SSD data recovery in san jose & the bay area

failed, not detected, corrupted, encrypted, and external SSD recovery

if it was stored on an SSD, we can help recover it

Photos, documents, videos, business files, encrypted volumes, and personal data may still be recoverable even when an SSD is not detected, corrupted, reformatted, damaged, locked in read-only mode, or no longer booting.

With 26+ years of experience, advanced SSD recovery tools, and secure lab procedures, we recover data from SATA, NVMe, PCIe, M.2, U.2, external, laptop, desktop, MacBook, and enterprise solid-state drives.

why your data can still be recoverable when an SSD fails

Solid-state drives can fail suddenly or without warning, but files may still remain inside the NAND memory cells even when the SSD is not recognized, not bootable, corrupted, or showing the wrong capacity.

Our advanced lab tools help us diagnose controller issues, firmware corruption, electrical damage, file system problems, and NAND-related failures. We safely image accessible data and recover files from the safest available copy.

devices and failure types we recover

We recover data from all major SSD brands, models, interfaces, operating systems, and failure types.

  • All SSD types including SATA, NVMe, PCIe, M.2, U.2, ZIF, external SSDs, laptop SSDs, desktop SSDs, MacBook SSDs, and enterprise SSDs

  • Major SSD brands including Samsung, Western Digital, SanDisk, Crucial, Kingston, Intel, SK hynix, Micron, Seagate, Toshiba, and other solid-state drive manufacturers

  • Operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, and server file systems

  • Data loss causes including accidental deletion, reformatting, corruption, malware, OS crashes, firmware bugs, controller failure, NAND issues, electrical damage, and file system failure

common ssd problems we solve

  • Firmware corruption causing the SSD to freeze, disappear, or behave unpredictably

  • Faulty controller chip preventing access to stored data

  • PCB damage causing no power, no recognition, or electrical failure

  • Unreadable NAND cells causing CRC errors, slow reads, corrupted files, or unstable access

  • Size detection errors where the SSD shows 0GB, the wrong capacity, or no usable volume

  • OS boot failure where the computer cannot start from the SSD

  • Power surge or voltage spike damage affecting the SSD circuit board or controller

  • Liquid or flood damage requiring careful lab inspection and micro-soldering when needed

  • Broken SATA, USB, or ZIF connectors causing no interface access

  • Reformatted or deleted data where files or partitions were erased by mistake

  • File system corruption causing RAW, unmounted, unreadable, or inaccessible volumes

  • BIOS or Disk Utility recognition issues where the SSD is not visible at startup

SSD not detected recovery

If your SSD is not detected by Windows, macOS, BIOS, Disk Utility, or an external enclosure, do not initialize, erase, format, or reinstall the operating system.

An SSD may stop being detected because of firmware corruption, controller failure, NAND memory issues, PCB damage, file system corruption, power problems, or external enclosure failure. Our engineers evaluate the SSD first and recover files using the safest available method.

external SSD recovery

We recover data from failed external SSDs used for backups, photos, videos, work files, Time Machine, Windows storage, creative projects, and portable business data.

Common cases include external SSDs that no longer mount, disconnect during use, ask to be formatted, show corrupted files, suffer USB port damage, or stop appearing after a power issue, drop, or enclosure failure.

NVMe SSD recovery

NVMe SSDs are fast, compact, and commonly used in modern laptops, desktops, workstations, and servers. When an NVMe SSD fails, it may stop appearing in BIOS, Disk Utility, Windows Disk Management, or the operating system.

Our San Jose lab recovers data from failed NVMe and M.2 SSDs affected by firmware problems, controller failure, NAND issues, electrical damage, corruption, accidental deletion, and formatting.

encrypted ssd recovery

We safely recover encrypted SSDs, including BitLocker, FileVault, and vendor-specific encryption solutions when the required access information is available.

Password or passphrase for encrypted volumes

Recovery key or keyfile for software-encrypted drives

Hardware token or access PIN when required

All encrypted SSD recovery cases are handled in our secure San Jose lab environment.

signs of a failing SSD

  • Sudden crashes, freezes, or boot failures

  • Files that will not open or appear corrupted

  • Very slow performance or long delays when opening and saving files

  • Read-only mode, where the SSD will not allow new files to be written

  • SSD not detected by Windows, macOS, BIOS, or Disk Utility

  • External SSD not mounting or repeatedly disconnecting

  • Computer will not boot from the SSD

  • Wrong capacity, 0GB size, or missing partitions

If you notice these issues, stop using the SSD immediately to maximize recovery chances.

what you should do and not do

  • Back up right away if the SSD is still accessible and files can be copied safely.

  • Stop using the device at the first sign of crashes, corruption, read errors, or detection problems.

  • Do not format, erase, initialize, or reinstall the system if the SSD is asking for repair or setup.

  • Do not run repeated DIY recovery scans on an unstable or failing SSD.

  • Avoid firmware resets or repair utilities unless the data is already backed up.

  • Let trained engineers evaluate the SSD and recover data using the safest available method.

our 3-step SSD recovery process

  • Free evaluation with detailed SSD diagnosis and a fixed quote before work begins.

  • Sector-level imaging using professional tools to clone every recoverable fragment when the SSD can be safely imaged.

  • File reconstruction and verification with folder structure rebuilt and files checked before delivery.

how fast do you need your data back

  • standard service - recovery during regular business hours

  • express service - completed in up to 72 hours

  • 24/7 emergency service - round-the-clock recovery on request

why choose kotar for SSD data recovery

  • No data, no fee guarantee

  • Free, secure door-to-door shipping within hours

  • Professional San Jose lab serving SSD recovery clients across the Bay Area

  • Transparent pricing with a fixed quote before work begins

  • 26+ years of data recovery experience with complex storage failures

  • Advanced SSD recovery tools for failed, corrupted, encrypted, and not detected drives

  • Secure handling for personal, business, legal, medical, and creative files

related data recovery services

For mechanical hard drive failures, visit our hard drive data recovery page.

For business storage and multi-drive failures, visit our RAID recovery page.

For deleted, missing, or formatted files, visit our lost file recovery page.

For MacBook, iMac, and Apple storage failures, visit our Mac data recovery page.

ready to get your data back?


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call (408) 455‑4310 for immediate assistance