Content Guide - Flash Drive Data Recovery:

Flash drives, whether small or large in capacity and size, branded or unbranded, can fail. However, flash drives (and many SD cards) are inherently not among the most reliable storage media, regardless of their apparent quality and robustness. Data recovery from USB flash drives is a specialized field that we have focused on for many years. If you find your flash drive data inaccessible, don't hesitate to contact us.

Initial Important Steps in Case of Flash Drive Failure

• Stay calm.
• Remove the flash drive from the device and consider the type of fault for further action.
• We will help you identify the fault/problem and suggest the best course of action: continue here.
• If you are unsure, avoid amateur attempts at data recovery from the flash drive.
• Take advantage of our free consultation, diagnostics, and data media pickup.

Pricing, Symptoms, Causes, and Appropriate Actions

Data Unaccessible from Flash Drive, Unknown Reason

If data from the flash drive is unavailable without a known reason or other symptoms, try inserting the flash drive into another device first. This method has its limitations, which you can read about here. If you're uncertain, you can take advantage of our free consultation and diagnostics.

Estimated cost: from 1,500 CZK
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Deleted Data from Flash Drive, Data Recovery

Data deletion can happen either intentionally or accidentally. Data recovery from a flash drive is usually possible, but it's crucial not to continue working with the flash drive or write any new data to it after the deletion. Take advantage of our free consultation, diagnostics, and pickup. If you want to learn more about data recovery options from a flash drive, continue here.

Estimated cost: from 1,500 CZK
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Formatted Flash Drive, Data Recovery

Data recovery from a flash drive that has been intentionally or accidentally formatted is technologically similar to deleted data recovery. It's essential not to continue using the flash drive and not to write any new data to it after formatting. Take advantage of our free consultation, diagnostics, and pickup. To learn more about data recovery options for a formatted flash drive, continue here.

Estimated cost: from 1,500 CZK
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Flash Drive Not Recognized or Reporting Errors After Insertion

Controller or memory chip failure in a flash drive is a common and often complex issue. Upon connection, the flash drive may be entirely inaccessible, not recognized by the operating system, or appear with incorrect labeling. The device may also prompt to format the disk.

Estimated Price: from 1,500 CZK
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Device Requests Formatting of Flash Drive

This often involves a controller or memory chip error in the flash drive but can also be due to a file system error. If the flash drive also appears with incorrect labeling in the system, it likely indicates a more serious defect. If the flash drive correctly displays its label and capacity in the system, data recovery may not be overly complicated.

Estimated Price: from 1,500 CZK
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Mechanical Damage - Flash Drive Repair

Data recovery options from a mechanically damaged flash drive depend on various factors. The design and construction of the flash drive and whether or not the memory chip is mechanically damaged play a role.

Estimated Price: from 1,500 CZK
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Data on Flash Drive Inaccessible Without Apparent Cause. File Recovery from Flash Drive

If the flash drive appears to be fully functional, correctly displays its label and capacity in the system, yet the data is inaccessible, it is advisable to first try another device or computer.

Flash drive stopped working spontaneously, not recognized in any device. The cause could be a faulty controller, firmware error, or memory chip defect. In such cases, proceed to the section Flash Drive Not Recognized or Reporting Errors After Insertion.

Cannot Access Data from a Working Flash Drive

Data Encryption, activated on the computer or another device, generally cannot be bypassed without a password or recovery key. Users should be aware whether they have activated encryption on the flash drive or not. However, we have encountered instances where some form of encryption was active, the user used the drive in a specific manner, and data became inaccessible due to the failure of other hardware components.

Unsafe Ejection and Reinsertion of the Flash Drive can also, under certain circumstances, lead to data inaccessibility. We have come across cases related to memory cards where the consequences were similar. The user had multiple media containing recordings from a camera, drone, etc., and upon plugging them into the computer, did not find the expected data. The user then repeated the action, damaging data on both media. Sometimes this can even cause a more complex and long-lasting defect, making data recovery tedious and complicated.

Formatted Flash Drive or Deleted Data is not always the result of deliberate user action. Sometimes the user may accidentally delete an important folder, or data loss could occur due to the actions of the user's child. We have even seen cases where a pet cat was the culprit. Recovering lost data from a flash drive after formatting is usually possible.

Incompatible File System - the flash drive was used in a different device, and now the data is not accessible. If we rule out the possibility that the data is encrypted, this could be due to an incompatible file system. Try using the flash drive in the device from which it was originally removed. If that's not possible, contact us with a description of the situation. Data recovery from a flash drive with an incompatible file system could be relatively straightforward.

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Data Recovery Price List for Flash Drives

Deleted Data, Accidental Formatting - Recovery of Deleted Data from Flash Drives

Recovering deleted data from flash drives is often a solvable problem. In most cases, the client wishes to recover common types of data used in daily work. Documents, pictures, and other common files can be recovered using multiple methods, and if not overwritten by other data, the chances of data recovery are usually reasonable.

Do Not Use the Flash Drive Further. Any additional writing of data reduces the chances of successfully recovering deleted data from the flash drive or a formatted flash drive. For most flash drives, deleted data is recoverable until overwritten by new data. The same applies to hard drives (HDD) with conventional writing, and many users are aware of this approach to handling deleted data. However, methods of writing, deleting, and overwriting data change over time.

Data recovery from flash drives can also be influenced by other factors, such as the used file system (formatting method) or encryption of the flash drive's content. Some modern flash drives may already have the TRIM feature implemented, which can also limit the data recovery options from the flash drive.

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Price List for Data Recovery After Deletion/Formatting of Flash Drives

When Inserted into the Device, the Flash Drive is Either Unresponsive or Responds Incorrectly

Faulty Flash Drive Controller or Firmware Errors are among the serious issues that are often technologically and time-consuming to resolve. The controller is an essential component of every flash drive. It manages the disk's communication with the device, be it a desktop computer, laptop, NAS, or other. Firmware, the internal software of the storage medium, provides basic functions and is part of the controller. The controller and firmware ensure the correct functioning of the storage medium, determine the data's location on the memory chip, perform error correction, reallocation of faulty memory cells, manage power, various communication, and security protocols, among others. When the controller or firmware fails, the data becomes inaccessible for the device, and its recovery requires a series of complicated procedures depending on the specific controller type and its version. Given the myriad of different branded and unbranded flash drives on the market, a controller/firmware failure can be a serious issue.

hide A few pictures of flash drive controllers, perhaps we already have them

Damaged Memory Chip can cause data unavailability for similar reasons as when bad sectors start appearing on a hard drive. However, the way data is recorded on a flash drive is completely different compared to a hard drive, so the causes of errors and data recovery methods from flash drives also differ. You can read more about the functioning of data recording, reading, and deleting on flash drives here.

hide Some pics of mem. Chip - already available

Memory chips, especially those used in cheap flash drives, may not always be of high quality. Whether they are cheap or expensive chips, they all share one common feature: their lifespan is predetermined, and certain errors are expected during manufacturing. In a flash drive, data, or bits (bit = the basic unit in the digital world), are stored in memory cells. The oldest and most reliable memory chips are known as SLC - Single-Level Cell, where one cell stores 1 bit. However, to cram more information into a small flash drive body, the data needs to be condensed. Thus, memory cells were developed that can store more than just 0 or 1. In other words, 2, 3, or 4 bits can be stored in a single cell. These technologies are called MLC (Multi-Level Cell), TLC (Triple-Level Cell), QLC (Quad-Level Cell). The expected lifespan decreases with the number of bits per cell. SLC = 100,000 cycles, MLC = 10,000 cycles, TLC = 3,000 cycles, QLC = 1,000 cycles (write and erase cycles).

hide Img SLC, MLC, TLC - already created

Error rates are expected, so every memory chip has a certain reserve capacity to which faulty cells can be redirected. This function is managed by the aforementioned controller and firmware of the flash drive. However, if the memory chip exceeds its lifespan or fails due to material defects, such a damaged flash drive may no longer communicate with the device, leading to data loss.

Flash drives and memory cards often handle data inappropriately. Random writes are managed by the device or operating system, thereby shortening their lifespan. However, some higher-quality flash drives and advanced media like mobile phones or SSDs can evenly utilize the capacity of the memory chip, thereby extending its lifespan. This function is taken care of by Wear Leveling. Flash drives not equipped with the Wear Leveling function can be considered unreliable media.

Another function that focuses more on write speed is Trim (Trimming). This brings advantages to data storage media where high write speed is expected. However, most flash drives do not have this function. If they do, the function must be supported both by the device and the operating system working with the flash drive. Recovering deleted data from a flash drive with an active Trim function is often impossible. You can read more about the Trim function here.

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Price list for data recovery - flash drive not responding or faulty

Device Requests Flash Disk Formatting

Diagnosis of a flash drive with these symptoms often points to a controller failure, but the drive may also exhibit memory chip failure or file system failure in some cases. Considering potential data recovery, do NOT format the disk and take advantage of our free diagnosis.

If you choose to format the disk, you will likely discover the type of fault, albeit in an undesirable way. If the flash drive was fine and the issue was, for example, in the corrupted file system, formatting the disk could further complicate subsequent data recovery. Some devices also use a format that does not allow subsequent data recovery.

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Data recovery price list - device requests flash disk formatting

Mechanical damage can be a serious problem during data recovery from a flash drive. Is USB flash drive repair possible?

From a processing perspective, flash drives are mainly categorized into so-called monolithic drives, where the memory chip and its controller are integrated in a single small body, and separate flash drives, which have the memory chip and controller separately on the motherboard. There are also less common flash drives that have the controller, memory chip, or both in a COB (Chip On Board) configuration.

Monolithic flash drives are more sensitive to mechanical damage. In cases of serious damage like a cracked chip, the issue may be unsolvable.

hide Photo of 3x monolithic flash drive

Flash drives with a separate memory chip and controller are encapsulated, so for example, a crack may not necessarily affect the actual memory chip. With this type of drive, the chance of successful data recovery is higher when there is mechanical damage.

hide Photo of 3x normal flash drive, COB

In both cases, it is advisable not to further manipulate a mechanically damaged flash drive and to utilize our free diagnosis. Mechanical damage does not necessarily mean immediate danger or data loss at the moment. However, further manipulation with the flash drive could lead to more serious or even fatal damage, after which any flash drive recovery will not be possible.

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Data recovery price list - mechanical damage - USB flash drive repair

Principle of Flash Drive Operation

The era of expensive flash drives, where 1GB of capacity was considered a luxury, is long gone. The market is flooded with both branded and unbranded flash drives, expensive ones, cheap ones, and even those given away as promotional items. It is important to regularly back up data. This applies to all data media and doubly so for flash drives.

File System Failure on Flash Drive - File Recovery

A flash drive is ready for use as soon as a file system has been created on it. The file system is the method or way in which the device's operating system works with stored, or already saved, data. Other data media function in a similar way. There are a variety of file systems, but we usually encounter FAT32 or exFAT on flash drives. These file systems are compatible across all common platforms. However, if a user wishes, they can format the flash drive as NTFS, HFS+ and others.

By its very nature, a flash drive may not be a particularly reliable medium. The memory chip can start to malfunction, and although the error rate is currently negligible, it can affect the proper functioning of the file system. Also, it often happens that the drive is removed from the device without proper termination. File system failure can also occur in this way. The fault could even be with the device that is working with the flash drive, such as a USB hub.

Comparison of Data Storage, Reading, and Deletion on Flash Drives and Hard Drives

The smallest unit of a NAND memory chip is a memory cell (cell). However, memory cells are not used individually. They are grouped into pages (page, pages). A page is the smallest unit into which data is written and read. However, due to data deletion technology, individual pages cannot be erased/reset. Data deletion can be done at the block level (block, blocks), which consists of a certain number of pages. Blocks further form planes (plane, planes), and planes are arranged on dies (die, dies). This is a simplified expression of the NAND chip structure.

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Memory Cell (cell) is an electronic circuit that holds (in its basic form - SLC - Single Level Cell) 1 bit. The default value of a cell is 1; if the cell is programmed, it is assigned a value of 0. In NAND type memory, data is neither written nor read bit by bit (in individual cells). Data is written and read in pages, where one page ranges from 512B (0.5 KB - 4096 cells/bits) to 8KB (8192 bytes - 65536 cells/bits). Each page also has an extended addressable space, called spare area, where ECC parity and metadata are stored. Therefore, the actual page size is 16B (for 512B) to 448B (for 8KB) larger.

Block (block) is a grouping of pages. A block typically contains 32 - 64 pages. Deletion/reset of memory cell values occurs at the level of an entire block, due to the physical limitations inherent in the erasure cycle. The erasure/reset process cannot be initiated at the level of individual pages or cells.

Plane (plane) is another unit in the NAND chip hierarchy where blocks are organized. One or more planes are then grouped into a die. The configuration of planes and dies depends on the NAND memory manufacturer. Their purpose is more organizational and is determined by physical dimensions.

When a device (computer, camera, mobile phone, etc.) and operating system give a command to write data, the data is stored in individual cells as determined by the memory media controller. Reading of data occurs at the same level. However, changing or deleting data is more complicated. As mentioned, data can only be deleted at the level of an entire block, and a block contains 32 - 64 pages. The Garbage Collection function enters the process here to free up the block and allow it to be completely erased. This process has two negative aspects. It increases the number of write and erase cycles, thus reducing the lifespan of memory cells. It is also time-consuming and therefore slows down data/media operation. The Wear Leveling function should handle the optimization of page management, but not all flash drives are equipped with this function. The Trim function can speed up the entire erasure process by running it in the background, but this function is rarely found in flash drives. If you need to recover deleted data from a flash drive, the Trim function is undesirable.

Hard Disk Drive (HDD) with conventional recording (CMR or PMR) is considerably simpler in comparison to NAND flash technology in terms of writing, reading, and deleting. It does not contain any units that have a limited lifespan due to the number of write and erase cycles. Writing, reading, and deleting happen by changing polarity over time, without complicated support processes. From a data durability perspective, HDD is therefore a better choice; one could even say that using a flash drive as a replacement for an HDD would be a poor choice. Flash drives are not intended for this purpose.

On the other hand, a hard disk is not miniaturized. It is a mechanical medium and is thus susceptible to falls or shocks. It is also slow compared to modern flash data media.
In short, that's a comparison between NAND flash media, specifically flash drives, and hard disk drives.

Advanced Data Management Features Unavailable in Many Flash Drives

Wear Leveling ensures even utilization of memory cells across the entire capacity of the NAND memory chip. The NAND chip's memory cells have a limited number of write and erase cycles; thus, the purpose of Wear Leveling is to extend the lifespan of the data storage. This function becomes increasingly important as manufacturers aim to fit as much data as possible into the small form factor of flash drives. Memory chips like MLC, TLC, QLC are used, which have layered memory cells. A single memory cell can hold 2 - 4 bits, increasing its load and shortening its lifespan. Wear Leveling ensures each memory cell undergoes the same number of write and erase cycles, equalizing the lifespan across the entire storage medium.

However, the question remains whether the firmware of a specific flash drive is equipped with Wear Leveling. Older specifications did not mandate the implementation of Wear Leveling, so you may encounter flash drives without this feature. You can find out whether your flash drive has this feature by checking the datasheet on the manufacturer's website.

Trim - Trimming is a crucial function for enhancing the performance of flash memories, specifically for speeding up the writing process. However, data recovery from a flash drive after performing the trimming process (deletion) is generally not possible. Flash drives equipped with the TRIM function and operating in an OS that supports and activates TRIM, continually erase freed (from the OS point of view, deleted) memory blocks. The storage controller performs trimming autonomously in the background when it is not burdened with another task. Therefore, this time-consuming task doesn't need to happen when new data must be written, making the write process significantly faster.

Garbage Collection - A Process NAND Memory Can't Do Without

Garbage Collection manages the smallest units of NAND flash memory designated for writing and reading—pages—and the smallest units designated for erasure/reset—blocks. During the writing and reading of data, devices (computers, mobile phones, etc.) utilize individual pages of the NAND memory chip. However, when data needs to be erased, the smallest unit that can be erased is an entire block, usually consisting of 32 to 64 pages. The role of Garbage Collection is to move pages designated for future use into empty blocks, so the block containing pages designated for erasure can then be completely erased/reset and fully freed for subsequent use.

Garbage Collection only moves pages; it does not erase the data itself. Therefore, it increases the number of writes to individual memory cells, or pages, thereby reducing their lifespan. Manufacturers utilize complex algorithms to minimize the number of required write/erase cycles. Functions like Wear Leveling and Trim, if equipped, can also contribute to optimizing the operation of NAND memory storage, managed by the storage controller, or the firmware embedded in it.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

• Flash Drive Repair - How to Recover Data
• Is it Possible to Recover Deleted Files?
• How Can I Recover Lost Data from My Flash Drive?
• Flash Drive Not Detected - How to Recover Data?
• Flash Drive Write-Protected - How to Solve the Problem?
• Data Loss from a Nearly New Flash Drive - How is it Possible?
• Why Can Data from a Cracked Flash Drive be Unrecoverable?
• What is a Flash Drive Controller?
• What is the Garbage Collection Function?
• What Does Wear Leveling Do?
• Do Flash Drives Have the TRIM Function?
• Why Does a NAND Chip Have Limited Lifespan?

Flash Drive Repair - How to Recover Data

"How to repair a flash drive" or "how to recover a flash drive" are common questions from our clients. Although it might not seem like it at first glance, a flash drive is a very complex storage medium. We are happy to answer your questions, but we need more information about the failure process and symptoms. Don't hesitate to contact us. We offer free diagnosis and pickup.

Is it Possible to Recover Deleted Files from a Flash Drive?

Usually yes, but it is important that you no longer work with the flash drive, especially do not write any data to it. More information can be found here. Utilize our free diagnosis.

How Can I Recover Lost Data from My Flash Drive?

Recovering lost data from a flash drive is a sophisticated process that requires specialized tools, technical skills, and extensive experience. We use state-of-the-art software and hardware tools for data recovery, which allow us to recover data even in cases of severe flash drive failure. Utilize our free diagnosis.

Flash Drive Not Detected - How to Recover Data?

It could be a USB port error or mechanical damage to the flash drive, but also a failure of the controller, firmware, or flash drive memory chip. First, try connecting the drive to another computer. If the problem persists there, utilize our free diagnosis. More information about the problem can be found here.

How to Resolve a Write-Protected Flash Drive?

The warning message about needing to remove the write protection from a USB flash drive could be purely software-related. However, if the problem is not resolved through OS settings, it might be an issue with the flash drive itself. Don't hesitate to reach out to us for a consultation.

How Can Data Loss Occur from an Almost New Flash Drive?

Manufacturers aim to achieve high storage capacities and data transfer speeds while keeping production costs low. This is particularly true for NAND flash memory chips, which form the basis for flash drives. Miniaturization can compromise quality in this case, as it means cramming more bits into a single memory cell. This accelerates wear and tear. Another issue with flash drives may be the lack of advanced data management features. Lastly, if the drive is a "no-name" product, it may indicate poor-quality memory chips or the overall quality of the flash drive.

Why Might Data from a Cracked Flash Drive Be Unrecoverable?

If the crack affects the memory chip, data recovery is highly unlikely. A memory chip consists of memory cells, which currently represent 1 - 4 bits each. For instance, in a flash drive using TLC (Triple Level Cell) technology that stacks 3 bits into a single cell, 1GB of data would equate to roughly 3 billion memory cells. Common flash drives have capacities ranging from 32GB to 1TB, i.e., 32 x - 1024 x 3 billion. Memory cells are connected into pages, which are grouped into blocks, organized into planes, and these planes are assembled into dies. All of this is housed in a tiny memory chip. Even a minuscule crack can sever and damage all these connections. Currently, no technology exists to repair a cracked memory chip.

hide 3x photo of cracked mem. chip

What Is a Flash Drive Controller?

A controller is an integral part of every flash drive. It handles communication between the flash drive and the device. The controller includes firmware, which is the internal software providing basic functionalities of the storage medium. The controller, or rather its firmware, ensures the proper operation of the storage medium, data placement on the memory chip, error corrections, reallocating faulty memory cells, power management, various communication and security protocols... A faulty controller can be a serious issue. More information can be found here.

What is the function of Garbage Collection?

Garbage Collection manages pages, which are the smallest units of a flash drive into which data can be written and later read from. Usually, 32 - 64 pages form a block, which is the smallest unit that can be deleted on a flash drive. A situation could arise where multiple blocks are occupied by only a few valid pages, making it impossible to delete them. The task of Garbage Collection is to organize the valid pages into another block, so that the original block/blocks can be deleted/reset and thus freed for further use. More information on Garbage Collection.

What does the function Wear Leveling do?

Wear Leveling ensures the even utilization of memory cells across the entire capacity of the NAND memory chip. The lifespan of a memory cell is limited; it can withstand a certain number of write and delete cycles. This characteristic of memory cells is more significant when a single cell contains up to 4 bits (QLC), making it up to 4 times larger in capacity compared to the original 1-bit (SLC) cells, but also significantly shorter in lifespan. The function of Wear Leveling was not previously a part of flash drive specifications, and if a flash drive is not equipped with it, its lifespan is considerably limited. More information on Wear Leveling.

Are flash drives equipped with the TRIM function?

Mostly not. The TRIM function is utilized in nearly all current SSDs and in the internal memory of mobile phones. Flash drive specifications usually do not include the TRIM function. More information on the TRIM function can be found here.

Why does a NAND chip have a limited lifespan?

The NAND memory chip is based on memory cells (cell, cells), which must be able to retain their value of 1 or 0 (one bit of user data) even without power. The memory cell is technologically based on a transistor with a floating gate. The cell value is stored in the floating gate, which is isolated by an oxide insulation layer. The floating gate is able to retain its value due to this oxide insulation layer. However, with each charge and discharge (write and delete/reset), the oxide insulation layer gradually loses its insulating properties. After a certain number of charge and discharge cycles, the oxide insulation layer ceases to function and the memory cell fails, ending its lifespan.

Are these very sensitive data? We will enter into a confidentiality agreement

Confidentiality and treating data as sensitive is an absolute given with us. However, if the nature of the job requires it, or you simply want to have confidentiality contractually guaranteed, do not hesitate to ask for a confidentiality agreement.

Is your data insured? We will issue you a certificate for the insurance company

Your data is insured? Before confirming the order, we will prepare a "fault confirmation," based on which you will have the insurance company approve the costs for data recovery, and only then confirm the order.