A client contacted Belfast Data Recovery after their Hitachi 2.5″ SATA hard drive stopped being recognized by their system. The reported issues included:
- The hard drive was not detected in the BIOS or operating system.
- The client removed the drive and took it to a local computer shop, where they suspected a motor failure but could not confirm it.
- The hard drive contained critical personal and business files, making recovery urgent.
- The client had no backup, meaning professional data recovery was essential.
Since motor failure prevents the drive from spinning, making traditional software recovery impossible, a forensic cleanroom recovery approach was required.
Our Expertise in Hitachi 2.5″ SATA Hard Drive Recovery
With 25 years of experience, Belfast Data Recovery specializes in:
✔ Recovering data from physically failed hard drives with motor or mechanical issues
✔ Cleanroom repairs for hard drives that won’t spin up
✔ Forensic-level data recovery using Acelabs PC3000, RapidSpar, DFL-SRP, DeepSpar imaging, and Atola Insight Forensic tools
Diagnosis & Recovery Process
Upon receiving the Hitachi 2.5″ SATA hard drive, our engineers conducted a detailed forensic assessment. The key findings included:
- The hard drive was completely non-responsive, confirming a motor failure.
- The platters were intact, meaning data was still physically present but inaccessible.
- The PCB (Printed Circuit Board) and firmware were functional, allowing controlled access to the drive’s internals.
To successfully recover the client’s lost files, we implemented a multi-step forensic hard drive recovery strategy:
Step 1: Cleanroom Repair & Motor Replacement
- Opened the Hitachi hard drive in a cleanroom to prevent contamination.
- Carefully removed the platters and transferred them to a matching donor drive with a working motor.
Step 2: Drive Cloning & Data Preservation
- Used DeepSpar Disk Imager to create a sector-by-sector forensic clone.
- Applied adaptive read techniques to recover data from previously inaccessible sectors.
Step 3: File System Repair & Data Extraction
- Repaired damaged NTFS/APFS file system structures to restore missing directories.
- Extracted and validated all personal, business, and multimedia files.
Step 4: Data Integrity Check & Secure Transfer
- Conducted final validation checks to confirm all recovered files were intact.
- Successfully transferred the restored data to a new high-performance external SSD, formatted for client use.
The Result
We successfully recovered 98.7% of the client’s lost files, including:
✅ Personal and business documents, spreadsheets, and PDFs
✅ Multimedia files, photos, and videos
✅ Archived emails, client records, and financial reports
The client was able to fully restore their critical files, preventing a major data loss crisis.
Why Choose Belfast Data Recovery for Hitachi Hard Drive Recovery?
✅ 25 Years of Expertise – Specialists in mechanically failed hard drives.
✅ Cleanroom Repairs – Safe handling of motor-damaged drives.
✅ Forensic Data Extraction – Recovering lost files even from non-spinning drives.
✅ Fast & Secure Process – Ensuring complete confidentiality and successful recovery.
If your Hitachi 2.5″ SATA hard drive is not recognized, not spinning, or suspected to have motor failure, contact Belfast Data Recovery today for expert hard drive recovery services!