Fujitsu laptops equipped with Seagate SSDs provide fast storage and reliable performance, but SSD controller failures—especially in drives using SandForce controllers—can lead to sudden drive failure, making stored data inaccessible.
This case study details how we successfully recovered business data for a butcher in Leeds after their 500GB Seagate SSD stopped booting due to a SandForce controller failure.
As Leeds Data Recovery, with 25 years of forensic data recovery experience, we used firmware repair, NAND chip-level extraction, and SSD controller bypass techniques to restore lost business files.
The Challenge: SSD Not Booting Due to SandForce Controller Failure
A local butcher contacted us after their Fujitsu laptop failed to boot, with the following issues:
- The laptop powered on but did not detect the SSD.
- BIOS and Windows recovery tools failed to recognize the drive.
- Attempts to connect the SSD externally resulted in no response.
- The drive contained critical business records, supplier invoices, and stock inventory data.
Since SSD controller failures prevent traditional recovery software from accessing stored data, an immediate professional recovery solution was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the 500GB Seagate SSD from the Fujitsu laptop arrived at our cleanroom facility, we conducted a full NAND and controller-level diagnostic. Our findings:
- SandForce SSD controller failure – Preventing communication between the NAND memory and the system.
- No physical damage detected – Meaning data could still be extracted directly from NAND chips.
- Firmware corruption – Making standard SSD recovery techniques ineffective.
Since firmware corruption can make SSDs appear “dead”, we needed to use chip-off NAND extraction techniques to recover the data.
The Recovery Process
1. Bypassing the Failed SandForce Controller
Since the SSD controller was unresponsive, we:
- Removed the controller from the SSD’s PCB using advanced chip-off recovery tools.
- Connected the NAND flash memory directly to specialized data extraction equipment.
2. Extracting Data Directly from NAND Flash Chips
To retrieve stored data, we:
- Dumped raw NAND flash memory data and reconstructed it manually.
- Used proprietary software to rebuild the SSD’s file system from extracted memory blocks.
3. Verifying & Restoring Business Data
Once data extraction was complete, we:
- Recovered invoices, customer orders, and financial reports.
- Checked all recovered spreadsheets and supplier records for accuracy.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a new secure external SSD.
The Results: 98% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our SSD controller bypass and NAND-level data extraction techniques, we successfully recovered 98% of the butcher’s lost business data, including:
✅ Supplier invoices and stock inventory data
✅ Customer transaction records and sales reports
✅ Business financial documents and digital archives
The butcher was able to resume operations without losing essential financial and inventory data, preventing major disruptions.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful recoveries, we are the leading SSD data recovery specialists in Leeds and the UK. Our expertise includes:
✔ SandForce SSD controller failure recovery
✔ Chip-off NAND data extraction & firmware repair
✔ Business invoice and financial document retrieval
✔ Secure & confidential data recovery for small businesses
If your SSD is not being detected, failing to boot, or completely unresponsive, stop all further attempts and contact us immediately for professional SSD data recovery.