Most “USB repair tools” work by writing to the failing drive, either reformatting it, rewriting the controller information tables or rebuilding the file structure in-place. This is not something you should ever do if the files are important.
Repairing a damaged USB stick is to get it running again so that you can use it like a functioning external USB drive. Recovering data from a failed USB stick means getting back all of the data stored on the drive prior to its failure. These two objectives are mutually exclusive once the repair utility has determined that simply deleting everything and reinitialising the storage media is the quickest way to make the drive functional again.
The vendor has provided additional tools (low level formatter, etc.) that will take your drive back into a sellable condition. These tools do nothing but update the controller’s mapping of blocks; flag the bad ones; and write a brand new file system. If this drive is a spare drive, then these tools are very valuable. However, if the drive is the only copy of all your data and you run one of these tools, then they are worthless. Look at the language used by these tools: “fix”, “restore”, “reformat” and “refresh”. All of them are describing a write.
There’s one very small loophole when it comes to read-only software. That’s when your stick still shows up reliably and you’re using an image of the stick versus running actual software on the stick. If your stick ever goes dead, starts overheating, or fails to read consistently, there isn’t a single piece of software out there that will keep your data safe.
In most cases, a USB flash drive that was jarred loose while still connected to a laptop and then snapped off (usually at the connector area) leaves the memory chips unharmed. Damage typically occurs at the joint (the connection point). When the pads remain intact, the connector can be resoldered back into place; however, if any pad has ripped apart, new trace(s) must be built or the entire board must be bypassed, allowing access to the memory chip through other means.
Repeatedly inserting a stick (i.e., applying pressure) is what causes the damage, as a stick that only reads at an angle has cracking solder joints; the solder fatigue will occur every time you attempt to “jog” the stick back into operation. If it reads at all, stop immediately and have the stick imaged.
The older and/or larger sticks have a discrete design. That is to say they use a separate controller, and typically one or more NAND packages on a very small PCB. In cases where the controller has failed, the NAND may still be desoldered out and read as-is, then reassembled with the controller’s interleaving and ECC undone in software.
Modern low capacity sticks are generally monolithic i.e. they consist of an integral controller and flash memory within one sealed unit. This does mean there is no removable IC (chip) to desolder. Recovering the data contained on a monolithic device requires finding and identifying the appropriate test points on the monolith and then reading through those test points which will require knowledge of the specific pinout for that particular package. While this method is possible and is the primary reason why two devices which appear externally similar may be recoverable or irrecoverable at vastly differing levels, the process is slower and time-consuming compared to recovering from devices with a removable IC.
The cost of USB drives and memory cards starts at £250 +VAT. We quote this price in writing once a free 48-hour diagnostic period has been completed. In most cases you only pay if we recover your data. Please send the device as it is received e.g. please do not bend back a damaged or misaligned connection, do not attempt to remove the outer casing, and if part of the device has broken away please also include the detached parts. Should you have some idea of what you’re looking for, let us know as it often makes confirmation easier when recovering partially recovered material.
Both exist but in fact they are opposing types of operations. Repair seeks to get a functional stick (by creating/rewriting a file system) while recovery only wants your files back without modifying the original media. So if the data matters then you cannot use repair as an option.
No. A format prompt is usually an indication that the file system header has been compromised and that the data itself has probably survived intact. Format will write to the media which may make recovery even more difficult, especially when combined with physical failure of a device. In addition, since many devices fail physically at this point unplugging and getting it professionally diagnosed will yield much better results.
Yes, most often. The chip itself is rarely lost in a broken connector failure; the problem lies in a solder joint. This type of damage can be repaired; alternatively, the data stored on the chip can also be retrieved. Do not continue to insert the stick as each insertion will fatigue what remains of the connector.
A single sealed package (controller + flash) as found in many of today’s “low capacity” sticks. There isn’t an individual chip to be removed; therefore, all of our work involves reading directly through test points located on the main body of the unit (monolithic), which can take longer than working on the discrete designs.
Prices for data recovery on USB sticks or memory cards begin at £250 + VAT and will include a fixed written quotation for that price based on a free 48-hour diagnosis. In most cases you only pay if we recover your data. When sending a USB stick for data recovery please send it untouched, including any part that may have come loose when it broke, because when sent together your chances of having successful data recovery increase.