Samsung Data Recovery

We recover data from Galaxy phones that will not power on, have a dead or broken screen, or got wet, and from Samsung SSDs and SpinPoint hard drives. Every one of them is worked at our Austin, TX lab, and service is mail-in from anywhere in the country. Samsung makes SSDs. It made SpinPoint hard drives until it sold its hard drive business to Seagate in 2011. ACE Lab's PC-3000 SSD supports the older Samsung SATA controller families; the in-house controllers in the 860 through 990 drives are not on that list, so those cases run as imaging and board-level repair of the original drive.

Phones From $500 | HDD From $100 | SSD From $200 | No Data, No Fee | Since 2008

Get Free Evaluation (512) 212-9111

Samsung Devices We Recover

Galaxy Phones

Phones that will not power on, boot loop, have a dead screen, or got wet

SSD Product Lines

860 EVO/PRO, 870 EVO, 980, 980 PRO, 990 PRO, 970 EVO/EVO Plus, T7 Portable

HDD Product Lines

SpinPoint F3, F4, M7, and M8

Drive work runs in-house on PC-3000 Express and PC-3000 Portable III

Galaxy Phones

Galaxy Phone Data Recovery

A Galaxy that will not power on almost always has a board fault, not erased data: the encrypted files sit intact in the storage chip while a power, charging, or corrosion fault blocks the boot. We repair the board so the phone runs again and decrypts its own data when you enter your own PIN, pattern, or password, and a broken screen changes how you reach the files, not whether they are there. A forgotten screen lock, Factory Reset Protection and the Knox fuse are not something a repair gets past, and on an encryption-era Galaxy pulling the storage chip off the board returns only ciphertext.

If the phone got wet, stop charging it and stop turning it on. Permanently deleted files on a modern Galaxy's internal storage are gone, and no scan and no desktop recovery program brings them back. On a working, unlocked phone, check the Samsung Gallery trash, which holds items about 30 days, along with the My Files trash and your cloud accounts first, because a trashed item was never actually deleted.

While the phone still works, Samsung gives the backup and restore steps in Samsung's support article on backing up and restoring a Galaxy phone. Galaxy phone recovery is $500–$750, one range quoted firm after the evaluation. No data, no fee. Free evaluation. No diagnostic charges. Start on the Android and Samsung phone recovery page, or go straight to the page for the fault or the model you have.

Android & Samsung phone recovery

Every Galaxy fault this lab takes, with the board-level detail and the encryption limits.

Samsung Galaxy Won't Turn On Data Recovery

Samsung Galaxy Boot Loop Data Recovery

Samsung Galaxy Water Damage Data Recovery

Samsung Galaxy S22 Data Recovery

Samsung Galaxy S23 Data Recovery

Samsung Galaxy S24 Data Recovery

Samsung Galaxy S25 Data Recovery

Samsung Galaxy S26 Data Recovery

Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip Data Recovery

Author

Written by

Louis Rossmann

Founder & Chief Technician

Updated September 2026

8 min read

Samsung Drive Recovery Process

How Samsung Drive Recovery Works

Samsung data recovery requires different tools depending on whether the failed drive is an SSD or a hard drive. ACE Lab's PC-3000 SSD has no firmware-level loader or FTL-rebuild path for the in-house controllers in the 860 through 990 drives, so those cases run as imaging and board-level repair of the original drive. SpinPoint hard drives are worked in the same Austin lab, on PC-3000 Portable III and PC-3000 Express hardware. We evaluate your drive for free, provide a firm quote, and charge nothing if we cannot recover your data.

Samsung SSD Recovery Overview

Samsung SSD Recovery

Samsung SSDs use Samsung's own controllers. Each controller handles firmware, wear leveling, and error correction differently, which means the SSD recovery approach changes with each generation. Our Samsung SSD data recovery page covers the product lines and the controller in each one.

ACE Lab's PC-3000 SSD supports the older Samsung SATA drives (470, 830, 840, 840 PRO, 840 EVO, 850 PRO). The in-house controllers in the 860, 870, 970, 980, and 990 series are not on that list, so there is no firmware-level or FTL-rebuild path for them; those drives are imaged while they still respond and otherwise go to board-level repair of the original drive.

Samsung's support article Avoid data loss on your Samsung Solid State Drive (SSD) names three warning signs that an SSD is failing: “Fails to save, move, or read files”, “Computer crashes on boot up”, and “Has S.M.A.R.T. errors”.

Those controllers are not on ACE Lab's PC-3000 SSD supported-controller list. The lab takes these drives case by case: one that still enumerates may need only a logical recovery, and on the 970, 980, and 990 families PC-3000 can sometimes read a drive a normal computer will not see.

870 EVO

MKX controller.

980 PRO

Elpis controller.

990 PRO

Samsung in-house NVMe controller.

970 EVO / EVO Plus

Samsung in-house controller for the 970 line.

980 (non-PRO)

Pablo controller.

SSD Pricing

Samsung SSD Recovery Pricing

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

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. 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.

SSD Recovery Calculator

Estimate Your Samsung SSD Recovery Cost

Select your symptoms and drive type for a preliminary cost range. Final pricing comes after a free evaluation.

Drive Type

Symptoms

Estimate

What type of SSD do you have?

This determines the recovery method and pricing.

Not sure which type you have? Call (512) 212-9111 and we can help identify it.

Samsung HDD Recovery Overview

Samsung SpinPoint Hard Drive Recovery

Samsung sold its hard disk drive business to Seagate in December 2011; the sale included the M8 line of 2.5-inch laptop drives.

SpinPoint drives are worked on the PC-3000 in our Austin lab; ACE Lab publishes Samsung-specific PC-3000 for HDD procedures for them.

For drives with mechanical damage, we perform head swaps on our 0.02 micron ULPA-filtered clean bench.

Samsung SpinPoint Recovery Details

F3, F4, M7, and M8 families.

HDD Pricing

Samsung HDD Recovery Pricing

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

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.

Sealed helium drives are on their own price list, $200–$5,000+. When a head swap or platter repair opens one, we refill it with helium. That adds $400–$800, and the donor has to be an exact match. Helium drive prices

Video

Samsung 970 EVO: When Samsung Magician Gets It Wrong

A 2TB Samsung 970 EVO passed Samsung Magician diagnostics but had 9MB of bad sectors. PC-3000 found what the OEM tool missed. This is why we use professional-grade firmware tools instead of relying on manufacturer utilities.

Verified on Google

What Customers Say About Our Lab

4.9 / 51,837 Google reviewsverify on Google Maps

May 10, 2020

“I consulted Rossmann Repair Group for data recovery services. A new IT client was recently referred to me, because his main computer crashed and his business database went offline as a result. It turned out that the computer crashed because its main storage, a 500 GB Solid State Hybrid Drive, failed. That part was easy - replace it with a new 1 TB SSD and reinstall Windows along with the software he uses. However, the data on the SSHD was critical and would have meant serious problems for his business if he didn't get that back. That's where Rossmann Repair Group came in.”

Shomari Hohn

View on Google

July 24, 2024

“Went in to ask if they could retrieve my SSD from my Surface Pro 4 for me and they gave me a good rate, but was still a bit too expensive for me. So, they let me use their equipment for about an hour until I was able to fish it out myself and recover my data.”

Aravind Udayakumar

View on Google

November 17, 2021

“Sent in a SSD for data recovery for a client of mine. Data was recovered! What else can I say. Thank you.”

David Dachenhaus (DDock)

View on Google

February 2, 2026

“Amazing place! Super friendly and knowledgeable people! I have a LaCie Rugged Pro SSD that stopped mounting. It turns out the enclosure was the problem, not the SSD itself. They helped diagnose the issue and offered solutions—all free of charge. Great experience, and I highly recommend them! 😊”

Ludwig Jonsson

LaCie

View on Google

Read all 1,837+ reviews

Samsung SSD Controller Architecture

Samsung SSD Controller Architecture and Recovery Methods

MKX Controller

Powers the 870 EVO. The 860 EVO and 860 PRO used the earlier MJX controller. Neither is on ACE Lab's PC-3000 SSD supported list, so there is no utility-driven FTL rebuild; recovery is board-level repair of the original drive.

MKX recovery details

970 Series Controller

Powers the 970 EVO and 970 EVO Plus. Hardware encryption makes chip-off not viable, so the route to the data is board-level repair that brings the original controller back.

970 series controller reference

Elpis Controller

Powers the 980 PRO. Hardware-bound encryption makes chip-off not viable. Recovery means repairing the board until the original controller boots again.

Elpis recovery details

990 PRO Controller

Powers the 990 PRO. The 990 PRO health-drop bug shipped on launch firmware 0B2QJXD7 and was fixed by 1B2QJXD7; the patch halts the erroneous health decline but does not reverse S.M.A.R.T. health already recorded on affected drives. Recovery is board-level repair of the original drive.

990 PRO controller reference 990 Pro firmware bug

Pablo Controller

Powers the Samsung 980, and the T7 and T9 portables. Not on ACE Lab's PC-3000 SSD supported list; recovery is board-level repair to keep the original controller, which holds the AES key, alive.

Pablo recovery details

870 EVO

The 870 EVO uses the MKX controller.

870 EVO recovery details

Software Recovery Limits

When Software Recovery Works on Samsung SSDs

Recovery software like Disk Drill, EaseUS, PhotoRec, & R-Studio works when a Samsung SSD is physically healthy but has a logical problem: an accidentally deleted partition, a corrupted file system, or a formatted volume where TRIM hasn't yet executed on the target blocks.

Software can't help when the controller is dead, the firmware is corrupted, or the PMIC has shorted. A drive that won't enumerate in BIOS is invisible to every software tool on the market. At that point the recovery is board-level repair of the original drive.

TRIM is a logical unmap: the OS tells the controller which blocks hold deleted data, and on drives that report zeros for unmapped blocks, recovery software reads only zeros from that point on. The NAND keeps the old data until garbage collection erases the block, and logical recovery software cannot reach it.

Chip-off and Encryption

Chip-Off Recovery and Samsung Encryption

Chip-off recovery (desoldering NAND chips and reading them on a standalone programmer) is a last resort on unencrypted drives whose controller's scrambling and error correction can be reproduced.

Samsung's in-house NVMe controllers enforce always-on AES-256 hardware encryption with the key generated on the controller die, and the Pablo controller likewise holds the AES key on the controller. If that controller is dead and cannot be revived through board-level repair, the data is encrypted at rest and chip-off yields only ciphertext.

This is why we prioritize board-level repair: reviving the original controller preserves access to the hardware encryption key. Our microsoldering workstations handle BGA rework, PMIC replacement, and voltage rail repair on Samsung SSD PCBs.

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

Samsung Data Recovery FAQ

Can Samsung Magician recover my data?

No. Samsung Magician is a drive health monitoring and firmware update tool. It cannot recover files from a failed drive.

My Samsung SSD firmware update bricked my drive. Can you fix it?

Yes. PC-3000 SSD has no firmware-level loader or FTL-rebuild path for the Elpis controller, so the honest workflow is imaging the drive while it still responds, then board-level work if it does not. NVMe firmware recovery runs $900–$1,200.

Do you recover Samsung SpinPoint hard drives?

Yes. Samsung sold its hard disk drive business to Seagate in December 2011, and we still take in SpinPoint F3, F4, M7, and M8 drives. HDD recovery starts at $100 for simple copies, with firmware repair at $600–$900.

How much does Samsung SSD recovery cost?

Samsung SSD recovery ranges from $200 for a simple data copy to $1,500 for advanced work on SATA drives and $2,500 on NVMe drives. Circuit board repair runs $450–$600 on SATA drives and $900–$1,200 on NVMe drives. Firmware corruption costs $600–$1,200 on SATA drives and $900–$1,200 on NVMe drives. Advanced PCB and NAND swap work is $1,200–$1,500 on SATA drives and $1,200–$2,500 on NVMe drives. Free evaluation with no diagnostic fees.

Is chip-off possible on Samsung SSDs?

Chip-off is a last resort on unencrypted drives whose controller's scrambling and error correction can be reproduced. Samsung's in-house NVMe controllers such as Elpis enforce always-on AES-256 hardware encryption with the key generated on the controller die, and the Pablo controller likewise holds the AES key on the controller. If that controller is dead and cannot be revived through board-level repair, chip-off yields only ciphertext. The Samsung MJX, MKX, Elpis and Pablo controllers are not on ACE Lab's PC-3000 SSD supported-controller list, and those drives are taken case by case: one that still enumerates may need only a logical recovery.

Can data be recovered from a dead Samsung SSD?

Yes. Board-level repair revives the original controller so it can decrypt & read the NAND contents. Circuit board repair on SATA Samsung SSDs runs $450–$600; NVMe models run $900–$1,200. Free evaluation, no diagnostic fee.

No Data, No Fee

Guarantee

2.64M

Subscribers

4.9

1,837+ Google Reviews

Since 2008

Established

Repairs on Video

Full Transparency

As Featured In

BBC News