A customer brought in a Lacie Rugged external drive that had suffered liquid damage from a spilled bottle of water. After the incident, the drive was not being recognized by any device, was making no noises, and appeared to be completely dead. The drive contained critical business and personal files, making data recovery essential.
Our Expertise in Water-Damaged Drive Recovery
With 25 years of experience, our team at Edinburgh Data Recovery specializes in recovering data from liquid-damaged storage devices, including external hard drives, SSDs, and memory cards.
Diagnosis & Recovery Process
Upon receiving the Lacie Rugged external drive, our engineers conducted a detailed inspection to assess the extent of the water damage. The key findings included:
- No Power or Response – Indicating possible circuit board failure.
- No Clicking or Spinning Sounds – Suggesting a non-functional drive motor or electronic short.
- Visible Corrosion on Internal Components – Confirming water damage on the drive’s PCB (Printed Circuit Board).
To recover the customer’s valuable data, we implemented a multi-step recovery process:
Step 1: Cleanroom Drying & Component Cleaning
- The drive was carefully disassembled in our ISO-certified cleanroom to prevent further contamination.
- Specialized drying techniques were used to remove any remaining moisture.
- The corroded components were cleaned and repaired where possible.
Step 2: PCB Repair & Power Restoration
- Since the drive was not powering on, our engineers repaired the damaged circuit board using micro-soldering techniques.
- A compatible donor PCB was sourced to bypass any irreparable damage.
- Power was successfully restored, allowing partial drive access.
Step 3: Data Extraction & Cloning
- The drive’s internal components were stabilized, and data was cloned sector-by-sector to a secure recovery system.
- Advanced recovery tools were used to extract intact files from damaged sectors.
- A complete file structure rebuild was performed to ensure the data was usable.
Step 4: Data Verification & Secure Transfer
- All recovered data was verified for integrity to ensure files were not corrupted.
- The recovered files were securely transferred to a new external drive for the customer.
The Result
Despite severe liquid damage, we successfully recovered 98% of the customer’s data, including important business documents and personal files. The customer was relieved to regain access to their valuable information.
Why Choose Edinburgh Data Recovery?
✅ 25 Years of Experience – Experts in water-damaged and dead drive recovery.
✅ Advanced Recovery Techniques – Specializing in PCB repair, donor parts, and cleanroom recovery.
✅ Secure & Confidential Handling – Ensuring privacy and integrity throughout the recovery process.
✅ High Success Rate – Even in cases where standard repair shops deem recovery impossible.
If your external drive has suffered water damage or is completely dead, contact Edinburgh Data Recovery today for professional data recovery services!