The ACE Labs PC-3000 Flash is the best NAND Flash data recovery system in the world. Capable of retrieving data from drives with logical (software), disk-level, and drive-level errors, it does more than any other Flash recovery system. The PC-3000 Flash even recovers data from drives with non-functional interfaces. It accomplishes this by bypassing the controller and accessing the memory core directly. The types of devices it can recover data from include:

• USB Flash Drive (UFD)
• Secure Digital Card (SD)
• micro SD (micro Secure Digital Card)
• Compact Flash Card (CF)
• Sony Memory Stick (MS)
• xD Picture Card
• Monolithic Flash Devices
• Multi Media Card (MMC)
• Embedded Multi Media Card (eMMC)
• Flash BGA, VBGA, LGA, TLGA, TSOP, and TSSOP Memory Chips
• Voice Recorder (Dictaphone)
• iPhone 2G, 3G, 3GS (with no hardware encryption)

ACE Labs Extensive Reverse Engineering

Unlike all of its competitors, the PC-3000 Flash contains the largest, up-to-date large memory chip database. It identifies and reads many microchips in automatic mode. Likewise, it even automatically detects complicated stack organizations consisting of several parts. In addition, if there are any new resources, the PC-3000 Flash downloads and installs them from the ACE Laboratory server. It also automatically checks and downloads the latest libraries via the Internet, including the:

• Memory chip library
• ECC algorithm library
• XOR library
• Library of Analysis algorithms, preparation and research methods
• Page format library
• Supply circuit library
• Rereading Modes reference book
• Dynamic XOR library

Data Recovery Methods

In addition to a great variety of manual and visual modes, the PC-3000 Flash has automatic data recovery methods which help solve both simple and difficult cases. For example, in most cases, Complex analysis chooses settings and operations all automatically to retrieve user data.

With the PC-3000 Flash, anybody can recover data with just “one-click” using the PC-3000 Flash Solution Center. Consisting of solutions uploaded by other PC-3000 owners, it literally makes recovering data from Flash memory as easy as as possible. Simply download and execute the appropriate solution for the given memory type and controller. It is just that easy.

PC-3000 Flash Basic Package Adapters

1. Multiboard Soldering Adapter with (4) Replaceable Modules: Monolith Flash memory, and BGA-152, VBGA-100, LGA-52, and TSOP-48 chips solder to one of 3 available board modules. Then, board modules quickly and easily connect into the main Multiboard adapter. The use or replaceable PCB boards prevents damaging the main host adapter while soldering. In addition, it makes switching between data recovery jobs easy. The adapter features a power supply LED indicating when voltage is supplied to the memory chip.
2. LGA/TLGA-52/60 Adapters: Supports 14mm x 18mm Land Grid Array (LGA) and package sizes. The adapters feature a power supply LED indicating when voltage is supplied to the memory chip.
   
3. BGA-152/132 Adapter: Solid state drives (SSDs) and USB Flash drives (UFDs) often contain this type of package microchip. The adapter features a power supply LED indicating when voltage is supplied to the memory chip.
4. TSOP-48 Adapter: Supports standard size Thin Small Outline Package (TSOP) 14mm x 18mm microchip package. Common with older Flash drives. The adapter features a power supply LED indicating when voltage is supplied to the memory chip.

PC-3000 Flash All-In-One Package Adapters

The ACELab PC-3000 Flash All-In-One Package contains all of the Basic Package Adapters and also includes:

1. Card Adapter: The card adapter works with Secure Digital (SD) and microSD memory cards, and Multi Media Card (MMC) and Embedded Multi Media Card (eMMC) memory chips. The adapter features a power supply LED indicating when voltage is supplied to the memory chip.
2. Spider Board Adapter: With 25 adjustable needles, this universal adapter works with all types, layouts, and designs of monolith Flash memory. In addition, with no soldering required, sampling connections for signals is fast, simple, and easy. The adapter features a power supply LED indicating when voltage is supplied to the memory chip.
3. LGA/TLGA-52/60 Adapters: Supports 12mm x 17mm Land Grid Array (LGA) and package sizes. The adapters feature a power supply LED indicating when voltage is supplied to the memory chip.
4. VBGA-100 Adapter: Often used in conjunction with SLC NAND Flash memory. The adapter features a power supply LED indicating when voltage is supplied to the memory chip.
5. TSOP-48W Adapter: Supports Thin Small Outline Package (TSOP) microchip packages larger than the standard 14mm x 18mm package size. Common with older Flash drives. The adapter features a power supply LED indicating when voltage is supplied to the memory chip.
6. TSSOP-56 Adapter: Compact Flash cards and USB Flash drives use Thin Shrink Small Outline Package TSSOP-56 memory chips. The adapter features a power supply LED indicating when voltage is supplied to the memory chip.

Recovering Data from Monoliths

Almost all modern SD card, microSD card, and USB Flash drives employ a monolithic design. With a monolithic Flash memory chip, the interface, controller, and memory core all reside on a single integrated chip or card. Recovering data from malfunctioning and severely damaged monoliths requires establishing electrical connections with at least 16 different power, data, and control lines located on the surface of the monoliths.

The PC-3000 Flash All-In-One Kit comes with 2 adapters for recovering data from monoliths. Firstly is the Multiboard Soldering Adapter with replaceable monolith modules. This adapter requires soldering a minimum of 14 different wires between the technological pads on the surface of the monoliths and pads on the monolith modules, in addition to 1 power and 1 ground wire. The replaceable and reusable modules are small, flat PCBs that are easily to soldered to. They also feature high interference immunity and data reading stability.

Secondly is the Spider Board adapter. This adapter uses up to 25 specialized needles to connect to the power, ground, control, and data technological pads, negating the requirement to microsolder. Designed for use under a microscope and with no soldering required, monolith data recovery has never been faster or easier than before. As a result, the Spider Board Adapter is my favorite of the two adapters.

The PC-3000 Flash Spider Board

Certainly, my favorite adapter for recovering data from monolith Flash memory devices is the Spider Board adapter. With 25 adjustable needles, the Spider Board is a universal adapter that works with all types, layouts, and designs of monolith memory. In addition, with no soldering required, sampling a multitude of technological pads for signals is extremely fast, simple, and easy.

Built-in to the Spider Board is the best feature of all–a Pinout Auto-Detection features that automatically identifies the different control and data lines in the monolith. Consequently, identifying the control and data lines no longer requires either a pinout map or a digital logic analyzer.

Other features of the Spider Board Adapter include the abilities to:

• Fine-tune the connectors on the software level.
• Save pinout settings in a file for future use.
• Maintain constant 5V or control Vcc (1.8V – 3.6V) power supplies.
• Control the adapter power via software.

Recommendations

Certainly, no system in the world beats the ACE Labs PC-3000 Flash in NAND Flash data recovery. It is the best kit for retrieving data directly from NAND Flash memory cores. I personally own a PC-3000 Flash and the All-In-One Adapter Kit, as well.

Due to the high prevalence of monolith memory devices, my favorite and most used adapter is the Spider Board Adapter. To successfully use this adapter, my recommendation is to add solder to the connection pads in advance. Firstly, this allows the needle tips to indent into the solder and lock firmly into place. Without the application of solder, the needles are more likely to slide around on the surface of the monolith and not stay where initially placed. Secondly, the solder prevents accidental damage to the surface of the monolith if a needle does skip out of location.

Costing around $5,500, the PC-3000 Flash All-In-One Kit is not an inexpensive data recovery system. However, it does what no other data recovery system can. Certainly, to retrieve data from the most severely damaged Flash drives, the best option is the ACE Labs PC-3000 Flash.

If you would like to speak with a data recovery professional about a data recovery product like the ACE Labs PC-3000 Flash, please call, e-mail, or contact IT-SD. We are more than happy to speak with you.