Hard Drive Data Recovery
Toshiba MQ04 Data RecoveryMQ04ABF100 / MQ04ABD200 / MQ04UBF100
Toshiba MQ04 drives use SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording), making them vulnerable to media cache corruption. Write-protect must be applied before any recovery attempt; background write operations on a failing SMR drive can permanently destroy data. We recover Toshiba MQ04 drives using our PC-3000 system's Toshiba module at our Austin lab.
Critical: Enable Write-Protect Before Any Recovery Work
Toshiba MQ04 drives use SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording). Background write operations on a failing SMR drive can permanently destroy data by flushing corrupted media cache to final platter locations. Write-protect must be the first step in any recovery attempt.
Toshiba MQ04 Specifications
Toshiba MQ04 drives use SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording), making them vulnerable to media cache corruption. Write-protect must be applied before any recovery attempt; background write operations on a failing SMR drive can permanently destroy data.
- Manufacturer
- Toshiba
- Form Factor
- 2.5"
- Spindle Speed
- 5400 RPM
- Interface
- SATA
- Capacity Range
- 1TB-2TB
- Recording Technology
- SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording)
- PC-3000 Module
- Toshiba
Recovery Feasibility
MQ01 heads are NOT compatible. Dedicated MQ04 donors required. Write-protect MUST be applied before any recovery work.
Model Numbers
The following model numbers belong to the Toshiba MQ04 family. Check the label on your drive to confirm it matches one of these models before referencing the failure modes below.
3 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.
SMR Media Cache corruption
Media cache corruption causing long delays, timeouts, persistent BUSY state. Background write operations during problem detection can DESTROY data.
Symptoms you may notice
- Very slow access
- Drive hangs
- Persistent BUSY state
- Timeout errors
Related search terms
Head incompatibility with MQ01
MQ01 heads are NOT compatible with MQ04. Dedicated MQ04 donors required. Write-protect MUST be applied before any recovery work.
Symptoms you may notice
- Clicking after head swap attempt
- Drive not responding
- Recovery attempt failed
Related search terms
Head Swap and Donor Matching
Donor Requirements
MQ01 heads are NOT compatible. Dedicated MQ04 donors required. Write-protect MUST be applied before any recovery work.
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 Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR). The overlapping track layout means write operations are destructive to adjacent tracks. Write-protect must be enabled before any recovery work to prevent background garbage collection from overwriting data.
SMR drives use a media cache for incoming writes that later flush to final platter locations. If this cache is corrupted, the data in transit may be lost even though the rest of the platter is readable.
How We Recover Toshiba MQ04 Drives
Firmware-Level Recovery
We use the PC-3000 with the Toshiba 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 Toshiba MQ04 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 Toshiba MQ04 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 write-protect mandatory before recovering a Toshiba MQ04?
Why are MQ01 heads incompatible with MQ04 drives?
What is media cache corruption on the Toshiba MQ04?
How much does Toshiba MQ04 SMR recovery cost?
Other Toshiba Drive Families
We also recover these Toshiba 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.
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Toshiba MQ04 drive not working?
Ship it to our Austin lab for a free evaluation. No data, no charge.