Data recovery from flash devices (USB Sticks, Memory Cards) is a particularly complex process.
In practice, it has nothing in common with data recovery from other devices, neither in its philosophy nor in its execution.
Flash devices such as MicroSD, UFD, etc., constitute a category of their own as they differ to such an extent that we can safely say that almost every card is unique.
To simplify the description, we divide the devices into two categories:
- Monolithic devices
- Standard Flash devices
Monolithic devices are extremely complex, and they include MicroSD cards and UFD-type USB Sticks.
The data recovery for these devices includes the following steps:
- The back of the card is carefully scratched to reveal the “map” (pinout map).
- Pinout discovery is conducted to determine what each point on the “map” does.
- Appropriate connections are made at the specific points, and the entire setup is placed on a specialized device.
- This device, after being provided with the correct parameters and necessary adjustments, reads a “raw” copy (dump) of the card’s memory. This copy is not usable at this moment as it is scrambled.
- The appropriate parameters are applied to the copy so that the data becomes “recognizable.”
- The retrievable data are checked, and the customer is informed.
Standard Flash devices have NAND memory chips soldered onto their boards, containing the device’s data.
The data recovery for these devices includes the following steps:
- Desoldering the NAND chips, numbering and cleaning them.
- Placing the chips in a special reader and determining the correct read parameters.
- Reading the NAND chips sequentially with specialized software.
- Determining the appropriate parameters to be applied to the “raw” copy of the NAND chips.
- Checking the data and informing the customer.
Send us a flash device now for data recovery, or call us for any further information you need!
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