Hello guys!
This is part 2 of the cycle on TRIMed SSD drives.
In this article, we will examine how TRIM works on SSDs during partial data deletion. We will walk through the data recovery process using an M.2 SATA drive as an example.
The procedure will be the same for the PCIe NVMe SSDs.
The difference between quick formatting and deleting a certain number of files lies in how many logical blocks are marked as unused, and in how the file system reports this to the SSD.
Continue reading
Hey there!
Every software update delivers new features and capabilities for PC‑3000 users, but we never stop improving the hardware either, regularly adding new adapters to support emerging technologies.
As you know, the PC‑3000 Portable isn’t limited to SATA‑based devices – it also supports PCIe interfaces, giving data recovery professionals access to a growing range of modern storage technologies.
We already support a wide range of SSDs built on various controllers – and we’re actively working to add even more.
Not long ago, we introduced the MacBook Pro A1706/A1708 (2016–2017) PCIe SSD adapter for PC‑3000 Portable III and Portable PRO. Let’s take a closer look at what this adapter brings to the table and why it matters for data recovery labs.
Continue reading
Current article was written using PC-3000 7.7.21 software update
Formatted SATA SSD Recovery: Understanding the Challenge
Recovering data from a formatted SSD is one of the most complex tasks in data recovery today. This complexity arises not from traditional file deletion methods, but from the advanced functions built into SSDs to maintain performance and long life.
At the heart of this challenge are two key components working in tandem: the TRIM command from the operating system and the SSD’s internal Garbage Collector.
Hello friends!
The ACE Lab constantly researches drives, which results in a rapid expansion of the Support List for most of the modern SSDs. So with the PC-3000 Systems that support Solid State Drives, you will always be on the cutting edge of
data recovery technology!
Current article was written using PC-3000 7.8.17 software update
Hello everyone!
In this article, we’re going to dive deep into the process of recovering data from a SATA SSD equipped with a Maxio MAS0902 controller series, including rebranded versions such as the Lexar DM918.
Currently, PC‑3000 SSD supports the following Maxio SATA controllers:
Maxio, formerly known as JMicron, manufactures SSD controllers. The “MAS” controller series follows a different drive initialization process compared to popular drives based on Phison and Silicon Motion controllers.
To correctly prepare such a SATA SSD for data access, please follow this guide.
Based on ACE Lab’s extensive experience in SSD research, the most common problem with non-functional SSDs is damage to the firmware, specifically critical parts like the translator or service area system blocks.
The surest solution for damaged SSDs is to connect them directly to the PC-3000 Portable III / PRO and perform recovery via a special utility designed for the specific controller. This utility can operate with the drive’s internal firmware to repair it in case of corruption.
While it is not feasible to develop a custom utility for every SSD controller on the market, ACE Lab is continually working to expand our coverage and support for as many controllers as possible.
As a result, we sometimes tried some alternative methods that allow us to achieve a disk Ready State that is not officially supported by PC-3000.
Below is a typical example of restoring a damaged Apple AHCI PCIe drive, which is based on a Samsung processor and does not have a typical solution in the PC-3000 SSD Extended Add-on, but still has a good chance of accessing all data!
Hello, dear PC-3000 Users!
Sometimes Data Recovery Labs may receive a very strange SSD that may be based on an unknown controller. Our Technical Support dpt received one of such weird drives. Let’s figure out how to deal with it!
In this article, we will look at the specifics of recovering data from Intel Optane Memory H10 (H20) series. These are NVMe M.2 SSDs often found in laptops and monoblocs with Intel processors.
These drives use two types of memory: Optane memory (originally 3D XPoint) and QLC 3D NAND. Each type of memory operates on an independent channel thanks to PCIe line remapping technology, which must be supported by the PC chipset. So there are two independent drives in the same physical device.
However, they are rarely used independently, but are usually combined into a single logical drive using special software (Intel Rapid Storage and Intel Smart Response technologies). The Optane memory drive is used for data caching and the NAND memory drive is used for primary storage.
These features also affect the approach to recovering data from such drives. In this article, we will look at how to copy data correctly with PC-3000 Portable III and Portable PRO and how to get a correct image of a logical volume.
Improper rebuild is a mistake customers often make when trying to solve array problems on their own. This issue is complex enough to confuse a data recovery engineer. It is important to understand exactly what is happening to the data and how it affects the chances of a successful data recovery.
We will look at the most popular level — RAID-5. We will consider how the processes of initialization, correct and incorrect rebuild are performed for it. Furthermore, we will discuss whether it is possible to recover data after an incorrect rebuild.
There can be many variants of incorrect rebuild for RAID-5, in this article we will limit ourselves to just one of them — when the new and old configurations are the same. This is the common case in practice and the easiest to explain and recover data from. Once we have studied it, we can move on to more complex cases in the following articles.
We assume that you have studied the previous article on RAID-1 and understand what we mean by initialization, rebuild, and the nature of the “improper rebuild” problem. So let’s go straight to the specifics of these processes for RAID-5.
Hello guys!
Sometimes, Data Recovery Lab may get a USB Flash drive with a no name controller inside in the COB (chip-on-board) package. Usually such controllers are extremely cheap, and you can find them inside “10 bucks” drives from Amazon / Alibaba or inside souvenir USB Flash sticks.
Anyway, people don’t care about the internal component quality: a Flash stick is a Flash stick that needs to be used! And if we have it, why don’t we put the most important and regularly used data on it?! Without a backup of course!
Here is the story of a tiny drive brought in by a friend of our TS engineer.
