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1 September 2024  Amanda J. Brook  Senior Product Manager
 

Summary
The article provides a detailed guide on recovering data from SATA hard drives, emphasizing the importance of careful handling due to their intricate mechanical and electrical components. It highlights various causes of data loss, such as mechanical failures, electrical issues, and file corruption or deletion. Understanding these common failure types is crucial for selecting the appropriate data recovery method.



Table of contents

table iconWhat Exactly Causes Data Loss on SATA Drives (Important!)
table iconRecover Data from a SATA Hard Drive in Logical Failure
table iconRecover Data from a SATA Hard Drive in Mechanical/Electronic Failure
table iconConclusion
SATA hard drive data recovery is a delicate task due to the complex nature of their mechanical and electrical components. The fragile moving parts of these drives mean that diagnosing and deciding on the most suitable recovery method requires extra care. This article serves as your detailed guide to safely recover data from a SATA hard drive, depending on the cause of the data loss.

What Exactly Causes Data Loss on SATA Drives (Important!)

Because of their physical design, SATA hard drives may suffer data loss from various angles. Issues with a SATA drive’s mechanical and electrical components can prevent access by cutting off power or scrambling communication between devices. Additionally, files may get deleted or corrupted. This article covers all these scenarios. Familiarizing yourself with the common types of SATA drive failure that lead to data loss will help you determine which recovery method to use.

1. Logical Failure

Logical issues or failure is the most common thread among all types of storage devices. This includes accidental deletion or formatting, file system corruption, partition loss, virus or malware attacks, and bad sectors. Logical failure is usually caused by human error, software bugs, or interruptions during read/write processes. It can also be a symptom of mechanical and electronic failure. In this case, you can use professional data recovery software to recover lost data without a backup.
can not get access to the disk

2. Mechanical Failure

SATA hard drives have many moving parts, making them particularly susceptible to mechanical issues that can cause different types of data loss. For example, the read and write heads may become misaligned, preventing data access because the drive can’t accurately locate where your data starts and ends. If the spindle motor fails, the drive’s platter can’t spin and won’t be operable. If the platter itself gets scratched or contaminated, the data stored magnetically on the disk might get damaged. A common mechanical issue most users are familiar with is the infamous SATA hard drive clicking.
Example 1:
Example 2:

3. Electronic Failure

Electronic failure causes data loss by disrupting communication between your SATA drive and your computer, preventing access to your files because your PC can’t detect or recognize your drive. Examples include PCB damage (stopping the drive from spinning), firmware corruption (interfering with machine communication), and power supply issues (failing to provide enough resources for the drive’s operation).
Flash Memory Recovery in CleanRoom
If your SATA drive is experiencing mechanical or electronic failure, please seek a repair shop with a cleanroom for data recovery instead of using DIY software.

Recover Data from a SATA Hard Drive in Logical Failure

If you cannot access the partitions in your SATA hard drive from Windows File Explorer or files have disappeared in those partitions, try to get them back from your system backups and online backups such as OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive. If you have no backups, try the methods listed below.

Method 1: Renee Undeleter

If your cables aren’t the problem and you were unable to back up your SATA drive, the final possible DIY solution is to use data recovery software. Data recovery software can be installed on your computer to directly recover files from your SATA hard drive. This method is only appropriate in cases of purely logical damage, such as accidental deletion or formatting, file system corruption, or virus or malware infection. If the hard disk data is lost, you can use Renee Undeleter to restore the data.
1. What is Renee Undeleter?
Renee Undeleter is a comprehensive data recovery software that can assist in retrieving a wide range of files that have been lost due to accidental deletion, recycle bin emptying, disk or memory card formatting, and various other data loss incidents. This robust tool includes four essential modules: Fast Partition Scan, Whole Partition Scan, Whole Disk Scan, and Image Creation, offering a multifaceted approach to restoring lost data during system operation.
Renee Undeleter - Powerful Data Recovery SoftwareRenee Undeleter data Recovery software

Easy to use Only simple steps to recover data from storage devices.

Multiple scan modes Fast partition scan, whole partition scan and whole disk scan for different recovery needs.

File types Support to recover pictures, videos, audios, documents, mails, etc.

Supported storage devices Recover data from recycle bin, SD card, external disk, etc.

Supported systems Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP, 2000 and Mac OS X10.6, 10.7, 10.8.

Easy to use Only simple steps to recover data from storage devices.

Multiple scan modes - 3 scan modes for different recovery needs.

Supported storage devices Recover data from recycle bin, SD card, external disk, etc.

Free TrialFree TrialFree Trial

3000 users have downloaded Renee Undeleter and found data back!

2. How to recover hard disk data with Renee Undeleter?
Step 1: Download, install and run Renee Undeleter, select the (Whole Disk Scan) option on the main interface.
Note: Do not install on the disk that needs to restore data, so as not to cause data overwriting.
select whole disk scan to scan disk in renee undeleter
Data Recovery Features
Fast Partition Scan: Recovers files from accidental deletions or recycle bin clearance.
Whole Partition Scan: Restores files from inaccessible or formatted partitions.
Whole Disk Scan: Analyzes partition information for a comprehensive disk scan.
Image Creation: Generates a partition mirror image for backup purposes.
Step 2: Next, select the hard disk device to be scanned, and click (Next). Select (default setting) on the advanced setting interface.
select a disk to recover in renee undeleter
Step 3: The software will initiate a scan of the hard drive and present a “Select the partition you need to scan” message. Select the appropriate partition.
recover partition with Renee Undeleter
After the scan, preview the files by double-clicking in the preview pane on the right. To recover a file, highlight it and click the Recover button located at the bottom-right corner.
preview before recovery
Step 4: Click (Browse) to select another disk to save the recovered files, and then click the (Restore) button to start the file recovery command, you just need to wait patiently.
recover the whole disk data

Method 2: Rebuild Partition Table with TestDisk

TestDisk offers the partition recovery feature. Here is the guide on how TestDisk recovers a partition.
Step 1: Download and Launch TestDisk, click[Create], select the disk where partitions are lost, choose the partition table type, and then select[Analyse]. In the new window, directly choose[Quick Search]to continue.
Step 2: Wait until the analyzing process is completed. Some warnings may be displayed. You just need to click[Continue]. Then, you will get a scanning result as shown in the following picture. Both existing partitions and lost partitions will be listed.
TestDisk partition recovery result
Step 3: You can check whether the lost partition is listed through the start and end location of the partition. Also, you can highlight the partition and press “p” to check files in this partition. Through this way, you can determine whether this partition is the one you want to recover.
Step 4: If all partitions are available and the data is correctly listed, please press the Enter key to continue. Then, choose[Write]to save the partition structure. After that, the lost partition will be recovered soon. And you need to open Disk Management tool to add a driver letter to this partition. Now, you can use this partition as usual. Tip: If the lost partition is not recovered, you can choose the[Deeper Search]option to find more lost partitions.
TestDisk recover partition

Recover Data from a SATA Hard Drive in Mechanical/Electronic Failure

If your SATA hard drive has suffered a mechanical or electrical failure, or you simply want to skip DIY solutions and enlist expert support, you can hire professional data recovery services. These companies recover files for a fee and are equipped to handle complex data recovery tasks, often succeeding where DIY solutions fail. Expect to pay at least $300 for quality data recovery services. While some repair shops may restore access to a hard drive for less, professional services ensure a higher success rate by relying on skill and industry-standard procedures.
Indicators of a Good Data Recovery Service
No Data – No Charge: Most top data recovery services offer a guarantee where you only pay if they successfully restore the data you specifically wanted.
Reasonable Shipping Charges: Look for free shipping offers (usually inbound), a choice of branches, or partnered drop-off locations.
Free Evaluation: Many centers offer a free evaluation over the phone and after analyzing the device in the lab, providing an exact or close-to-exact price with no strings attached.
Cleanroom: A Class 100 cleanroom filters out tiny particles that can scratch the sensitive internal components of SATA drives. This is essential for severe mechanical or electrical failures.
Make sure to read recent user reviews of the data recovery service on platforms like Google Reviews, Trustpilot, and Yelp.

Conclusion

If you lost your data from your SATA hard drive due to logical-based corruption (not severe mechanical or electrical failure), you can try to repair it yourself using the fixes in this guide. However, note that all repair methods can delete one, multiple, or all files from your SATA hard drive. Ensure that you’ve successfully completed SATA drive recovery or you don’t need the files left on your drive.
Renee Undeleter - Powerful Data Recovery SoftwareRenee Undeleter data Recovery software

Easy to use Only simple steps to recover data from storage devices.

Multiple scan modes Fast partition scan, whole partition scan and whole disk scan for different recovery needs.

File types Support to recover pictures, videos, audios, documents, mails, etc.

Supported storage devices Recover data from recycle bin, SD card, external disk, etc.

Supported systems Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP, 2000 and Mac OS X10.6, 10.7, 10.8.

Easy to use Only simple steps to recover data from storage devices.

Multiple scan modes - 3 scan modes for different recovery needs.

Supported storage devices Recover data from recycle bin, SD card, external disk, etc.

Free TrialFree TrialFree Trial

3000 users have downloaded Renee Undeleter and found data back!