, a forgotten passcode, or a remote wipe command, the physical repair is still billable. We cannot bypass user encryption or activation locks.

No data, no fee. Free evaluation and firm quote before any paid work. Full guarantee details. Head swap and surface damage require a 50% deposit because donor parts are consumed in the attempt.

Rush fee: +$100 rush fee to move to the front of the queue
Donor drives: Donor drives are matching drives used for parts. Typical donor cost: $50–$150 for common drives, $200–$400 for rare or high-capacity models. We source the cheapest compatible donor available.
Target drive: The destination drive we copy recovered data onto. You can supply your own, or we'll provide one. For larger capacities (8TB, 10TB, 16TB and above), target drives cost $400+ extra. All prices are plus applicable tax.

SSD Blade Component

Applies to: the Apple proprietary SSD blade. Required when the SSD has firmware corruption, controller failure, or is not detected.

Low complexity
Simple Copy
Your drive works, you just need the data moved off it
Functional drive; data transfer to new media
Rush available: +$100
$200
3-5 business days
Low complexity
File System Recovery
Your drive isn't showing up, but it's not physically damaged
File system corruption. Visible to recovery software but not to OS
Starting price; final depends on complexity
From $250
2-4 weeks
Medium complexity
Circuit Board Repair
Your drive won't power on or has shorted components
PCB issues: failed voltage regulators, dead PMICs, shorted capacitors
May require a donor drive (additional cost)
$450–$600
3-6 weeks
Medium complexity
Most Common
Firmware Recovery
Your drive is detected but shows the wrong name, wrong size, or no data
Firmware corruption: ROM, modules, or system files corrupted
Price depends on extent of bad areas in NAND
$600–$1,200
3-6 weeks
High complexity
PCB / NAND Swap
Your drive's circuit board is severely damaged and requires NAND chip transplant to a donor PCB
NAND swap onto donor PCB. Precision microsoldering and BGA rework required
50% deposit required; donor drive cost additional
50% deposit required
$1,200–$1,500
4-8 weeks

Hardware Repair vs. Software Locks

No data, no fee. Free evaluation and firm quote before any paid work. Full guarantee details. NAND swap requires a 50% deposit because donor parts are consumed in the attempt.

Rush fee: +$100 rush fee to move to the front of the queue
Donor drives: A donor drive is a matching SSD used for its circuit board. Typical donor cost: $40–$100 for common models, $150–$300 for discontinued or rare controllers.
Target drive: The destination drive we copy recovered data onto. You can supply your own or we provide one at cost plus a small markup. All prices are plus applicable tax.

Fusion volume reconstruction included

The CoreStorage/APFS volume reconstruction step is included in the recovery price. You are not charged separately for merging the SSD and HDD images. If both components need hardware repair, the total price reflects the work required on each individual drive.

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What NOT to Do

What Not to Do with a Failing Fusion Drive

Do not attempt to "recreate" the Fusion pair

Don't create a new CoreStorage group or APFS container on the drives. That overwrites the existing volume metadata. If your Fusion Drive has split, the data is still on the drives; re-binding them overwrites the block map.

Do not run consumer recovery software on a clicking drive

If the HDD component is clicking, it has a hardware fault. Running Disk Drill, EaseUS, or any other software-based tool on a clicking drive can drag damaged heads across the platters. That can turn a recoverable head swap into a surface damage case, with lower odds of success and a higher cost.

Do not upgrade macOS on a degraded Fusion Drive

The Mojave upgrade converts a CoreStorage Fusion volume to APFS, which rewrites its volume metadata. Do not run it on a Fusion Drive with bad sectors or intermittent read errors.

Do not erase one half of the pair

If Disk Utility shows the SSD and HDD as separate unformatted volumes (a "split"), do not erase either one. The data is still on both drives in its tiered locations. Erasing either component destroys the files that were stored on it.

Why Rossmann

Why Choose Rossmann for Fusion Drive Recovery?

One lab. Both components handled in-house. Published pricing. No data, no charge.

Dual-component imaging

Fusion Drives require imaging both the SSD blade and the HDD independently before reconstruction. We handle both in a single recovery ticket.

No data, no charge

If we cannot recover your data from either component, you pay $0. That applies to every Fusion Drive we work on.

Published pricing tiers

HDD component: $100–$2,000. SSD component: $200–$1,500. No hidden diagnostic fees.

CoreStorage and APFS reconstruction

We reconstruct both CoreStorage LVG and APFS Fusion containers from raw block images.

FileVault handled

We decrypt offline with your recovery key after imaging both components.

Nationwide mail-in

Not in Austin? Ship your iMac hard drive or Mac Mini drive to us from anywhere in the U.S. Free evaluation on arrival.

Data Recovery Standards & Verification

Our Austin lab operates on a transparency-first model. We use industry-standard recovery tools, including PC-3000 and DeepSpar, combined with strict environmental controls to maintain drive integrity. This approach allows us to serve clients nationwide with consistent technical standards.

Localized Clean Zone

Open-drive work is performed in a 0.02 micron ULPA-filtered laminar clean bench.

Transparent History

Serving clients nationwide via mail-in service since 2008. Our lead engineer holds PC-3000 and HEX Akademia certifications for hard drive firmware repair and mechanical recovery.

Media Coverage

Our repair work has been covered by The Wall Street Journal and Business Insider, with CBC News reporting on our pricing transparency. Louis Rossmann has testified in Right to Repair hearings in multiple states and founded the Repair Preservation Group.

Aligned Incentives

Our "No Data, No Charge" policy means we assume the risk of the recovery attempt, not the client.

Technical Oversight

Louis Rossmann

Our engineers review all lab protocols to maintain technical accuracy and honest service. Since 2008, his focus has been on clear technical communication and accurate diagnostics rather than sales-driven explanations.

We believe in showing the bench rather than just describing it. Open-drive work runs on a 0.02 micron ULPA-filtered laminar clean bench, and we filmed it.

See the particle counter test at the bench

FAQ

Fusion Drive Recovery FAQ

What is an Apple Fusion Drive?

A Fusion Drive is Apple's hybrid storage: a small SSD and a larger spinning hard drive combined into one logical volume. macOS decides where files go on its own. It keeps frequently accessed files on the faster SSD and bulk data on the HDD. You see the two physical drives as one volume. Through macOS High Sierra, that volume uses CoreStorage. Upgrading to macOS Mojave converts it to APFS.

Which Macs have Fusion Drives?

Fusion Drive became an option on the iMac and Mac mini models Apple introduced in late 2012. Later iMac and Mac mini models offered it as standard or as a build-to-order option. Check System Information > Storage to confirm whether your Mac uses a Fusion Drive.

My Fusion Drive split into two separate volumes. Can you recover the data?

Yes. A "split" Fusion Drive occurs when the CoreStorage or APFS logical volume group loses its binding between the SSD and HDD components. macOS then sees two separate, incomplete volumes instead of one. We image both drives independently using PC-3000, then reconstruct the logical volume offline by remapping block assignments from the CoreStorage LVG metadata or APFS container checkpoints.

What happens if the SSD half of my Fusion Drive fails?

If the SSD blade fails, macOS can't mount the Fusion volume, because the volume spans both devices. Fusion tiers data at the block level, so a single file can be split across the SSD and the HDD. That means an image of the HDD alone can come back incomplete. We image whatever both components still give up and rebuild the volume from those images.

My iMac Fusion Drive is clicking. What does that mean?

Clicking from a Fusion Drive iMac points at the HDD component, because the SSD blade does not produce mechanical sounds. It does not say which part of the HDD failed; damaged heads, Service Area firmware, and a board carrying the wrong adaptive parameters all click. If we find damaged heads, we open the HDD inside a 0.02µm ULPA-filtered clean bench, swap in the head stack assembly from a matched donor drive, then image it with PC-3000. After the HDD is imaged, we reconstruct the Fusion volume by merging the SSD and HDD images.

How much does Fusion Drive data recovery cost?

Pricing depends on which component failed. HDD pricing: $100–$2,000. SSD pricing: $200–$1,500. No data = no charge.

Can you recover a Fusion Drive with FileVault enabled?

Yes, if you have the FileVault recovery key or your user password. We image both the SSD and the HDD, rebuild the Fusion volume, and decrypt it offline with the recovery key. Without the key or the password, we can't decrypt it.

What is the difference between CoreStorage and APFS Fusion Drives?

Fusion Drives used CoreStorage through macOS High Sierra. CoreStorage creates a Logical Volume Group (LVG) with one logical volume spanning both drives. Upgrading to macOS Mojave converts the Fusion Drive to APFS, with one APFS container spanning both drives. We recover each one differently. On CoreStorage we parse the CoreStorage metadata, and on APFS we read the APFS container metadata.

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Use FedEx Declared Value to cover hardware costs. We return your original drive and recovered data on new media.

Packaging Standards

✓Use the box-in-box method: float a small box inside a larger box with 2 inches of bubble wrap.
✓Wrap the bare drive in an anti-static bag to prevent electrical damage.
✗Do not use packing peanuts. They compress during transit and allow heavy drives to strike the edge of the box.

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