Iomega external hard drives are well-known for their reliability and portability, but like all storage devices, they are susceptible to electrical damage. When a burnt smell or sparks come from a hard drive, it typically indicates a power surge or short circuit, often leading to a failed PCB (Printed Circuit Board) or severe data inaccessibility.
This case study details how we successfully recovered critical data from an Iomega external hard drive with a Western Digital 2.5″ IDE drive inside, which suffered burnt components and electrical failure.
As Ireland’s oldest and most experienced data recovery company, we applied PCB repair, ROM chip transfers, and cleanroom techniques to restore the lost data.
The Challenge: Burnt Smell & Sparks from Iomega External Hard Drive
A client contacted us after their Iomega external hard drive stopped working. The reported issues included:
- Burnt smell and sparks from the drive’s casing when connected to power.
- Drive failing to spin up or be recognized by the computer.
- No prior symptoms of failure – drive was working fine before the electrical incident.
- Important personal and work-related data trapped on the drive.
Since electrical damage can worsen if the drive is powered on again, an immediate professional recovery solution was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the Iomega external hard drive arrived at our cleanroom facility, we conducted a full diagnostic scan. Our findings:
- Burnt PCB (Printed Circuit Board) – A power surge damaged key electronic components, preventing the drive from powering on.
- Fried TVS (Transient Voltage Suppression) diodes – The surge protection failed, leading to overheating and sparks.
- No internal platter or read/write head damage – The drive’s mechanical parts were intact, meaning the data was still recoverable.
Since older IDE drives have unique firmware stored on the PCB, a direct board replacement would not work—a ROM chip transfer was required.
The Recovery Process
1. PCB Repair & ROM Chip Transfer
Since the original circuit board was burnt and non-functional, we:
- Sourced an identical donor PCB from an identical Western Digital 2.5″ IDE drive.
- Transferred the ROM chip from the damaged PCB to the donor board, ensuring firmware compatibility.
- Restored power to the drive, allowing it to spin up successfully.
2. Imaging & Extracting Data from the Drive
Once the drive was operational again, we:
- Created a sector-by-sector clone to preserve all data.
- Used advanced data recovery tools to bypass bad sectors caused by electrical damage.
3. Verifying & Restoring Client Data
After recovery, we:
- Checked all recovered files for corruption or missing data.
- Ensured personal and business documents were fully accessible.
- Transferred the recovered data to a secure external SSD for the client.
The Results: 100% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our PCB repair and ROM chip transfer techniques, we successfully recovered 100% of the client’s data, including:
✅ Personal documents and photos
✅ Business records and work-related files
✅ Digital archives and personal projects
The client was relieved to have all their important files restored, avoiding permanent data loss.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful recoveries, we are the leading external hard drive recovery specialists in Ireland and the UK. Our expertise includes:
✔ Burnt PCB and power surge recovery
✔ Western Digital IDE drive ROM chip transfers
✔ Hard drive head swaps & cleanroom platter extractions
✔ Secure & confidential data retrieval for personal and business users
If your Iomega external hard drive has a burnt smell, sparks, or won’t power on, stop using it immediately and contact us for expert data recovery.