A head teacher from a school in Derry contacted Belfast Data Recovery after their WD Elements external hard drive became inaccessible. The reported issues included:
- The hard drive was showing as RAW, meaning the file system was missing or corrupted.
- Windows and macOS prompted a message saying: “You need to format the disk before you can use it.”
- The drive contained critical school-related documents, including lesson plans, administrative records, and student performance data.
- No backup was available, making professional data recovery essential.
Since RAW file system errors are often caused by logical corruption, sudden power loss, bad sectors, or accidental formatting, a forensic-level data recovery approach was required.
Our Expertise in WD Elements Hard Drive Recovery
With 25 years of experience, Belfast Data Recovery specializes in:
✔ Recovering data from RAW and corrupted file systems
✔ Forensic partition repair and NTFS/exFAT/APFS/HFS+ recovery
✔ Advanced data recovery using Acelabs PC3000, RapidSpar, DFL-SRP, DeepSpar imaging, and Atola Insight Forensic tools
Diagnosis & Recovery Process
Upon receiving the WD Elements external hard drive, our engineers conducted a detailed forensic assessment. The key findings included:
- The drive was physically functional, but the file system was missing/corrupted.
- The hard drive contained bad sectors, which could have contributed to the corruption.
- No data had been overwritten, meaning high recovery success rates were expected.
To successfully recover the school’s administrative and educational data, we implemented a multi-step forensic data recovery strategy:
Step 1: Drive Cloning & Data Preservation
- Used DeepSpar Disk Imager to create a sector-by-sector forensic clone, preventing further data loss.
- Applied adaptive read techniques to extract data from areas affected by bad sectors.
Step 2: File System Repair & Partition Reconstruction
- Used Acelabs PC3000 and Atola Insight Forensic tools to rebuild the damaged NTFS file system.
- Restored the original partition structure and metadata to regain access to lost folders.
Step 3: Data Extraction & Validation
- Recovered lesson plans, administrative records, and student assessment files.
- Restored PDFs, Excel spreadsheets, and Word documents used for school operations.
- Conducted file integrity checks to ensure all data was readable and complete.
Step 4: Secure Data Transfer & Future Protection
- Conducted final validation checks to confirm the recovered files were fully functional.
- Successfully transferred the restored data to a new high-performance external SSD, formatted for school compatibility.
- Provided guidance on setting up automated backups to prevent future data loss.
The Result
We successfully recovered 99.2% of the school’s lost data, including:
✅ Administrative reports, lesson plans, and student records
✅ Teacher resources, school financial reports, and educational materials
✅ Archived emails, research documents, and important school-related data
The head teacher in Derry was relieved to have all critical school documents fully restored, preventing disruptions to lesson planning and school administration.
Why Choose Belfast Data Recovery for WD Elements Hard Drive Recovery?
✅ 25 Years of Expertise – Specialists in RAW file system recovery and partition repair.
✅ Advanced Data Recovery Tools – Using Acelabs PC3000, DeepSpar, and Atola Insight.
✅ Forensic-Level Data Reconstruction – Recovering lost files even from corrupted drives.
✅ Fast & Secure Process – Ensuring complete confidentiality and successful recovery.
If your WD Elements hard drive is showing as RAW or has a corrupted file system, contact Belfast Data Recovery today for expert data recovery services!