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.
Recovered a water damaged hard drive that I feared was a goner. Kevin was very helpful and took the time to answer all my questions. Friendly staff and I definitely recommend. Thanks!read more
Chris S
7/17/2022
I was a LaCie user for four years when an accidental drop from my desk resulted in LOSING all access to my drive. So much for the "durable" orange protective casing. All of my client's projects and years of work lost in a second. I was desperate and like many others, immediately googled and youtubed as many solutions as I could find. I tried everything short of breaking the manufacturer seal. As it turns out, dropping a LaCie while it's running can sometimes damage the internal heads that read your data. Your options are a deadly 50/50 chance of success DIY or Rossman. I needed to know I had done my best to recover all the data so I sent my drive to Rossman. They were incredible from the start. In my panic I sent my package to the wrong address, THEY PICKED IT UP FOR ME. They informed me every step of the way where they were in the process of recovering my data. 5 weeks later and I just received my drive back with 95% of everything on my LaCie. If you need your data recovery done right choose Rossman.read more
Meg Prom
6/17/2022
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. I was already familiar with them given Louis Rossmann is one of my many subscriptions on YouTube, so I figured giving their Data Recovery Services a try. This proved to be a very wise choice! They identified exactly why the drive failed, and they recovered the data in expedited fashion. My client was very pleased. Keep up the good vibes!read more
Shomari Hohn
12/17/2020
These guys were super helpful. They did a data transfer for me from a dead 2011 Mac Air to a 2TB external hard drive. They literally made a clone of my hard drive for only $100. Now when I plug in the external to my new laptop, it's like a beautiful little USB of my entire old computer! So great. Apple Genius Bar WILL NOT do this data transfer for you. They only work on your computer if you can turn it on. Totally useless if your logic board is dead. The Rossman Group are real tech geniuses. They take off the back and do the manual work of examining the physical parts. Definitely go here instead of a brand name store.
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Katie Stuller
1/21/2019
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.
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Sonya
12/21/2019
When all others failed, Rossmann did not!!! In January of this year a snow storm knocked out the power at my house and a very important external hard drive of mine was affected. My computer could tell that there was a drive connected but would not read it. All it was doing was making a clicking noise. I made an appointment to a chain electronics and appliance store. They took one look at it, plugged it in, and then handed it back to me telling me that there was nothing to be done to fix it. I made another appointment, this time for a local computer repair company. They had my drive for two weeks but with no luck. They then sent the drive off to a higher repair company that they work with. This company attempted to work on my hard drive for about a month. Eventually, after replacing parts and trying all that they could, they returned it to me, stating that it was lost and could not be recovered. I had given up on the drive. This drive contained all of my photography business back to 2016. Haven't lost so much, I was about to shut down my small business. My wife posted a message to some friends asking if anyone could recommend anything for me. Someone suggested Rossmann. I reached out to them and sent my drive in, not expecting anything but more disappointment. The crew of Rossmann were constantly in touch with me letting me know what was going on with my drive. After some time, they called me to tell me that it would be another month or so because they had to fix whatever the prior company had tried to do. My drive was with them for a few months that I had actually forgotten about it. One rough day at work and just getting home, I received a call from a repair company that was in my phone contacts. I figured it was some construction company wanting to offer me some home remodeling deal. When the guy on the other end told me that they had recovered my hard drive it had completely made my day so much better. I had written it off as a complete loss and Rossmann had saved it all. They set up a time with me to get online and remote connect with them to be able to see my drive in their system and review my files. I was very happy with what I was seeing. They mailed my drive back to me and even contacted me shortly after the delivery date to ensure I got the drive and was happy with it. I couldn't be more pleased. All that was lost was not actually gone and what three other tech companies could not do, Rossmann did!read more
Daniel S.
8/01/2022
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
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 Data My 2 cents. Salvador Pelaez
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Salvador Peláez
12/17/2019
By far the best company I have ever used for data recovery. They keep m informed every step of the way and did it quickly. Thanks again cant wait to use them again.
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John Bort
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.read more
Christine Y.
9/06/2022
These guys deserve TEN stars. My mother's Mac Air died on a vacation to NYC. Well, we thought it died. Her bag was lost at JFK and the charger was packed (dumb, yes, but there was a major snowstorm and she slept not at all waiting to find out whether or not her flight was canceled). She had important files not backed up. Yes, dumb. But she's 78 and a lawyer 52 years. A lawyer with secretaries who used to do all that stuff. And she is not computer-savvy beyond the bare minimum needed to email and compose documents. She bought a charger at UES Apple (the one on Madison in the 70s). The computer would not charge above 1%. My friend in IT recommended this place. He says it is the ONLY place other than Apple he will allow to touch his many devices, as an Apple consumer since the 1980s. I called Rossman at noon, from the March For Our Lives, and they said they would take a look at it. But before that, I emailed. Sure enough, there was an email back to my mother (she didn't see it). I told them my friend thought the port was corroded and that might be why it would not (the light) turn green or orange. So I trek back to the UES from the UWS to retrieve the computer. Trains a mess. Two hours later I arrived at Rossman and found three others waiting in the tiny store. It's not that small but typical for the area, narrow storefront and a deep space with workspace in the rear. The man took the computer and then charged with his own charger. Voila! All that stress and it turns out the computer is FINE but that Apple sold us a defective charger. Mom never tested it in the store, having no reason to believe Apple would sell a lemon. (Yuk yuk.) The man (whose name I wish I had asked for as we hung out over an hour) transferred her hard drive onto a little metal thing for 40 bucks. Also, Mom's machine is in very good shape, though she needs a new battery at some point. He does not recommend that she buys a new Air, which she was prepared to do. Otherwise, her device is healthy. Quite remarkable for a 2012 that gets heavy usage. Even at work, she uses her Air not a desktop at the firm. We then talked a lot about old vs new Airs and MacBook Pros. My Pro is from 2015, November. He says NEVER to get rid of this device, just to fix it when it gets old, and that the new MacBook Pros suck. He even expects a class action suit to arise as a result of the hybrid of solid state and movable parts. The new Airs are also not great. If they die and you haven't backed anything up, you are screwed. There is NO WAY to retrieve files without making the machine functional. That's because there is no removable hard drive. He's not impressed with the new products and says the best Pro eve made is the one I own (a gift from a dear friend who knew my 2011 MacBook Pro was on last legs). I am a customer for life and when my 2015 Pro begins to age, I'm taking it here. They also sell refurbished Mac Air/Pro and I would trust anything they had fixed and deemed fit to sell. Everyone is so nice. A lot of people came in and the Saturday hours were 12 to 4. A frazzled young woman came in at 4:10 pm and asked if they were closed. "Yes and no," my repairman told her. I love this place and encourage all Apple people to patronize them. The juice place down the street is quite good (a few doors down) and the prices lower than Juice Press and the like (except for the Acai bowls). But they don't have real milk. Just that soy/almond garbage. It's not far from Veselka and the Immigrant Bar. And St. Marks. THANK YOU, ROSSMAN!read more
Victoria O.
3/25/2018
I teach at a gifted school and am dependent on a sturdy 7-year-old MacBook Pro purchased with a parents association grant. I use it for lecture, lessons, student presentations and all of my grading and internet at school. I had dropped the computer and it would not charge afterward. I called apple and they abandoned me. Their authorized repair people referred me to Louis before they abandoned me too. I showed up late on a Tuesday at his store frantic and worn out because this is my busiest time of the academic year. Frightened I would have to leave the computer there, Louis overheard me explaining I didn’t want the hard drive accidentally wiped and proceeded to start to analyze the problem. Then he gingerly opened up my tired computer and hooked power up from the inside, determined it was fixable and had some jolly guy in the back room hammer out the case for me while I waited. Then he put it all back together better than Humpty Dumpty and sent me on my way. I kept asking to pay him and he kept saying I could leave a tip if I wanted. I left a modest tip and thanked him and his really nice staff a few more times. I have never met anyone like this man. Yes Louis Rossmann is a true genius, unlike the misnomer coveted by apple technicians who are demeaning and often ineffective. Louis is talented, patient, and kind. And he’s a good teacher too. He treated my computer like it was a person and he treated me with dignity for wanting to rescue it. I hope he does well in his business. He seems happy but it bothers me that he says people are not quick to thank him. I wish more people knew the joys of being in the presence of his greatness and leaving so relieved you have your computer back that the rainstorm outside that night doesn’t annoy you. Thank you Louis, and I wish you deep happiness in your life. Keep up the greatness. If you ever need anything let me know.
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Maria Nedwidek
5/21/2019
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 was referred to Rossmann Repair Group by a friend whose dad swears by the shop. After my Macbook Pro crashed and Mikey's Hookup in Brooklyn quoted me $511 to fix it and recover my data (plus a $90 diagnostic fee), I was desperate for a second opinion. Enter: Rossman Repair Group, who was able to get the job done for $250. What's more, the guys accidentally fixed my computer without first sending me a quote - when they realized this mistake, they graciously offered that I not pay full price for the repair. One of the best customer service experiences I've had in a really long time, ESPECIALLY when it comes to Apple products... I highly recommend them!Thanks Rossmann Repair! My laptop is working great now - you guys are the best!read more
L A.
10/30/2018
Amazing technician, I believe the best in Apple repair in the country even better than Apple with the tools and facility they can get of course, Apple makes many problems for third party repair shops. I have learned a lot from his videos and from Jessa Jones at iPad Rehab in Rochester NY. I look forward in learning more from them all. Aside from being great technicians they are very honest which is a good relief from anyone that want's to get anything repaired. I look forward to visiting NYC one day and stopping by the shop and thank him in person. They have also fixed my laptop where I am writing this response on and gave me tips on my external hard drive which is now also up and working!read more
Tony Trilex
12/17/2021
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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