Gaming laptops like the Acer Predator series use high-capacity SSDs for fast load times and smooth performance. However, when a short circuit or Power Surge occurs, it can cause a power failure affecting the SSD, making all stored data inaccessible.
This case study details how we successfully recovered 15 years of gaming data from a 4TB SSD inside an Acer gaming laptop, after a short circuit prevented the laptop from booting.
As Leeds Data Recovery, with 25 years of forensic data recovery experience, we used power circuit repair, NAND chip-level extraction, and firmware reconstruction techniques to restore lost data.
The Challenge: Laptop Won’t Boot Due to SSD Power Failure After Short Circuit
A gaming enthusiast contacted us after their Acer gaming laptop failed to boot, with the following issues:
- Laptop stopped turning on after an electrical short circuit.
- BIOS no longer detected the 4TB SSD.
- The SSD contained 15 years of gaming data, including saved games, mods, and digital purchases.
- Attempts to connect the SSD externally failed due to no power response.
Since SSD power failures can prevent access to all stored files, an immediate professional recovery solution was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the 4TB SSD from the Acer gaming laptop arrived at our cleanroom facility, we conducted a full hardware and NAND-level diagnostic. Our findings:
- SSD power regulation failure – The voltage regulator circuit was damaged due to the short circuit.
- Controller chip failure – The SSD’s firmware was unresponsive, preventing data access.
- No physical damage to NAND memory chips – Meaning data could still be extracted directly.
Since traditional data recovery software cannot access a failed SSD controller, we had to use chip-off NAND extraction techniques.
The Recovery Process
1. Repairing the SSD’s Power Circuit
To attempt a direct recovery, we:
- Repaired the SSD’s voltage regulation circuit to restore power delivery.
- Stabilized the power supply to prevent further damage.
2. Extracting Data from NAND Flash Chips
Since the SSD controller remained unresponsive, we:
- Used chip-off NAND extraction to access raw storage.
- Reconstructed the SSD’s file system from the extracted NAND data.
3. Verifying & Restoring Gaming Data
Once data extraction was complete, we:
- Checked all recovered game saves, mods, and digital files for integrity.
- Repaired corrupted game files to ensure full usability.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a new external SSD.
The Results: 99% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our power circuit repair and NAND chip extraction techniques, we successfully recovered 99% of the gamer’s lost data, including:
✅ Saved game files from multiple platforms (Steam, Origin, Epic Games, etc.)
✅ Custom mods, game configurations, and digital downloads
✅ Personalized gaming setups, screenshots, and archives
The client was able to reinstall their games with all previous progress intact, preventing the loss of years of gaming achievements.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful recoveries, we are the leading gaming laptop SSD data recovery specialists in Leeds and the UK. Our expertise includes:
✔ SSD power failure & short circuit recovery
✔ Chip-off NAND flash data extraction
✔ Firmware repair & SSD controller troubleshooting
✔ Secure & confidential gaming data retrieval
If your gaming laptop has suffered a short circuit, won’t boot, or is failing to detect your SSD, stop further attempts and contact us immediately for professional SSD data recovery.