SMR Hard Drive Data Recovery
At Rossmann Repair Group, we specialize in the recovery of data from Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) hard drives, which is new tech. SMR drives are widely used in consumer and enterprise environments since they provide higher storage capacity for less money. Their unique structure makes them very difficult to recover when they fail.
If your SMR hard drive is not working, we have all the tools necessary to get your data back!
If your SMR hard drive is not working, we have all the tools necessary to get your data back!
Why Rossmann Repair?
What Makes SMR Drives Unique and Challenging for Recovery?
SMR hard drives write data in overlapping tracks, like shingles on a roof. This allows for higher storage density. While this technology maximizes capacity, it makes recovery more difficult due to the following reasons:
- Overlapping Data Tracks: Modifying or recovering one track risks overwriting or corrupting adjacent tracks.
- Second-Level Translators (SLT): These firmware components map logical block addresses (LBA) to physical block addresses (PBA). If the translator is damaged, the drive can return empty or corrupted data.
- Trim-like UNMAP Commands: SMR drives used in host-managed or host-aware configurations can process UNMAP commands (similar to TRIM for SSDs) in some systems. These commands tell the drive to mark certain data blocks as no longer in use, which can sometimes erase important mapping information in the Second-Level Translator (SLT) that connects logical addresses to physical storage locations. Deleted translator metadata or zone mappings can prevent reconstruction of the overlapping data tracks unique to SMR drives.
- Firmware Dependence: SMR drives heavily rely on firmware for managing data zones, and corruption here can make recovery extremely complex.
Who Uses SMR Hard Drives?
SMR drives are commonly found in:
- Consumer Electronics: External hard drives like the WD My Passport and Seagate Backup Plus.
- Network Attached Storage (NAS): Models like the WD Red series often use SMR drives for storage solutions.
- Surveillance Systems: High-capacity drives for storing security camera footage, such as some of Seagate’s SMR-based surveillance models.
Common Issues with SMR Drives
- Quick Formatting:
- If you format a drive and unplug it, old-style CMR drives (CMR referring to Conventional Magnetic Recording) are trivial to recover with standard software like R-Studio or UFS. Sometimes a pain, but mostly doable.
- With SMR drives like some WD My Passport models, you have to deal with second translators, translator dependencies, and you may not even get all the data from it.
- Basic software like UFS Explorer and R-Studio will show only empty sectors with zeroes in a case like this where the drive was formatted.
- Recovery often requires advanced tools to bypass damaged SLTs and restore fragmented data, like the Acelab PC3000.
- Firmware Corruption:
- SMR-specific firmware handling is more complicated compared to older CMR drives.
- If the second translator has an issue, the drive may click even if the heads are good, which can confuse new technicians into believing the heads are a problem.
- Sometimes this means blocking access to the service area or special modules.
- Software like UFS Explorer and R-Studio will not handle this. In this case, UFS stands for "u find shit" - only zeroes :'(
Our SMR Data Recovery Process
We use advanced technology and methods to deal with the challenges specific to SMR recovery:
- Translator Repair:
- We rebuild or bypass the damaged second-level translator to recover fragmented data.
- Firmware Restoration:
- Our tools safely repair corrupted firmware modules to get the drive back to working condition so we can recover all of its data.
- Zone Recovery:
- By carefully handling overlapping zones, we ensure adjacent data tracks remain intact during recovery.
- Physical Repairs:
- For drives with mechanical issues, our Purair VLF-48 laminar flow bench provides the controlled environment necessary for repairs. The Purair VLF-48 Laminar Flow Bench allows an ultra-clean workspace with ULPA filtration capturing 99.999% of particles down to 0.1 microns. Its vertical airflow design minimizes turbulence, making it perfect for handling delicate media during data recovery. We are NOT opening your drive in any old office!
Watch a Real Data Recovery Service below!
Why SMR Data Recovery Requires Experienced Technicians
Recovering data from SMR hard drives is a highly specialized task that requires lots of technical expertise & precision. New technicians working with tools like the PC3000 or performing cleanroom repairs on a laminar flow bench are on their way to success if they are committed to learning, but newer technicians often make mistakes that lead to permanent data loss. Here’s why choosing an experienced technician matters!
Common Mistakes Made by Inexperienced Technicians
Mishandling Second-Level Translators (SLT):
- SMR drives rely on SLTs to map logical data to physical locations. A newbie may overwrite or improperly rebuild this translator, causing irreversible data loss.
- Using generic PC3000 scripts without understanding SMR-specific firmware quirks can result in fragmented or missing data.
Damage to Overlapping Data Tracks:
- SMR drives write data in overlapping tracks, meaning a mistake in one area can overwrite or corrupt adjacent tracks.
- Inexperienced techs often use cloning methods meant for standard old CMR drives which can destroy the integrity of overlapping zones.
Improper Use of Cleanroom Tools:
- Handling delicate internal components like heads or platters in a laminar flow bench requires experience. Common errors include:
- Scratching platters while removing heads.
- Misaligning replacement components, rendering the drive unreadable.
- Handling delicate internal components like heads or platters in a laminar flow bench requires experience. Common errors include:
Not addressing UNMAP Issues:
- New techs sometimes overlook the impact of Trim commands, which can prematurely delete data necessary for a data recovery from SMR drives. Misconfiguring recovery software can make things worse.
Inadequate Firmware Handling:
- SMR drives depend heavily on proprietary firmware for managing shingled zones. Without training a technician might apply firmware fixes meant for CMR drives, bricking the device.
Why Choose Rossmann Repair Group?
- Certified Expertise: Our technicians are extensively trained and certified by ACE Lab, the developers of PC3000. We understand the nuances of SMR drives and their unique recovery challenges. While "Apple certification" is useless & often means the technician is not allowed to do real repairs, acelab's actually matter!
- Industry-Leading Tools: We
- Experience You Can Trust: With years of expertise in data recovery, we handle cases other labs cannot.
- Top Rated: No, really. Check google maps - we have the highest(and most) ratings of any data recovery company.
- No paid advertising: No banner ads, no yelp promotions, no google adwords. We rely on word of mouth and videos demonstrating our abilities. The lack of paid advertising means the savings are passed onto you.
Contact Us Today
If your SMR hard drive has failed, don’t lose hope. Contact Rossmann Repair Group for professional data recovery services!
We Can Extract Information From These Types of Media at Our Lab
Laptop Hard Drives
Liquid damaged iPhones
Physically damaged USB flash drives
SD & microSD cards
WD MyPassport
Desktop Hard Drives
External Hard Drives
USB Hard Drives
RAID configurations
SATA, IDE, SCSI, SAS, SSD Hard Drives
Our Rates?
Giving a price without seeing the device, assessing its condition is impossible. Everyone feels better having some basic idea of what things may cost, so for a basic idea, see below. Do realize the + means price can go up! Please do note that drives that have been opened before are rarely if ever recoverable by us: mention this prior to sending it in as we rarely work on pre-worked on drives.
Hard Drives
$100 for basic data retrieval, $250-$650 for firmware repair, $900-$2000 for heads swap.
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CellPhones
$300-$650 for drop or liquid damage, $1200+ for difficult cases(board swap). $400+ for any damage inflicted by inept repair technicians(long screw) that is above and beyond terrible.
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Love From Our Customers
Hear from our satisfied customers who trust us for their data recovery needs in Austin. We didn't become the top rated repair shop on Google maps by accident - this was a 15 year effort of providing best-in-class service, with no gimmicks.
I ordered smd parts on last Friday and the parts arrived on the following Tuesday in West Austin. Louis Rossmann and his crew provide great service and fast shipping. I highly recommend using this company for Apple repairs and for needed parts if doing the repairs yourself.
Sonya
12/21/2019
Great experience. These guys know what they are doing and are so honest, it is almost scary. I sent them a hard drive for data recovery and was informed that a recovery might be possible, but was highly unlikely. I watched one of their videos on YouTube and it made perfect sense why. Everyone else wanted to charge me $1300, whether or not they could recover the data. Louis, thank you for what you do, what you represent, and who you are.
Chris Taylor
7/21/2019
They are the best, they fixed my computer, which I thought it was a lost case! I spilled coffee on my MacBook Pro, it was a lot of coffee! I took it to an apple approved repair shop and they told me that it was going to cost me more than a new computer, and that I should consider it a total loss. At this point I had no warranty, I did not buy a protection plan, and the computer was only 1 year old. At least I needed to recover my data, and this apple approved place told me it was going to be $2,100. I decided to ship my laptop to the Rossmann Repair Group, and they did an amazing job communicating with me about any updates. They estimated to repair it for $700, and then told me it was only going to cost me $425. I was very happy. They shipped it back for free, and now I have my computer working "almost perfectly" (some keys are a little sticky, and the mouse pad a little sensible), but I have all my data, which I immediately saved into an external hard drive. I highly recommend them.read more
Claudia Beltran
12/17/2021
ROSSMANN GROUP SAVED MY 2010 MACBOOK PRO! My 2010 MacBook Pro was on it's last leg. It had gotten to a point where it would shut down & restart 3 times within 10 mins of use. I had replaced the memory & upgraded my hard drive, neither of which fixed the incessant kernel panics (shutdown-restarts). In my desperation to save my really old computer, I searched the internet for weeks & eventually found Rossmann on YouTube. I watched a lot of their videos & decided to ship my computer to them in hopes that they could fix it by replacing the crap capacitor*. I shipped my MacBook out to Rossmann on a Monday & it arrived in their NYC shop two days later. Rossmann immediately fixed it upon arrival (same day!) & invoiced me. I didn't check my email until Thursday, which is when I paid their invoice & they shipped the computer back out to me. I received my MacBook that following Monday, but had I checked my email on Wednesday, I would have received it on Saturday, just 5 days after shipping it out for repair. The turnaround was incredibly fast & my computer has been running like new with daily use since I got it back a few weeks ago. I'm so thankful I found Rossmann Group's informative YouTube videos about MacBook Pro's kernel panics. The repair was less than 1/10 what a new MacBook Pro would have cost, literally saving me well over $2,000. I'll never take my MacBook to Apple or another shop for repair again, local or not. We are forever Rossmann customers! *NOTE: Even though it's a very affordable & quick repair, the MacBook capacitor issue isn't well-known or something that Apple advertises. Our local computer repair shops weren't even aware of it! I was basically told by 2 local shops that my MacBook wasn't repairable & I needed to get a new computer. Meanwhile, Rossmann fixed it in a matter of minutes! If you're up in the air on whether or not shipping your computer is worth it, I'm here to tell you that it is 100% worth shipping to Rossmann. They're honest (sometimes brutally so) & reliable. If your computer can't be fixed, they'll simply tell you so & you can pay the cost of shipping to have it shipped back to you.read more
Kristi R.
2/19/2021
These guys are LEGIT! Don't waste your time with anyone else. I had water damage in a newer iphone and had YEARS of pics which were not backed up. I was given a cost and time estimate reflective of what was on their website. Their service exceeded the high-points of both estimates. It was definitely not a drop-in the bucket cost, but worth the service. I was notified 24 hours later that my data recovery was complete. Unfortunately, my phone was not repairable but that didn't matter much to me anyway. Great service with these guys and glad to find them locally as well. If you're not in NYC- they will coordinate with you.read more
Marlene Leekang
12/17/2021
Visited old location in February 2020. I thought I had a complicated issue with an iPhone, and a need to move gigs of data from it. It turned out I was wrong. The friendly staff at Rossman Repair Group were understanding and kind in their handling of my problem, which had a very simple solution Never once was I lead towards spending unnecessary money on data recovery. Different approaches to my need were presented and explained, all with a patient demeanor and an energizing confidence. I deeply appreciate the staff at Rossman. I fully expected (and was willing) to spend a chunk of money at their business, but was gently guided to a solution that saved me hard earned money, and helped me save my data. Honest, top notch service!
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Josh Jones
12/17/2020
Five weeks ago, my 10 year old daughter's 5th gen iPad stopped charging. My husband and I suspected a loose connection, but when we took it to Apple, they ran some test and concluded the logic board died. Since the iPad was set up under me when she got it (at the age of 6), I had disconnected her from *my* iCloud. Apple basically couldn't sell me a new iPad because we had no data backup. Based on Apple's recommendation, we sent it to their data recovery partner, DriveSavers, who quoted me $2800 for data recovery due to "widespread corruption" on her logic board. We declined. Enter the Rossmann Repair Group. Earlier this week, I got a call asking me what specifically was wrong with the iPad because they were able to turn it on, and had access to all the data. To say I was floored is a complete understatement - but 100% explains why the Find Me app showed my daughter's iPad location as CA, when it had a "corrupted" logic board… *eye roll* Rossmann Repair Group gave me a copy of my daughter's data for $100, on a storage device I did not have to pay for, AND fixed her home button and cracked screen for another $100. They shipped it back to me for free. $200 and it was done. I would tipped if there was a virtual tip jar... so happy!! ;) I feel completely misled by Apple, and we were flat out lied to by DriveSavers. But Rossmann Repair Group was honest, kind, and reasonable. I feel like they completely came to our rescue. I wish you could have seen the smile on my daughter's face when she got her iPad back. My heart swelled. To David, the tech who fixed it, thank you so much. Because of you, we are Rossmann Repair Group customers for life.read more
Christina M
12/17/2021
Place was great! I went in with a clearly injured Mac Book and they told me point blank it wasnt worth fixing, the Mac was opened and diagnosed properly. I recieved my Mac more in tact than when I took itin. 10 minutes was how long I waited to get my answer. I also wasn't charged a diagnosis fee. This was my 2nd opinion. The first place said i need to pay $130 just for them to look at it. Well worth my 30 minute drive into Manhattan. Thanks!!!read more
Fatima A
12/17/2020
Had an amazing experience at Rossmann. They recovered 100% of my data 3 days post water damage on my iPhone. They finished the job same day and helped me transfer everything onto my new phone. They're amazing, 5+ stars!!
Gabrielle S. Stadlen
9/17/2022
Replaced the battery on my macbook pro. Quoted me the price on friday, done by monday, picked it up tuesday, 90 day guarantee. So much less hassel than genius bar.
Max
1/21/2019
Owner is knowledgeable and instills good work ethics in his employees. The repair service is kneecapped by manufacturers that don't share their components or even stop 3rd parties from selling replacement parts. But if a board component is unavailable the staff make do with recycled circuit boards (good for the ewaste problem). Unlike at big corporate stores Rossman doesn't have punishing policies like demanding to erase the customer's data even if it's not necessary, or replacing whole circuitboards when just one component needs replacing.read more
Robert V.
9/06/2022
My USB-C MacBook Pro recently stopped charging. The local Apple Store wanted to replace the whole logic board, which was expensive and would have lost all my data. I asked them if it was the charging circuit and they specifically said "no".I mailed my Mac to Rossmann, and they correctly identified the problem as being the charging circuit after all. The repair was cheaper than Apple, was just as fast, and (because it didn't require replacing the logic board) I got to keep all of my data.Overall I couldn't be happier. I used the prepaid shipping box they sell, and the service was smooth and fast.
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Christopher Waltham
1/17/2020
Apple should thanks them.Apple should move them to a better location, bigger place and properly give them the tools and resources so that they can be at 110%Cant stand Apple products but it is great to have people that can put sweat and tears to give you top level services even when they are being held down by corporations like Apple.You can rest asure they will try everything to have your Apple product see the light of day again.100% recommend this place. But I also recommend to stop spend money on Apple if they keep sticking to you.Best place to recover your DataMy 2 cents.Salvador Pelaez
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Salvador Peláez
9/21/2019
I had the pleasure of visiting the Rossmann Repair Group in Austin one day almost two years ago as friends of mine needed an evaluation of a broken Macbook Pro, a bad hard drive and possible data transfer. Louis Rossmann greeted us immediately and was very friendly and patient. He told us exactly what the problem was and said that the Macbook Pro was beyond repair due to bad GPU connections. In fact he saw this as soon as he turned it on, he could detect very faint lines on the screen which indicated this issue. He was very honest about this, he said that some places would get it to work for a while by heating it up and charging a few hundred dollars, but that the repair would not last long and it would certainly fail again.My friend asked him if he could transfer the data from the Macbook to a Mac Mini so it would work like the Macbook. He said he could and it would take a couple of days. We returned a few days later to pick everything up. The cost was very reasonable and my friends were very satisfied with the service. He gave the bad HD back to us, said it would require sending to a recovery center. Just honest. No ripoffs.
In this tech repair industry, dishonesty is very common since tech people know the average person has no clue about any of this technology and there is almost no chance they would know if they are being fooled or how much the repair is really worth. I know this well since I also do computer and electronics repair and support myself and I know how easy it would be to fool customers left and right! I don't do this and I highly appreciate other tech experts who aren't tempted to profit from people's trust and innocence!
So in summary, if you don't want to get ripped of and lied to, and are looking for a highly competent reliable technician, make sure you go here with your Mac equipment. If you like, you can stop by an Apple Genius bar first for a good laugh, while they give you the wrong diagnosis, quote you an insanely high repair price, and try to convince you to buy a whole new unit.
Finally, if you want to be amazed, look for Louis Rossmann on YouTube and watch some of his videos where he shows exactly how he repairs the "unrepairable" and inspires many others to do their own repairs, start their own repair businesses and with his tireless entrepreneurial positive attitude even motivates disillusioned young students to not give up on school and go to college! (In fact one student said he was about to give up on education but after watching Louis on YouTube he made the decision to enter Med school! Now that's remarkable!)
Louis is such a great guy, that in some cases where the issue is very minor, like a bad cable, he even does the repair for no charge! Try to find anybody who is willing to do anything for no charge these days! (The Genius bar would certainly tell you that your unit has been water damaged, when it wasn't, (maybe was in a humid room which would turn the water indicators red!) and quote you $1000 for a repair that would cost them $7 for the cable)
Louis Rossmann is a hero, one of those rare individuals who make positive contributions to individuals and society every single day. I am pretty sure that anybody who gives him a bad review probably either is part of Apple, or considers Apple to be some kind of religious deity.
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Jerry D.
9/05/2019
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. 2 days later I got a full quote and was fairly priced, and was accurate on what their website had stated it possibly could total up to be. 2 days later, it's completed and shipped out Rather spending 600+ for a new board from Apple, with no possibility of data recovery, I got to keep the same board, retain my data, and was done cheaper in the same amount of time it would have taken to do their mail in service which is what the Apple store would have done. Amazing how I went from a MacBook that was completely dead, no signs of power going through tthe board, to a smooth running as good as new Mac. Highly recommend their services and his YouTube channel.
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Josue Montalvo
4/17/2022
Our Recent Work
Our highly trained technicians have worked on some of the most complex cases with great success. If your hard drive or SDcard is no longer responsive, we’ll get your information back!
Have a failed external USB drive? We can by-pass the USB on your drive and go straight for your data!
Stuck heads? No problem! We have the tools and the clean room to un-stick your heads..
We can do clean room data recovery on premises when necessary.
Inspecting a 6 head stack from a donor drive before it goes into the patient.
Bottom Line:
At Rossmann Repair Group, we don’t just recover data; we restore your peace of mind. Contact us today for your hard drive data recovery needs in Austin and experience service that sets the industry standard.
Top Reasons To Have Your Repairs Done By Us
All data recovery done on-site.
Our pricing is fair.
High success rate.
You can meet & speak with the recovery specialist working on your case directly.
Get In Touch with Us
Give us a call or fill out the form below to get a fast price estimate on a fix for your device. If you are not local, we also offer a very streamlined Mail-In Service which makes it very easy to work with us from anywhere in the country.
Mail-In Repair ServiceEmail, Call, Live Chat or Walk Into Our Store. We Want to Hear From You!
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Common Questions
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We Can Fix Your Problem
We provide the best unauthorized MacBook, iPad & iPhone Repair in Austin. You can come to our store for a free estimate without an appointment, or mail your device to us from anywhere in the world to receive service.