Several M.2 SSDs.
NVMe drives are fast, but the technology that powers their performance also makes data recovery a significant challenge. The difficulty stems from the NVMe protocol itself, its direct connection to your computer’s processor, and the complex, proprietary ways drive controllers manage your data. Below, we’ll explain what NVMe is, detail the specific recovery challenges it presents, and describe how we overcome them.
If you’ve lost data from an NVME SSD, we’re here to help. Contact us at 1-800-237-4200 or submit a case online for a free, no-obligation evaluation.
Understanding NVMe SSD Technology
NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is a communication protocol, not a type of memory. It defines how a computer talks to a solid-state drive. It was designed from the ground up to take full advantage of flash memory, unlike older protocols like SATA (Serial ATA), which were designed for traditional hard disk drives.
Before we discuss the challenges of NVMe data recovery, it’s helpful to understand the basic differences between the SATA and NVMe protocols:
- Connection: A SATA SSD connects to the motherboard through a SATA interface. Here, SATA acts as a bottleneck. An NVMe SSD plugs directly into the PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) bus, which is the same high-speed interface used by graphics cards. Since it has a direct connection to the central processing unit (CPU, and we swear, we’re almost done with the acronyms), there’s dramatically lower latency and a higher bandwidth.
- Speed: A high-end SATA SSD typically maxes out at speeds around 550-600 MB/s. Modern PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives can achieve read speeds of over 7,000 MB/s, with newer PCIe 5.0 drives pushing past 12,000 MB/s.
- Form Factor: While you can find NVMe drives in a few shapes, most use the compact M.2 form factor. This small, stick-like shape allows them to be installed directly on the motherboard without extra power or data cables.
If you switch from a SATA SSD to an M.2 NVMe drive, you’re going to notice a significant improvement in speed. There’s not much of a downside — unless the drive fails without an up-to-date backup.
4 Challenges of NVMe Data Recovery
Recovering data from a failed NVMe SSD isn’t like working with a traditional hard drive or even an older SATA SSD. Since the introduction of NVMe, we’ve invested heavily in research & development, pioneering many techniques that optimize the chances of successful data recovery.
Here’s an overview of a few of the most significant factors.
1. Complex and Proprietary Controllers
The brain of an NVMe drive is its controller. It’s responsible for managing where data is stored on the NAND flash memory chips, performing error correction (ECC), executing wear-leveling algorithms to prolong the drive’s life, and handling encryption.
Each manufacturer uses its own proprietary algorithms. The data stored on the individual NAND chips is stored in a way that only that specific controller model understands.
If the controller fails, we can’t just use a generic tool or standard software to recover the data. We have to essentially rebuild the controller’s logic, and that type of reverse engineering requires quite a bit of investment.
2. TRIM and Garbage Collection
All modern SSDs use features called TRIM and Garbage Collection to manage data efficiently.
- TRIM is a command the operating system sends to the SSD when you delete a file. It tells the drive that the data blocks are no longer needed. Learn more about the TRIM command.
- Garbage Collection is an internal process where the drive actively erases these unneeded blocks to prepare them for new data. Learn more about garbage collection.
Because NVMe drives are so fast, these processes can happen almost instantly. This means that once you delete a file from an NVMe drive, the file is permanently deleted — recovery is only possible if the TRIM command isn’t executed for whatever reason. When an NVMe drive is failing, the background processes can also contribute to data corruption.
We provide risk-free evaluations and support each case with a no data, no charge guarantee. If you’ve lost data due to corruption or file deletion, turn off your computer immediately and call our team to discuss your case.
3. Direct Hardware Access Is Limited
With SATA drives, data recovery hardware can often interface with the drive in a standardized way. The NVMe protocol’s direct PCIe connection doesn’t offer a simple, universal “safe mode” for data recovery engineers to access the raw memory.
Bypassing a failed controller to speak directly to the NAND chips requires sophisticated, purpose-built hardware that can interpret the unique electronic signals of each drive family. In short, your local computer shop won’t have this tech — if your NVMe drive has failed, you need to work with a professional data recovery provider that operates fully outfitted laboratories.
4. On-the-Fly Hardware Encryption
Many NVMe drives use always-on, hardware-level encryption (like Trusted Computing Group’s TCG Opal) to protect your data. The encryption key is managed by the controller.
If the controller dies or is severely damaged, the key can be lost with it. Even if we successfully extract all the raw data from the NAND chips, it will be completely unreadable unless we’re able to reconstruct the key.
How Data Recovery Engineers Handle NVMe Drives
NVMe data recovery requires a careful approach — and the exact process will differ dramatically depending on the drive’s model, storage capacity, failure scenario, and various other factors.
Here are some of the techniques we use for standard cases:
- Chip-Off Recovery: For drives with failed controllers, our engineers perform a chip-off procedure in a certified cleanroom. Learn more about chip-off data recovery.
- Proprietary NAND Readers: Once removed, we use our proprietary hardware readers to create a raw image of the data from each individual chip.
- Rebuilding the Controller Logic: Our engineers analyze the raw data dumps to reverse-engineer the manufacturer’s proprietary data placement and error correction (ECC). Wherever possible, we work directly with manufacturers to develop these tools.
- Decryption and Reassembly: For encrypted drives, we work to reconstruct the necessary keys to decrypt the data. Once all the pieces are virtually reassembled and decrypted, we can extract the data in a usable format.
Note that this is a slight oversimplification of our process; every data loss incident is different, and we draw on our extensive case history to provide each NVMe drive with an appropriate level of care. Our engineers also consult with one another on complex cases to optimize each recovery plan.
Your Next Steps for a Successful Recovery
At Datarecovery.com, we’ve built the systems and engineering talent necessary to help users recover from complex NVMe SSD failures. With our risk-free evaluations and our no data, no charge guarantee, we provide peace of mind as your ticket progresses.
If you are facing data loss from an NVMe SSD, power down the device immediately. Contact us at 1-800-237-4200 or submit a case online for a free, no-obligation evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions About NVMe Data Recovery
Can I recover deleted files from my NVMe SSD using software?
Probably not. Due to the TRIM command, the data from deleted files is often permanently erased by the drive’s controller within seconds or minutes of deletion.
The best course of action after accidental deletion is to immediately shut down the system to prevent the drive from running its cleanup processes and contact a professional. Remember, you usually get one chance to recover your data — don’t waste it.
My computer isn’t detecting my NVMe drive anymore. What should I do?
“Failure to detect” is a common symptom of controller failure or a severe firmware issue. The most important thing to do is to keep the drive powered off.
Continued power can cause the controller to further corrupt the data stored on the NAND chips, and that makes recovery much more difficult. Do not try to re-install it or plug it into another computer.
Why is NVMe recovery more expensive than hard drive recovery?
It’s not always more expensive — the cost will vary according to the failure scenario. Fire-damaged HDDs, for example, will require quite a bit more attention than an NVMe controller failure under most circumstances.
In general, NVMe recovery is complex; it often requires physical removal of multiple memory chips, along with the development of proprietary hardware to read those chips. However, not every case requires chip-off recovery.
We provide a free evaluation and a firm price quote before any work begins. If you’ve lost data from an NVMe drive, we strongly recommend working with a data recovery provider that offers similar assurances.
What is the difference between M.2 and NVMe?
M.2 refers to the physical form factor — the small, rectangular shape of the drive and its connector.
NVMe refers to the electronic protocol the drive uses to communicate with the computer. While most M.2 drives today are NVMe, some older or cheaper M.2 drives use the slower SATA protocol. You can’t tell just by looking, so you need to check the drive’s specifications.
