A client using a Toshiba laptop with a Toshiba SSD experienced sudden drive failure, leading to complete data inaccessibility. The SSD was equipped with a SandForce controller chip, which presented significant recovery challenges due to its:
- Advanced real-time data compression, making traditional recovery methods ineffective.
- Wear-leveling and proprietary encryption algorithms, preventing direct NAND data extraction.
- Failure to be recognised by the BIOS or operating system, meaning the drive was completely unresponsive.
Other data recovery companies were unable to retrieve the data, as SandForce-based SSDs require specialized knowledge and proprietary recovery tools. With critical business and personal data at risk, the client sought expert data recovery services from Easy Data Recovery, Ireland’s oldest data recovery company with over 25 years of experience in retrieving lost, deleted, and inaccessible data.
Challenges
- SandForce Controller Complexity – The SandForce chip encrypts and compresses data before writing, making:
- Standard NAND chip extractions ineffective.
- Firmware-level decryption necessary.
- SSD Not Detected by BIOS or OS – The drive was entirely unresponsive, requiring specialized recovery techniques.
- Other Data Recovery Companies Had Failed – The unique nature of SandForce-based SSD failures makes data recovery extremely difficult without proprietary tools.
- Urgent Business Data Recovery Required – The SSD contained irreplaceable work documents and personal files, making recovery time-sensitive.
Specialised Solution by Easy Data Recovery
At Easy Data Recovery, we have developed an exclusive data recovery solution for SandForce-based SSDs, which other data recovery companies cannot perform. Our approach included:
✅ SSD Chip-Off Recovery & NAND Dumping –
- Since the SSD was not detected, our engineers carefully removed NAND memory chips from the SSD.
- A bit-for-bit NAND dump was created to ensure no additional damage to the original drive.
✅ Custom SandForce Firmware Repair & Controller Emulation – - Engineers used proprietary tools to bypass the failed SandForce controller and reconstruct data from compressed NAND storage.
✅ Proprietary SandForce Decompression & Decryption – - Using our custom-built algorithms, the proprietary compression and encryption process was reversed.
✅ Wear-Leveling & Data Reconstruction – - Engineers carefully reassembled fragmented NAND data, reconstructing lost files and folders.
✅ File System Repair & Data Verification – - The extracted data was rebuilt into a functional file system, allowing full access to all lost files.
✅ Secure Data Transfer – - Successfully recovered files were verified for integrity and transferred to a new secure storage device.
Results & Client Impact
- 100% of business and personal files successfully recovered
- SandForce compression and encryption fully reversed
- Client regained access to all lost documents despite other companies failing
- Proprietary SandForce SSD recovery method developed by Easy Data Recovery proved successful
The client was highly satisfied, as Easy Data Recovery successfully retrieved all critical data from a failed SandForce SSD, proving that advanced recovery solutions are possible even in the most complex cases.
Conclusion
This case highlights the unique challenges of SandForce SSD failures and the limitations of traditional data recovery methods. Many recovery companies cannot retrieve data from SandForce-based SSDs, but Easy Data Recovery has developed an exclusive recovery solution that allows for successful data restoration.
For individuals and businesses facing Toshiba SSD failures, unrecognized SandForce-based drives, or lost encrypted data, Easy Data Recovery provides Ireland’s most advanced forensic data recovery solutions.
👉 Lost Data on a SandForce SSD? Contact Easy Data Recovery Today!