Client Situation
A client approached Greets Data Recovery in Hyderabad with a WD My Passport “Charger” 2TB external hard drive that had stopped working after being accidentally dropped from a desk. The drive no longer spun or responded when connected to a system.
The device contained five years’ worth of critical business files, accounting records, and irreplaceable family photographs. After local repair attempts failed, the client was referred to us for professional data recovery.
Diagnostic Assessment & Findings
Upon evaluation in our controlled cleanroom environment, the following issues were identified:
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Internal read/write heads were severely damaged from impact
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Spindle alignment was slightly offset
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Bad sectors were present in the system area
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The drive used WD’s firmware-level hardware encryption
These challenges required precision handling and advanced recovery tools.
Recover Your Important Files
We recover files from damaged or faulty HDDs, SSDs, NAS network drives, USB flash drives, and Smartphones.
Recovery Procedure at Greets Data Recovery
Head Replacement in ISO Cleanroom
Our engineers sourced a donor drive with an exact head match. Head replacement was conducted in our ISO-certified cleanroom to prevent contamination or further platter damage.
Firmware-Level Decryption
WD My Passport external drives are equipped with automatic hardware encryption. Using proprietary tools, we decrypted the firmware layer during the imaging process, ensuring secure access to user data.
Low-Level Sector-by-Sector Imaging
Post-decryption, we conducted a full disk image, bypassing unreadable sectors and carefully cloning the accessible data onto a stable environment.
Priority Data Extraction
Key data sets—Tally accounting records, business files, and personal photo archives—were prioritized and extracted first, then verified for integrity.
Final Data Transfer
Recovered data was successfully transferred to a new external hard drive provided by the client.
Final Outcome & Client Feedback
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100% recovery of all mission-critical folders
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Approximately 95–98% total data extracted from the 2TB drive
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Turnaround Time: 3 working days
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Client Response: Expressed full satisfaction with the transparent process and timely recovery
Summary
This case study illustrates the importance of specialized tools and cleanroom facilities in recovering data from physically damaged drives. At Greets Data Recovery, our team successfully restored critical files from a 2TB WD My Passport external hard drive, despite severe head damage and encryption barriers. The case underscores our ability to manage complex recoveries with precision and speed.
Need urgent recovery for a damaged external drive? Call now for a free diagnosis or chat with our experts on WhatsApp.
FAQS
Can a WD My Passport drive be recovered after physical damage from a fall?
Yes. If handled in a cleanroom, head replacement and low-level imaging can enable recovery of most or all data.
What is hardware encryption in WD external drives?
WD My Passport drives use built-in firmware-level encryption. Without the original enclosure or proper tools, data access is blocked.
Is cleanroom head replacement necessary for all dropped drives?
When internal heads are physically damaged, replacement in a cleanroom environment is essential for safe recovery.
How much data can be recovered from a physically damaged 2TB drive?
In this case, 95–98% of the total data was recovered, including 100% of essential files.
What is the typical recovery time for physically damaged external drives?
Depending on severity, recovery may take 2–5 working days. This case was completed in 3 days.