Hard Drive Data Recovery
HGST Travelstar Data RecoveryHTS541010B7E610 / Z7K500 / 5K1000
HGST Travelstar drives were popular laptop drives, now sold under the WD brand after acquisition. The Z7K500 (7200 RPM) variant is particularly prone to sudden head failure. PC-3000 uses its Hitachi utility module for these drives. We recover HGST Travelstar drives using our PC-3000 system's Hitachi module at our Austin lab.
HGST Travelstar Specifications
HGST Travelstar drives were popular laptop drives, now sold under the WD brand after acquisition. The Z7K500 (7200 RPM) variant is particularly prone to sudden head failure. PC-3000 uses its Hitachi utility module for these drives.
- Manufacturer
- HGST
- Form Factor
- 2.5"
- Spindle Speed
- 5400 RPM
- Interface
- SATA
- Capacity Range
- 500GB-1TB
- Recording Technology
- CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording)
- PC-3000 Module
- Hitachi
Recovery Feasibility
Standard HGST 2.5" procedure. Match model, head count, preamp.
Model Numbers
The following model numbers belong to the HGST Travelstar family. Check the label on your drive to confirm it matches one of these models before referencing the failure modes below.
4 models in this family
Failure Modes
Each failure mode requires a different diagnostic approach and recovery technique. Identifying the correct failure is the first step before any work begins.
Sudden head failure
Z7K500 (7200 RPM) particularly prone to sudden head failure. Head failure is the primary fault across the family.
Symptoms you may notice
- Clicking sound
- Drive not detected
- Laptop not booting
Related search terms
Firmware corruption
Standard firmware corruption from power loss or bad sectors. Some models sold under WD branding post-acquisition.
Symptoms you may notice
- Drive not detected in BIOS
- Wrong capacity reported
- Drive stays busy
Related search terms
Head Swap and Donor Matching
Donor Requirements
Standard HGST 2.5" procedure. Match model, head count, preamp.
We maintain a donor drive inventory at our Austin lab and can source additional donors when needed. Head swaps are performed in our ISO Class 5 clean bench environment.
Recording Technology
This drive uses Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR). Each track is independent, making sector-by-sector imaging more predictable than SMR drives. Write operations do not affect adjacent tracks.
CMR simplifies recovery because there is no media cache layer to reconstruct. The data layout on the platters directly mirrors the logical block addresses.
How We Recover HGST Travelstar Drives
Firmware-Level Recovery
We use the PC-3000 with the Hitachi module for firmware diagnostics and repair. This handles translator corruption, service area damage, and firmware boot failures.
Firmware recovery preserves the original head assembly and avoids the risks of a donor swap. For HGST Travelstar drives with firmware corruption, this is the first recovery path we attempt.
Head Swap Recovery
When the heads have physically failed (clicking, grinding, or no spin), we perform a head swap in our ISO Class 5 clean bench environment. This involves sourcing a compatible donor drive, removing its head stack assembly, and transplanting it into the patient drive.
After the head swap, we image the drive sector by sector using the PC-3000, skipping unstable areas and returning to them with adjusted read parameters. The goal is a complete clone before the donor heads degrade.
Pricing
Logical and firmware recovery for HGST Travelstar drives typically costs $300 to $600. Head swap cases requiring a donor drive run $600 to $1,500 depending on head count and donor availability. Clean bench platter work, when needed, is $1,200 to $2,000.
See our full pricing breakdown for details. Our No Data, No Fee guarantee means you pay nothing if we cannot recover your files.
Hard Drive 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 make sure your hard drive is handled safely and properly. This approach allows us to serve clients nationwide with consistent technical standards.
Open-drive work is performed in a laminar-flow bench filtered to 0.02 µm, verified using TSI P-Trak instrumentation.
Transparent History
Serving clients nationwide via mail-in service since 2008.
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
Louis Rossmann's well trained staff review our lab protocols to ensure 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 proving standards rather than just stating them. We use TSI P-Trak instrumentation to verify that clean-air benchmarks are met before any drive is opened.
See our clean bench validation data and particle test videoFrequently Asked Questions
Why is the HGST Travelstar Z7K500 prone to head failure?
My drive says WD on the label but I was told it is an HGST Travelstar. Which is it?
Can you recover a laptop drive that was dropped while running?
How much does HGST Travelstar laptop drive recovery cost?
Other HGST Drive Families
We also recover these HGST hard drive families.
Not a hard drive issue? We also recover SSDs, RAID arrays, and iPhones.
Hard Drive Recovery Overview →Other Recovery Services
Nationwide Mail-In Data Recovery Service
We serve all 50 states with secure mail-in data recovery. Ship your failed drive to our Austin lab using our free shipping kit, and we'll diagnose it within 24-48 hours. No geographic limitations—we've successfully recovered data for customers from Alaska to Florida.
Popular Service Areas
HGST Travelstar drive not working?
Ship it to our Austin lab for a free evaluation. No data, no charge.