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.
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
GO HERE, no scams & good advice (Spoke with Kevin)! Had an issue with my hard drive, went to a place called Mikes Repair Shop in Chelsea, they were trying to charge me way more. Got a second option at Rossmann, come to find out that the issue was as simple as getting a different cord. Saved me $170 which was what Mikes Repair place was trying to charge + 2-3 day process to get it fixed. Anyways recommend coming to Rossmann 100%!
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Georgia S.
10/26/2022
I had an iPhone 8 that was totally dead, wouldn't recognize being plugged into a computer or power outlet. The biggest problem was that it hadn't been backed up in a long time and there 5000+ photos and videos of our kids were potentially lost.I sent it in to RRG and got a call from Kevin (who was the tech who was actually going to be handling my repair). He was great, forthcoming with the plan, and very polite.Bottom line? Got my phone back with all the data still intact (apps, contacts, photos, videos, settings) working 100%, AND got a flash drive with the photos and videos on it.Thanks guys!
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Chris Straughn
10/21/2019
My m1 macbook pro decided to take a drink of a full cup of water which resulted in a fried logic board. The team over at Rossman Repair Group managed to get my computer fully repaired and saved the computer in every way. It's like the computer never died. Fully functional, all data right where i left it. It's like it never happened. I paid the rush delivery fee to get my work computer back online faster and these guys did excellent work. I cannot recomend this company more! Thank you guys! As a fellow small business owner I am in pure astonishment about your quality of work. -Keegan
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KeeganBuilds
3/14/2025
Great Customer service. Way better than apple (Specially in terms of charges). You can go with any Mac, iphone or data recovery related problems. They are genuinely helpful. Would recommend to anyone anytime.read more
ImTi BabLu
12/17/2021
I sent in an external hard drive that bricked on me. Its a drive I plug in once a year, dump phone videos, photos, and then back on the shelf til next year. This year I went to free up some space and found the drive wouldn't respond. It had the first 10 years of my daughter growing up and I was freaking out. I had almost accepted they were gone until a friend at work mentioned RRG. I crossed my fingers and sent in the drive, not expecting good news (or some astronomical fee that would force me to put a price on those memories). Instead I got a call a few days after mailing saying not only could they repair the drive, but for a fraction of the cost I was expecting. 10/10 would recommend to anyone needing any services they provide.
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Jason Burzynski (Baker)
12/17/2021
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.
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Claudia Beltran
12/17/2021
I was a big fan of Rossmann. I have been watching him on YouTube for years. Naturally, when I was having a hardware problem with my Framework Laptop, I was so excited to be able to use the business owned by one of my heroes. I emailed them in advance since I know they focus on Apple Product repair. They emailed me warning it may take several weeks. I thought to myself. I can wait as long as it takes, I just want my issue resolved so I shipped it out. The issue was after a spill on the charge port the machine would periodically stop charging and need the power cable re-seated. I shipped it out and waited. I even pre-approved like 300 dollars for repairs. I was ready to pay the price for quality work. Finally, they call me to tell me they cannot fix it. They said they observed the issue but saw no signs of water damage and found no shorts on the board and said all they could do was a data backup. I said why would I pay for a data backup of a working drive? They said good point. I pleaded please maybe if you look at it for longer or have another tech check it out you can figure it out. They refused and shipped it back (at cost to me but I knew that going in). I basically gave up. I figured if the legendary Rossmann can't fix it then nobody can. One day a week later I walked past a repair shop in NYC called iFixit. I walked in and told them my story and they seemed super confident they could fix it and would not charge to take a look. Less than a week later they called and said it was fixed 95 bucks please. I was excited and skeptical. I picked it up and paid. I asked what they had done and all they did was clean the motherboard (like ultrasonic cleaning I think). I was worried. There was no way this would be all that was needed, because no way Rossmann's people missed such an easy fix. Well It's been weeks and I can confirm this was all that was needed. My Framework is now fully functional. I am thrilled but so disappointed. Rossmann Repair Group has been the biggest disappointment for me of the entire year of 2023. I seriously hope that my experience was the exception to the rule and that everyone else is having a better experience. My experience was what I expect from Geek Squad at Best Buy. Now I worked for Geek Squad and its great to send your mum or granny to get a virus cleaned and a basic hard drive data backup, but real repairs its not the place you want to go. I thought Rossmann was... I was wrong. iFixit in NYC was the place to go. Finishing the story: I received a call from Rossmann Repair. Initially I didn't take the call. I figured it was going to be an underhanded attempt to get me to amend the review above. When I got a second call several minutes later I figured I would take the call and see what they were going to say. The gentleman that was speaking said they wanted to talk about the review I had left. They wanted to let me know what happened from their side. I was skeptical but already on the phone and to be fair nobody had been unprofessional in their communications with me so I felt it would be rude not to let the man finish. Ultimately he told me that they dropped the ball and that my review was one of the few bad reviews that was justified. He went over in great detail what had happened from their end and why they believed there was no option for repair. He really wanted to convey that they were sorry they let me down that this truly was an anomaly and I believe him. I will be changing the review from a 1 to a 2 star but will not change the contents only add this ending to the story. While I doubt I will be using Rossmann Repair again I do believe they are a capable and professional shop. Edit: I have since received correspondence from Louis Rossmann himself and I truly believe that I am an edge case and that this shop is an amazing place and I just got very unlucky. Thank you Louis. Keep up all the good work you do.
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Tech Girl Tiff
4/21/2024
I have a 2021 MacBook Pro that just died. Flatlined. Took it to Apple Store in Plano, TX and Oklahoma City, OK. They both said system has an internal short and for $848, they could repair it. Problem is, I still had data on it that I needed. Apple said no chance on preserving any data because logic board and SSD are encrypted and it's an M1 laptop. They were going to replace logic board which would wipe everything on SSD. Only 16 months of life and this "incredible" Apple product died. No damage, moisture, cracks, or scuffs and it died. Apple Geniuses said probably a defective board but since they're Apple, I'll still have to pay for repair and since there's no activity, $0 for trade in. Have you heard about our "pay for cloud storage??????" Apple quality has dropped significantly. Steve Jobs must be rolling over in shame and disgust. Fortunately there is the Rossmann Repair Group. Shipped it to their Austin, TX facility. They were constantly communicating with me about the status of my MacBook Pro. Let me tell you who fixed my MacBook Pro M1 with SSD. NOT Apple. NOT some of these Data Recovery companies that wanted a $1000.00 non-refundable just to " try and do our best". The ROSSMANN REPAIR GROUP fixed it. I don't mean just repaired the encrypted logic board so that my MacBook is operational again, I mean the Rossmann Repair Group also SAVED ALL MY DATA on my SSD. EVERYTHING is intact. Data, preferences, EVERYTHING! ALL FOR LESS THAN APPLE wanted. That's right. Less money and they preserved everything while fixing what Apple shoddily put out into the market but wouldn't acknowledge as being DEFECTIVE. Whatever your needs for tech repair, Rossmann Repair Group. They truly have you covered. Their actions and results are what really matters when it comes your devices and data. Since OU is an Apple school, I had to buy another MacBook Pro for exams. When school is over, I'm tossing Apple into the gutter where it truly belongs. At least now I have ALL of my data to take with me thanks to the Rossmann Repair Group. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Just to clarify. I bought another MacBook Pro M3Pro BEFORE I even heard of Rossmann Repair Group. I actually bought it while at OKC Apple Store being told for the 2nd time that all is lost. Wish I hadn't because Rossmann Repair Group had it for less than a week and fixed Everything. Law school is unforgiving though and Finals are a real mother.read more
Stephen P.
12/08/2023
I had an iPhone 8 that was totally dead, wouldn't recognize being plugged into a computer or power outlet. The biggest problem was that it hadn't been backed up in a long time and there 5000+ photos and videos of our kids were potentially lost. I sent it in to RRG and got a call from Kevin (who was the tech who was actually going to be handling my repair). He was great, forthcoming with the plan, and very polite. Bottom line? Got my phone back with all the data still intact (apps, contacts, photos, videos, settings) working 100%, AND got a flash drive with the photos and videos on it. Thanks guys!
read more
Chris S.
10/14/2019
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 traveled two and a half hours each way to take my laptop in to Rossmann Repair Group because I was so impressed with the skill and expertise displayed in Louis Rossmann's YouTube channel (in addition to its hilariousness and occasionally brilliant wit and wisdom). It was important to me to go to a repair store that I had trust and confidence in.Louis and his colleagues were extraordinarily diligent, professional, thorough, transparent and went far above and beyond what was necessary and greatly exceeded my expectations. This was literally the best customer service experience I can remember by far. I would recommend Rossmann Repair Group to anyone without reservations. Louis and his colleagues are also among the most uncompromisingly ethical professionals I've ever met - as another reviewer pointed out, they literally invest huge amounts of uncompensated time to educate customers on how systematically faulty MacBooks are despite having a business model reliant on people continuing to buy them.Seriously, if you care about your computer, time, money, data, etc., I wouldn't risk going anywhere else for MacBook repair.read more
Samantha G.
8/10/2019
Quick fix for the hard drive stops working hardware failure on the MacBook Pro. Quick tip, it's not the drive itself but a problem on the mother board.read more
Danyel Lawson
12/17/2021
I sent in an external hard drive that bricked on me. Its a drive I plug in once a year, dump phone videos, photos, and then back on the shelf til next year. This year I went to free up some space and found the drive wouldn't respond. It had the first 10 years of my daughter growing up and I was freaking out. I had almost accepted they were gone until a friend at work mentioned RRG. I crossed my fingers and sent in the drive, not expecting good news (or some astronomical fee that would force me to put a price on those memories). Instead I got a call a few days after mailing saying not only could they repair the drive, but for a fraction of the cost I was expecting. 10/10 would recommend to anyone needing any services they provide.read more
Jason Burzynski (Baker)
12/17/2021
I had a MacBook Air that died. Thankfully, I had watched a number of Louis Rossmann videos on YouTube and thought that his group would be the people for the job. I shipped my laptop off to Austin, within a few hours of receiving it, I was assigned a number and kept up to date on the progress. The laptop was repaired in about three business days, packed, and returned to me as good as new! Had I sent it to an "authorized" Apple repair center, they would have been required to replace the logic board, resulting in a complete loss of data! Thankfully, they know how to actually repair computers! I didn't have to lose any data ... it was all intact! That's a great win! The repair cost $425, which was actually less than the $464 at an authorized repair shop, to replace the entire logic board. For sure, if I have other issues, right back to Austin it will go! My only knock, and it's a small one is that the communication is not great when replying to the service ticket to ask questions. I'm still giving five stars though because 4.75 won't work!
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Paul ..
7/18/2024
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 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.
Made In America
No Outsourcing
Experienced Technicians
Address
Rossmann Repair Group Inc 2410 San Antonio Street,
Austin, TX 78705
(347) 552-2258
OPENING HOURS
Monday-Friday – 11 AM to 7 PM
Austin, TX 78705
(347) 552-2258
OPENING HOURS
Monday-Friday – 11 AM to 7 PM
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