Toshiba laptops are widely used for personal and professional work, but hard drive failures can lead to data inaccessibility and system crashes. When a Western Digital (WD) SATA hard drive is not recognized by the operating system, it often indicates file system corruption, partition table damage, or mechanical failure, making stored data difficult to access.
This case study details how we successfully recovered critical files for a client in Guildford from a Toshiba laptop with a WD SATA hard drive, after the operating system failed to detect the drive in File Explorer.
As Guildford Data Recovery, Surrey’s oldest and best data recovery company, we have 25 years of experience using hardware diagnostics, deep sector scanning, and forensic data extraction techniques to restore lost files securely.
Toshiba Laptop Not Recognising Hard Drive in File Explorer
A Guildford-based client contacted us after their Toshiba laptop failed to detect the hard drive, with the following issues:
- The laptop failed to show the hard drive in File Explorer.
- BIOS detected the WD SATA hard drive, but Windows did not recognize it.
- The disk was visible in Disk Management but showed as “Unallocated” or “RAW.”
- The drive contained essential work documents and personal files.
Since reformatting or using data recovery software incorrectly could overwrite remaining data, an immediate professional recovery solution was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the Toshiba laptop’s WD SATA hard drive arrived at our secure cleanroom facility, we conducted a full hardware and file system diagnostic. Our findings:
- Partition table corruption (MBR/GPT damage) – Preventing Windows from recognizing the file system.
- File system corruption (NTFS/FAT32 issues) – Making stored data unreadable.
- No major mechanical damage detected, meaning logical recovery was possible through partition repair and deep scanning.
Since continuing to use a failing hard drive can overwrite lost data, we prioritized non-intrusive data extraction techniques.
The Recovery Process
1. Cloning & Imaging the Hard Drive to Prevent Further Data Loss
To preserve all recoverable data, we:
- Created a sector-by-sector forensic clone of the WD SATA hard drive.
- Used deep scan tools to extract readable sectors while avoiding corruption.
2. Repairing the Partition Table & File System
Since the partition table was missing or corrupted, we:
- Rebuilt the MBR (Master Boot Record) or GPT (GUID Partition Table) to restore lost file structures.
- Repaired the NTFS file system to make the hard drive readable again.
3. Extracting & Verifying Recovered Files
Once the partition was restored, we:
- Recovered all work documents, spreadsheets, and personal files.
- Restored folder structures exactly as they were before failure.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a secure external backup device.
The Results: 100% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our partition table repair and raw sector extraction techniques, we successfully recovered 100% of the client’s lost files, including:
✅ Work documents, reports, and PDFs
✅ Personal photos, videos, and backup files
✅ Organized file structures restored for easy access
The client was able to retrieve all essential files, preventing professional and personal data loss.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful laptop hard drive recoveries, we are England’s leading Toshiba laptop data recovery specialists. Our expertise includes:
✔ Partition table repair & MBR/GPT reconstruction
✔ RAW drive recovery & NTFS file system repair
✔ Documents, photos, and personal file retrieval from unrecognized drives
✔ Secure & confidential data recovery services
If your laptop hard drive is not recognized, showing as RAW, or preventing access to important files, stop using it immediately and contact us for expert data recovery.