Western Digital WD Green 2.5″ SATA hard drives are commonly used in laptops and desktops for storing personal files, coursework, and academic research. However, when a hard drive is detected in BIOS but won’t boot, it often indicates corrupt boot sectors, partition table errors, or file system corruption, making stored data inaccessible.
This case study details how we successfully recovered critical coursework and research files for a university student in Glasgow from a WD Green 2.5″ SATA hard drive, after the system failed to boot due to partition corruption.
As Glasgow Data Recovery, Scotland’s oldest and best data recovery company, we have 25 years of experience using boot sector repair, partition table reconstruction, and deep forensic data recovery techniques to restore lost academic data.
WD Green 2.5″ SATA Hard Drive Detected but Not Booting
A Glasgow-based university student contacted us after their WD Green hard drive stopped booting, with the following issues:
- The hard drive was detected in BIOS but failed to load Windows.
- The system displayed a “No Bootable Device” or “Operating System Not Found” error.
- Attempts to use Windows Recovery tools failed.
- The drive contained coursework, research papers, and dissertation files.
Since attempting DIY fixes can overwrite recoverable data, an immediate professional recovery solution was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the WD Green hard drive arrived at our cleanroom facility, we conducted a full partition and file system diagnostic. Our findings:
- Corrupt boot sector (MBR/GPT damage) – Preventing the operating system from loading.
- Partition table errors – Making stored data inaccessible.
- No mechanical failure detected – Meaning logical recovery was possible through partition repair and raw data extraction.
Since boot sector corruption does not immediately erase data, we prioritized rebuilding the partition table and repairing the file system.
The Recovery Process
1. Cloning & Imaging the Hard Drive to Prevent Further Data Loss
To preserve recoverable data, we:
- Created a sector-by-sector forensic clone of the WD Green hard drive.
- Used specialized recovery tools to extract readable sectors while avoiding further corruption.
2. Repairing the Boot Sector & Rebuilding the Partition Table
Since the partition table was missing or corrupted, we:
- Rebuilt the MBR and partition structures to restore lost file directories.
- Repaired the NTFS file system to regain access to stored data.
3. Extracting & Verifying Coursework & Research Data
Once data extraction was complete, we:
- Recovered all Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, and research files.
- Restored dissertation files, lecture notes, and university assignments.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a secure external backup device.
The Results: 100% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our partition table repair and deep sector-level recovery techniques, we successfully recovered 100% of the student’s lost coursework and research data, including:
✅ Dissertation and thesis documents
✅ Lecture notes, assignments, and coursework submissions
✅ Organized file structures restored for easy access
The student was able to submit their coursework on time, preventing academic setbacks.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful recoveries, we are Scotland’s leading hard drive data recovery specialists. Our expertise includes:
✔ Boot sector repair & MBR/GPT reconstruction
✔ RAW drive recovery & NTFS file system repair
✔ University coursework, research paper, and thesis retrieval
✔ Secure & confidential data recovery services
If your hard drive is detected in BIOS but won’t boot, is showing partition errors, or is preventing access to critical academic files, stop using it immediately and contact us for expert data recovery.