SMR Hard Drive Data Recovery

Name: Apple product data recovery
Brand: Rossmann Repair Group
Rating: 5 (232 reviews)

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!

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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!

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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.
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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SDcards/microSD cards

$200 for basic data recovery, $900 for breakout board data recovery

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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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SSDs

$300-$2000 depending on extent of damage

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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.

					Brought my 2017 macbook air in today after Apple's "genius" bar told me last week I needed a new logic board. Someone recommended bringing it here to see if they could repair it. I came in thinking I'd pay $250 for a logic board repair but one of the guys working took it apart, cleaned some dirt out of the keyboard/trackpad and sent me on my way(with no charge!!!) Cant believe im writing this on my mac after I almost bought a whole new machine. Wish I had more cash on hand to leave these guys a bigger tip. Well worth the 1.5 hour drive!!! (also appreciate them taking precautions against covid-everyone was wearing masks)
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Carolyn Dickson
12/17/2020
					I walked in with my dead Macbook Pro Tuesday (randomly wouldn't turn on or charge) and Louis and his team were so helpful! At first they opened it up and said that the logic board needed to be replaced but were willing to see if the current one could be salvaged first. I left and came back and in an hour my Macbook was good as new!!!! Apple told me it would be better to just buy a whole new Macbook, so glad I came here first! Highly recommend for all your Apple repair needs.
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Lay E.
7/12/2018
					These guys saved my life. Nowhere else in NYC would even attempt to repair my water-damaged laptop while trying to preserve the invaluable data on it. Rossman executed flawlessly, and even charged me $250 LESS than the original estimate. I won't even consider taking my computer anywhere else from now on, and you shouldn't either. Ultimate no brainer.
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Christopher S.
1/10/2021

					I just got my Macbook Pro back from RRG. I have to say I was overjoyed and honestly getting my Macbook Pro back was the one time I felt pure joy in a while. I caught Louis on the phone a couple of the times that I called and he is super nice, incredibly nice to customers. I called in to tell him I wanted rush service and he noted that I approved $45 rush service. I called the beginning of the next week to see what the status was because it had been delivered on Thursday. Louis said they were in the middle of replacing the battery now, and then within the hour I got an email saying it was done. They did not charge me the rush service charge, which I didn't realize until after I paid and it shipped, but the was a duplicated repair charge on the invoice that I called and noted to them, which they promptly fixed. This leads me to believe that they waived the rush charge. These guys are awesome and made a daunting experience of being without my Macbook Pro for a week super easy. In contrast-- Geek Squad (Best Buy) said they needed to send it off to Apple for a month, and Microcenter, while I'm very impressed that they were able to do it in store, wanted $500 for the repair, which $300 of that was Apple's charge for the battery, that they're forced to use because they are an AASP. My understanding is they replace the whole backing and not just the battery. But here's the thing-- regardless of both places and even though all my data is backed up on the cloud, I simply did not trust to leave my Macbook Pro with either Microcenter (because they are an AASP only, because they're an awesome store with very capable people) or *shudder* Best Buy. Thank you so much Louis for being awesome, and all the rest of the guys. I don't know who the other guys were I spoke with but everyone was incredibly kind.
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Alexander Rose
12/17/2020
					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
					Awesome service, I assumed my MacBook pro 2021 could have the storage removed in case something happens, something happened, my MacBook didn't start one day and Apple told me they have to replace most of the internals and all my data was lost for more than $1000, Rossman saved the MacBook and the storage for less than half, why are MacBooks build like this? Why can't the storage be removed like they used to, and you can still do that on windows laptops
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Andres Carrasco
4/04/2023

					I took my iPhone 6 Plus with a motherboard completely damaged took it to other technicians that were specialist in motherboards and no one could’ve get my data recovered or fix my phone to power back on these people of  (Rossmann Repair Group) got the phone fully repaired and in perfect working order and also backed up all my data in to a new hard drive . I totally recommend this company they are very responsive responsible and very professional .. thank you Rossmann Repair Group 😊
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Hector Nunez
12/17/2021
					My Mac Book Air was damaged by a water spill. I turned it on briefly, then it shut down and it would not boot up again. Knowing how damaging a liquid spill can be on a Mac Book, I reluctantly took it to the Apple Store to assess the damage. I was told at the Apple store that it would cost me at least $750.00 to have the hard drive replaced and that would be my only option. I was also encouraged to purchase a new one rather than putting that much money into it. I did not want to spend that kind of money so I went home feeling like all was lost. A local business near my home in West Chester Ohio highly recommended the Rossmann Repair Group in New York City. Reluctantly, I packed it up and sent it to this company after researching it online. I also called and talked to the owner describing the problem. He was very professional and personable. Within two weeks, I received a reply back from the owner through their website letting me know they had completed their assessment. I called again and spoke to the owner because there was no charge on the invoice. The owner said to me, "All we needed to do was an ultra-sonic cleaning, we cleaned a bit of gunk out of it and we don't feel like we should charge you anything". I was absolutely amazed at the integrity of this man and this company. He could have charged me hundreds of dollars for a repair, I would never have known. I HIGHLY recommend this company. It is rare that you find that level of honesty and integrity in a company. My laptop was cleaned and is now working like it were brand new. (see the photo below) All I paid this company was for shipping to return it back to me. Again, I would highly recommend this company. The Apple store will no longer be my first stop for issues concerning any of my Apple products. This guy and his company are the real deal.
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M.A. H.
2/10/2019
					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.
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Christina M
12/17/2021

					Received my dead 2010 Macbook Pro restored with all of the data ! Also swapped out the old HDD for a new SDD
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Calvin F.
2/05/2024
					I had a nearly 12 year old MacBook pro with the dreaded kernel panics.  I contacted Rossman Repair Group after finding them on YouTube.  I shipped the computer by following their instructions and it was received unharmed.  Once the computer was received, I found them communicative, professional, and knowledgeable. They replaced the defective part, cleaned the computer and then I added a new battery and they even repaired my DVD drive.The computer was returned to me (the whole process took about 5 business days) and to say fantastic would be an understatement.  I didn't realize that I had build in responses to anticipate computer shutdowns.  I kept trying and trying to get it to crash, but the computer has run 48 hours straight without fail!  This punts the decision for me to buy a new computer down the road 2 years!  I'd give them 11 stars if I could..Thank you!
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Thomas R.
3/25/2022
					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

					I was stressed out studying for my exams and ended up dropping and then spilling day-old soup all over my 6-month old Macbook Pro that cost $2000. The keyboard and then screen stopped working. I sent it to a local shop and they said nothing could be done, but I saw that Rossmann had a mail-in option. I was initially skeptical but sent in my laptop as a last-ditch effort to try to recover my laptop. They responded quickly and told me about what had gone wrong in my laptop, and fixed it so it works now! Plus, the computer is not able to turn off when the lid is closed, so they counted it as unfixable and didn't even charge me for the repair. I paid $30 to rescue a $2000 computer! Thanks so much for being the most decent shop I've ever encountered. I will be returning as long as I own Macs.
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Christine Y.
9/06/2022
					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.
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Marlene Leekang
12/17/2021
					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

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!

failed usb drive during data recovery service

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..

on site hard drive data recovery service

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 Service

Call or Visit Us

(347) 552-2258

Monday-Friday – 11 AM to 7 PM

2410 San Antonio Street
Austin, TX 78705

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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.

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