Encrypted Data Recovery
Your encrypted drive failed, but you have the recovery key or password. We fix the hardware. You supply the decryption credentials. That is the only way encrypted recovery works.
No Data, No Charge. Pricing based on drive type and failure, not encryption.
What We Cannot Do
We cannot crack, bypass, or brute-force modern encryption. AES-256 used by BitLocker, FileVault, and LUKS has no known vulnerability that allows key recovery without the original credentials. Any company that claims otherwise is lying. If you have lost your recovery key and have no backup, the data is gone. We will tell you that upfront rather than take your money.
Recovery by Encryption Type
BitLocker Recovery
Windows BitLocker and Windows 11 Device Encryption. TPM failures, corrupted metadata, failed drives with valid recovery keys.
FileVault Recovery
macOS FileVault 2 on internal SSDs. T2/M-series Macs with Apple ID recovery or institutional keys.
Self-Encrypting Drive Recovery
Hardware-encrypted SSDs (OPAL/TCG). Samsung, Crucial, WD drives with ATA security or OPAL credentials.
How Encrypted Drive Recovery Works
Encryption protects your data from unauthorized access. It does not protect against hardware failure. When the drive itself breaks, the encryption layer becomes an obstacle to recovery only if the key is missing. With the key, the process is straightforward.
Diagnose the hardware failure
We determine what is physically wrong with the drive: head failure, firmware corruption, PCB damage, controller death, or NAND degradation.
Repair or image the drive
Using PC-3000, DeepSpar, or clean bench procedures, we get a complete sector-level image of the encrypted volume. Every sector matters because encryption means partial reads produce partial garbage.
Decrypt with your key
Once we have a clean image, we mount and decrypt it using your recovery key, password, or Apple ID credentials. The decrypted data is then copied to a new drive and returned to you.
Why Encryption Raises the Stakes
On an unencrypted drive, a few unreadable sectors mean a few corrupt files. On an encrypted drive, a single bad sector in the wrong location can make an entire volume undecryptable. The BitLocker metadata headers, the FVEK (Full Volume Encryption Key) wrapped by the VMK (Volume Master Key), and the key protector blocks all occupy specific disk locations. If those sectors are damaged, the volume will not mount even with the correct recovery key.
This is why imaging quality matters more on encrypted drives than on unencrypted ones. We use PC-3000 with multi-pass head maps and adaptive read parameters to extract every recoverable sector before attempting decryption. Rushing the image or skipping unstable areas is not an option.
Common Questions About Encrypted Recovery
Can you crack BitLocker or FileVault encryption?
No. AES-128 and AES-256 encryption used by BitLocker and FileVault cannot be brute-forced or bypassed. Without the correct recovery key, password, or Apple ID credentials, the data is permanently inaccessible. We recover data from encrypted drives only when the customer provides a valid decryption credential.
My drive failed and I have the recovery key. Can you help?
Yes. This is the core of what we do for encrypted drives. We repair or image the failing hardware first (head swap, firmware repair, PCB work), then use your recovery key to decrypt the data. The encryption itself is not the problem; the broken hardware is.
How much does encrypted drive recovery cost?
Encrypted drive recovery costs the same as standard recovery for that drive type: $100-$2,000 for HDDs, $200-$1,500 for SSDs. The encryption layer adds no additional cost. You pay for the hardware repair, not the decryption.
What types of encryption do you support?
We handle BitLocker (Windows), FileVault (macOS), LUKS (Linux), hardware self-encrypting drives (SEDs/OPAL), and VeraCrypt/TrueCrypt volumes. The physical recovery process is the same regardless of encryption type. The requirement is always the same: you must have the key.
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 ULPA-filtered laminar-flow bench, validated to 0.02 µm particle count, verified using TSI P-Trak instrumentation.
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
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 videoNeed Recovery for Other Devices?
Encrypted Drive Failed?
Send us your drive and your recovery key. We handle the hardware. You keep the key.