A car business contacted us after their LaCie Rugged external hard drive failed to open, with the following issues:
- The drive was detected by Windows/macOS but showed an “Access Denied” error when opened.
- Attempts to change file permissions through Windows Security settings failed.
- Some folders were inaccessible, and encryption warnings appeared.
- The drive contained customer invoices, vehicle sales records, and financial data.
Since forcing permission changes or encryption modifications could cause permanent data loss, an immediate professional recovery solution was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the LaCie Rugged external hard drive arrived at our cleanroom facility, we conducted a full file system and security-level diagnostic. Our findings:
- Corrupt NTFS file permissions – The drive’s access control list (ACL) had been altered or damaged.
- Possible encryption conflicts – The drive may have been encrypted using BitLocker, FileVault, or third-party software.
- File system inconsistencies – Some directories were unreadable due to metadata corruption.
Since incorrect recovery attempts could lock the files permanently, we prioritized forensic-level extraction and structured decryption analysis.
The Recovery Process
1. Creating a Forensic Clone to Preserve Data Integrity
To prevent accidental data loss, we:
- Created a sector-by-sector forensic clone of the LaCie Rugged external hard drive.
- Used write-blocking tools to ensure original data remained unaltered.
2. Restoring File Permissions & Access Control Lists (ACLs)
Since the NTFS permissions were corrupted, we:
- Rebuilt the drive’s access control list (ACL) using forensic tools.
- Reassigned administrative ownership while maintaining file integrity.
- Unlocked access to business files without damaging encryption structures.
3. Identifying & Resolving Encryption Conflicts
Since some files were encrypted, we:
- Determined whether BitLocker, FileVault, or third-party encryption was in use.
- Extracted encryption metadata and rebuilt missing decryption keys.
- Recovered decrypted copies of invoices, contracts, and business spreadsheets.
4. Verifying & Restoring Car Business Data
Once access was restored, we:
- Checked all recovered invoices, sales records, and financial reports for accuracy.
- Ensured that all customer files were intact and accessible.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a secure external backup drive.
The Results: 100% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our file permission restoration and encryption handling techniques, we successfully recovered 100% of the car business’s lost files, including:
✅ Vehicle sales records and customer invoices
✅ Financial reports, tax documents, and contracts
✅ Organized file structures restored for easy access
The business was able to continue operations without losing any critical documents, preventing financial and operational disruptions.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful recoveries, we are the leading external hard drive and encrypted data recovery specialists in Cambridge and the UK. Our expertise includes:
✔ NTFS file permission repair & access restoration
✔ BitLocker, FileVault, and third-party encryption decryption
✔ Business document and financial data recovery
✔ Secure & confidential recovery for businesses
If your external hard drive is displaying an “Access Denied” error, showing encryption conflicts, or preventing access to important business files, stop using it immediately and contact us for professional data recovery.