Devon’s No.1 Hard Disk Recovery Specialists with Over 25 Years of Technical Expertise
At Exeter Data Recovery, we specialise in the professional recovery of lost, deleted, inaccessible, or corrupted data from all makes and models of internal and external hard disks. With 25 years of industry experience, we deliver trusted, precision-driven solutions for even the most complex recovery scenarios.
Whether you’re dealing with accidental deletion, firmware corruption, mechanical failure, or advanced SSD degradation, our team uses forensic-grade recovery tools and cleanroom procedures to safely extract your data.
Supported Hard Disk Brands and Top-Selling UK Models
We recover data from all major HDD and SSD manufacturers. Below are the top 20 hard disk brands in the UK, along with their popular consumer and enterprise models:
1. Seagate
- Top Models: Barracuda, FireCuda, IronWolf, SkyHawk, Exos
2. Western Digital (WD)
- Top Models: Blue, Black, Red Plus, My Passport, Ultrastar
3. Toshiba
- Top Models: X300, P300, L200, Canvio Advance, Canvio Basics
4. Samsung
- Top Models: 870 EVO, 980 Pro NVMe, T7 SSD, QVO Series
5. SanDisk
- Top Models: Ultra 3D SSD, Extreme Portable SSD
6. Crucial (Micron)
- Top Models: MX500, BX500, P3 Plus, X8 SSD
7. Kingston
- Top Models: A400, KC600, NV2 NVMe, XS2000 SSD
8. ADATA
- Top Models: SU800, SX8200 Pro, SE800, HD710 Pro
9. Hitachi (HGST)
- Top Models: Deskstar, Travelstar, Ultrastar
10. Fujitsu
- Top Models: MHZ Series, MHT Series (legacy enterprise drives)
11. Intel
- Top Models: SSD 660p, SSD D3-S4510, Optane SSDs
12. PNY
- Top Models: CS900, CS2140 NVMe, Pro Elite
13. TeamGroup
- Top Models: T-Force Cardea Zero Z440, GX2, MP33 Pro
14. Sabrent
- Top Models: Rocket NVMe 4.0, Rocket Q, Rocket XTRM
15. Corsair
- Top Models: MP600, Force MP510, EX100U
16. Verbatim
- Top Models: Store ‘n’ Go, Vi550 SSD
17. Transcend
- Top Models: StoreJet, MTE250S
18. Patriot
- Top Models: Burst SSD, Viper VP4300
19. Silicon Power
- Top Models: A55 SSD, P34A80 NVMe
20. Integral
- Top Models: V Series SSD, P Series 5
Supported Interfaces
We recover from all standard hard drive connection types, including:
- SATA (Serial ATA)
- PATA / IDE (Parallel ATA)
- NVMe (PCIe Gen3/4/5)
- SAS (Serial Attached SCSI)
- SCSI
- eSATA
- M.2 Interface
- U.2 Interface
- PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express)
Whether your drive is internal or enclosed in a USB-based system, we recover files across any architecture.
30 Common Hard Disk Data Recovery Faults – With Recovery Methodology
1. Mechanical Failure
- Issue: Internal component failure (e.g., spindle, actuator arm, heads).
- Recovery: Drive dismantled in cleanroom; faulty components temporarily replaced to allow imaging.
2. Head Crash
- Issue: Read/write heads make contact with platters.
- Recovery: Damaged heads replaced in controlled environment; partial sector imaging performed.
3. Platter Damage
- Issue: Scratches or contamination on platter surface.
- Recovery: Data retrieved from unaffected areas; imaging done with sector-level control.
4. Firmware Corruption
- Issue: Corrupted or missing microcode prevents access.
- Recovery: Firmware modules reconstructed or emulated using manufacturer-specific tools.
5. Bad Sectors
- Issue: Unreadable or degraded areas on the disk.
- Recovery: Sector-by-sector imaging with error handling and multiple read attempts.
6. Logical Corruption
- Issue: File system becomes unreadable (e.g., NTFS, exFAT, HFS+).
- Recovery: File system rebuilt using metadata remnants; file carving from raw data if required.
7. PCB Failure
- Issue: Faulty electronics on controller board.
- Recovery: PCB replaced with identical version; ROM chip swapped for compatibility.
8. NAND Flash Wear (SSD)
- Issue: Write-cycle exhaustion causes read instability.
- Recovery: Direct NAND access with wear-level analysis; ECC algorithms used to reconstruct data.
9. SSD Controller Failure
- Issue: Flash controller chip becomes non-functional.
- Recovery: Chip-off method or controller emulation to access memory directly.
10. Drive Not Recognised
- Issue: OS or BIOS fails to detect the drive.
- Recovery: Interface diagnostics, board repair, or firmware reconstruction performed.
11. Power Surge / Electrical Failure
- Issue: Voltage spike damages drive circuitry.
- Recovery: Burnt components replaced; drive stabilised before imaging.
12. Accidental File Deletion
- Issue: User deletes critical files.
- Recovery: File carving and allocation table recovery; validation via header analysis.
13. Formatting or Initialisation
- Issue: Drive formatted accidentally.
- Recovery: Previous file system reconstructed from residual metadata.
14. Overheating
- Issue: Excessive temperature causes failure or shutdown.
- Recovery: Drive cooled, monitored, and imaged carefully to avoid further degradation.
15. Encrypted Drive Failures
- Issue: FileVault, BitLocker, or third-party encryption.
- Recovery: Data accessed using correct credentials or keyfile; decrypted securely post-recovery.
16. Corrupt Partition Table
- Issue: Drive appears unallocated or RAW.
- Recovery: Partition boundaries located manually and structure rebuilt.
17. Corrupted Boot Sector
- Issue: System drive fails to mount.
- Recovery: MBR or GPT rebuilt; data extracted via secondary OS environment.
18. Clicking or Beeping Drive
- Issue: Repeated actuator faults.
- Recovery: Mechanical assessment and head stack replacement in lab conditions.
19. Drive Freezes During Access
- Issue: Controller or firmware instability.
- Recovery: Recovery environment bypasses OS to image readable sectors.
20. OS Crash or Reinstall
- Issue: Data lost after fresh OS install.
- Recovery: Residual data recovered from overwritten space and unallocated clusters.
21. Corrupted Master File Table (MFT)
- Issue: NTFS MFT or MFT mirror damaged.
- Recovery: File entries reconstructed from raw sector analysis.
22. File System Conversion Error
- Issue: Mac/Windows or Linux reformatting corrupts file structures.
- Recovery: Original format reconstructed manually using signature analysis.
23. Malware or Ransomware Attack
- Issue: Files encrypted or deleted maliciously.
- Recovery: Non-encrypted data isolated; partial recovery from shadow copies or residual sectors.
24. BIOS/EFI Lockout
- Issue: System prevents access to hardware.
- Recovery: Drive removed and imaged externally to avoid system-level restrictions.
25. Driver or Chipset Incompatibility
- Issue: SSD not supported by system.
- Recovery: Direct connection to forensic imaging tools bypasses OS drivers.
26. Stuck Heads
- Issue: Heads stuck on platter surface.
- Recovery: Heads repositioned manually; heads replaced if damaged.
27. RAID Volume Failure
- Issue: Standalone drive part of failed array.
- Recovery: Reconstructed as part of a virtual RAID; data extracted post-rebuild.
28. Bridge Board Encryption
- Issue: External drive uses hardware encryption.
- Recovery: Original enclosure required; if unavailable, decryption chip reverse-engineered.
29. Unmountable External Drives
- Issue: OS prompts for format or fails to assign letter.
- Recovery: Mountpoint repaired or bypassed to access data directly.
30. Slow Performance or Inaccessibility
- Issue: Delays in file access, freezing.
- Recovery: Drive imaged using low-speed read protocol to avoid triggering firmware-level faults.
Why Choose Exeter Data Recovery?
- 25+ Years of Hard Disk Recovery Expertise
- Certified Cleanroom Facilities for Mechanical Drive Failures
- Custom Firmware Repair and Direct Chip Access Tools
- SSD and HDD Support Across All Major Interfaces
- File Recovery from Hard Disk Services for Home Users, Businesses, and IT Providers
- Free Diagnostic Evaluation and Fast Turnaround Options
Contact Exeter’s File Recovery Engineers Today
If your hard drive has failed, been formatted, or is not being recognised by your system, avoid further use immediately to prevent permanent data loss.
Contact Exeter Data Recovery today for a free diagnostic assessment. Our engineers will evaluate your device, determine the fault, and provide a structured recovery strategy tailored to your situation.
Exeter Data Recovery – Devon’s No.1 File Recovery from Hard Disk Specialists
Precision Techniques. Professional Results. Proven Trust.