DFL-URE

[Markus Bauer]

Hello,

I had recently troubles with some drives.

I had a M2 SSD and a USB3 drive from WD with both don't work well on my MRT. The problem is that the drives where unstable and got dropped from Windows.

I found two solutions which should fix that:

1) DeepSpar USB Stabilizer

2) DFL-URE

The DFL product does some Firmware fixex and give me decent controll about the imaging process but I didn't read anything about M2 SSDs or that things but I guess when I have the right adapter to connect it via USB it should work. Or am I wrong?

The USB-Stablilizer give me quite limited controll over the imaging and thatfor I would need to pair it up with MRT.

So DFL-URE sounds like a better solution for me and would also allow in some cases work even on site because I guess I should also be able to adapt a SATA HDD to USB3 and run the imaging then with the URE. Or do they block that on purpose to sell SRL?

Both would also work with unstable memory-cards, flashdrives, ... But I am not sure for how much cases would that be helpful. Does someone could tell me in how much cases that would work? I would guess that should be just a few rare edge-cases. Am I right?

Or do you have other recommandations?

[LarrySabo]

I had a DFL-URE but sold it because I rarely used it.  About the only thing URE does that you can't do with DFL-SRP accessing a USB drive through a USB Stabilizer, is selective head imaging. It's my understanding you can do selective head imaging of USB drives accessed through a USB Stabilizer with MRT and PC3K.  I've found the USB Stabilizer also works well recovering data from M.2 and NVMe USB drives because it eliminates the instabilities of Windows dealing directly with the drive,

I would go with the USB stabilizer rather than URE.

[Luke Coughey]

The USB stabilizer is very powerful, but don't mistake it for an imager.  I basically keeps the connected device visible and stable so that the software, such as MRT or PC3000 DE can image it. I've used it with MRT and use it regularly with PC3000.  I also think it is a great match when imagine with the new UFS explorer imaging functions too...though, it makes more sense to use MRT DE, if you have it, for the imaging.

Luke Coughey

CEO

Recovery Force Inc

866-750-3169

http://www.recoveryforce.com

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On Fri, Jul 17, 2020 at 9:22 AM LarrySabo <larr...@gmail.com> wrote:

I had a DFL-URE but sold it because I rarely used it.  About the only thing URE does that you can't do with DFL-SRP accessing a USB drive through a USB Stabilizer, is selective head imaging. It's my understanding you can do selective head imaging of USB drives accessed through a USB Stabilizer with MRT and PC3K.  I've found the USB Stabilizer also works well recovering data from M.2 and NVMe USB drives because it eliminates the instabilities of Windows dealing directly with the drive,

I would go with the USB stabilizer rather than URE.

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[Markus Bauer]

@ LarrySabo

Thanks for your opinion.

I know that URE (as well as the USB Stabilizer) is just a tool for edge-cases. Yes I can do selective head imaging with MRT. But I can't use the USB Stabilizer standalone or let's tell I can't use it very good standalone...

My idea was that the URE could be a 2nd imager and also get used to free up some ports on MRT (just have the 2 port version) and sometimes a 2nd imager or more ports would be very handy! You had the URE - can it also handle regular SATA-drives when adapted to USB? 

My Idea was aside from WD Elements and some M2 SSDs and a few pendrives it could also work on unstable SATA drives and in combination with a Laptop I could also offer onsite recovery which is with a MRT in an HP Z600 not really possible... So the tool would be more helpful in my situation because I could use it maybe more then the USB Stabilizer.

If not then I totally agree and a USB Stabilizer would be the better option for me. In combination with DMDE / UFS I shloud be able to do some onsite work as well...

But then I need to adress another problem - the need of a 2nd imaging tool! Rapidspar would be price-wise interesting but I don't like the low level of controll. The DDI4 is now available for 2300 EUR but again not a onsite-tool.

Is there an advantage to have 2 different tools over having 2 times the same tool? I am happy with my MRT but I also don't knot any other tool and I can't compare it to nothing else! So with the USB Stabilizer and a 2nd MRT I would be roughly on the same amout as URE. URE would be fully payed and don't cost me a monthly fee as the MRT. So that's why I would prefer a URE if it can image all kind of drives which I adapt to USB.

Otherwise I would probably go with USB Stabilizer + 2nd MRT / DFL PCI4x (in case 2 different brands would have some benefit) 

@ Luke

I am fully aware that the USB Stabilizer is no imager and that's why I start to think about an URE. Usually I am fine with processing one disk afer another but sometimes like now I got a quite unstable disk and that blocks my only imager for a long time. Actually I have a pile of 4 drives waiting that the image of one drive get finnished. 

So every now and then I get a problematic USB- or M2-device which would make a native USB-Imager or an USB Stabilizer handy and every now an then I get a drive which took quite long which would make a 2nd Imager come in handy. 

As I will get a PC3k Flash next month too by budget to fix that 2 "problems" is not that big and I would not want to invest more then 2.000 - 2.500 USD on that specially because I don't have the need for both that often...

[t...@desertdatarecovery.com]

There is a lot to unpack here. I do not have DFL (and never have) so its hard for me to comment on that. It is always really hard when starting and/or developing a data recovery company. We have all been there. Money is always an issue.

 

Have you looked at PC3K Portable?. I know its expensive, but it seems like you do a lot of work off site which is what this tool has been developed for. It has the ability to solve most firmware issues with drives, it can image multiple drives, it works with the USB Stabilizer, it can handle some NVMe drives, you can convert your USB PCBs to SATA getting over the connection issue with USB etc. Seems like it make be a perfect fit for you?

 

And yes it is always good to get a mix of DR products. No one product can do it all, but the more you have the more you can do.

 

Tim Homer - Lead Engineer

Desert Data Recovery

t...@desertdatarecovery.com

www.desertdatarecovery.com

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[Markus Bauer]

@ Tim

No, I don't do onsite work and the price for a PC3k Portable is definitivly way over budget. I had in the past few month a hand full of requests for onsite work which I could not take so yes - if i have a tool which allow me to do some kind of onsite work then i would be happy just to have one more service to offer in case. 

As you confirm me it's good to mix DR products the URE become more valueable in my opinion. 

I will get a PC3k UDME + SSD as soon as I have more cases or maybe even the portable if the onsite-work will take off after I solve a few cases with other tools. It's for sure on my shopping list but a PC3k flash will allow me to handle more and outsorce less cases in the moment. The URE will in that case be most valueable now: 

 - it work as an imager onsite

 - it can be used as 2nd imager in the office if needed

 - it will work with USB-devices nativly and fix the issue that windows drop unstable drives

 - it will even work with some firmware-issues on WD Element drives

I only need to sacrifice the oportunity to work with all usb-devices on MRT. If needed I can overcome that issue by converting the disk to SATA or changing the PCB for a SATA one (that what I need to to now usually).

That would also allow me to start advertising onsite-work and test if that make sence and see if there is a market for that service. As the SSD-options in MRT are limited I will sooner or later need the PC3k anyway. For now I would go with a URE if that what I am planning work and elsewise with an USB Stabilizer.

If the rest of the year went well then I will think about a PC3k in next spring.

[IT LAND]

I own a DFL URE since it came out about 8 years ago. For the price i paid i am quite happy with it, its a good device, not that stable sometimes, have many crushes, but overall worth the investment. it does not offer a solution for the M2 though, but i just got my PC3K Portable yesterday, will see now if it was worth the massive investment just for the Nvme support.

[Markus Bauer]

@IT LAND

Does the URE work with regular SATA drives as well when you adapt them to USB? What I see from the Videos it should be able to image them even if the Firmware- and headmap-options are limited to some drives.That would be OK if I can at least controll things like timeout, readmode, etc.

My only fear is that I can only handle USB-drives in URE and the tool will not work with SATA drives adapted to USB. Did you ever try imaging an SATA-drive with URE?

[IT LAND]

Hi mb, i didn't try to work too much with SATA drives using the URE, as this device is supposed to be dedicated for USB drives by definition, and i have better suitable equipment for SATA drives like DFL SRP, and PC3K. I purchased it mainly to deal with unstable USB HDD's with some bad sectors which it does good enough as long as the damage is not severe, if the damage is quite bad, i convert to SATA board and work on the PC3K to gain max stability.

Saying that when the other equipment is occupied, i used it sometimes to image SATA drive with USB-SATA bridge attached and it works fine but didn't try head map and other FW functionalities, if you wish i can try to do one on Monday when i'm back in the office and let you know. But if you need to handle all drives, i recommend to purchase the SRP and not URE and just convert the USB into SATA boards as it is a more general purpose device, while URE is mainly for USB drives. SRP will deal with everything more thoroughly. 

[Markus Bauer]

Thanks for that info - that is exact what I seach. As I told before I have an MRT Express (with 2 ports) and I have times where I have 2 or 3 disks waiting that one on the MRT get finnish and I also have days when the MRT is waiting for the next case to arrive.

So in case money would not matter I would get an USB-Stabilizer to work with MRT, a PC3k Portable and just for fun maybe even an SRP. But in reality I don't have 20.000 EUR on the shelf collecting dust so I need to find the right tools for me in the moment. (Later i get one PC3k for sure!)

As you confirm me now URE is exactly what I need:

- it solves my problem that windows drop unstable USB-drives (I know if URE fail i need to do USB -> SATA convertation or chip-off with a pendrive)

- if can image some drives when the MRT is busy 

- I can even use it on site and start to add onsite DR to my advertising and test if that attracts some clients (had maybe 4-6 requests for that over the last 12 months)

- it will also handle unstable pendrives, memory-cards, ... (SD-Cards and multiple other stuff i can adapt to SATA and handle on MRT but for pendrives I had no solution till now)

[dradra]

Hi Markus

 

I have the URE and use it all the time for imaging both USB native and SATA drives via USB bridge. It supports both 2.5in and 3.5in HDD's.

 

Don't know if this helps but here is an example of a drive I am imaging today (a love job :)). It's a WD20EARX from My Book enclosure with JMICRON AES-ECB 256 encryption. Checked the HDD for SMART faults - none existing thus far. Drive appears healthy except for failure of the original SATA - USB bridge. I located a replacement bridge however it is flaky with constant drop outs when attempting to scan the HDD via USB port on my DR machine. So I mounted it on my URE and it is imaging perfectly with no issues.

 

I use my URE on a daily basis pretty much. Head mapping is great with the majority of drives from my experience to date.

 

Hope this helps.

 

James

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[Markus Bauer]

Hello again. Thanks for your input - in a few days I will get my URE and actually I study the manuals. I found there a "Green Resource Mode (CPU, Momory)" - does anyone know what that does? The manual recommand in some cases to switch it on and to switch it of to image faster... 

[LarrySabo]

I'm not sure how it does it, but it does just as you said -- results in faster imaging.

[Markus Bauer]

OK but what is then the reason to activate it on less stable drives? Or more precise what it does for that less stable drives? If noone know it nevermind - in a few days I have my login for the support and I will ask the guys from DFL.

[IT LAND]

Hi Markus, this green mode feature is simple, as far as i understand it just make the URE use less computer resources to not interrupt with other jobs on the computer, so running as standard or low priority task in the OS and using less system resources, like buffer sizes etc.

If you untick it, the URE task runs at full power and as a high priority task in the computer system and therefore images quicker as long as the drive is stable enough.

This feature would not affect the stability of the drive, i always run it unticked.

Cheers