A Guildford-based client contacted us after their Maxtor OneTouch external hard drive failed, with the following issues:
- The drive would not power on when connected via USB.
- No spinning sound or indicator lights were visible.
- The client needed access to personal documents, photos, and work files.
Since attempting DIY repairs on a non-powered drive can cause further damage, an immediate professional recovery solution was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the Maxtor OneTouch external drive arrived at our secure cleanroom facility, we conducted a full hardware and electrical diagnostic. Our findings:
- USB controller failure – Preventing the drive from receiving power.
- No platter or read/write head damage detected, increasing the chances of full data recovery.
- Circuit board (PCB) failure – Preventing data access via standard methods.
Since a damaged USB controller prevents normal data extraction, we prioritised donor PCB replacement and direct disk access techniques.
The Recovery Process
1. Replacing the Faulty USB Controller & Power Circuit
To restore power to the drive, we:
- Replaced the damaged USB controller with a donor PCB from an identical Maxtor OneTouch drive.
- Transferred the original firmware chip to the new circuit board to ensure compatibility.
2. Imaging & Cloning the Repaired Hard Drive
Once the drive powered on successfully, we:
- Created a sector-by-sector forensic clone of the Maxtor OneTouch drive.
- Used specialised tools to extract readable data while bypassing minor bad sectors.
3. Extracting & Verifying Important Data
Once data extraction was complete, we:
- Recovered all documents, photos, and work files.
- Restored the original folder structure for easy navigation.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a secure external backup device.
The Results: 100% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our PCB repair and forensic imaging techniques, we successfully recovered 100% of the client’s lost files, including:
✅ Personal documents, spreadsheets, and work reports
✅ Family photos, videos, and multimedia files
✅ Organized file structures restored for easy access
The client was able to retrieve all essential files, preventing permanent data loss.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful hard drive recoveries, we are England’s leading Maxtor OneTouch data recovery specialists. Our expertise includes:
✔ USB controller replacement & circuit board repair
✔ Donor PCB matching & firmware chip transfer
✔ Personal document, photo, and work file retrieval
✔ Secure & confidential data recovery services
If your external hard drive is not powering on, not showing up, or preventing access to critical files, stop using it immediately and contact us for expert data recovery.