iPhone 13 Data Recovery After a Failed Board Repair Attempt
🔧 Repair Summary
-
Device: iPhone 13
-
Customer Location: New Hampshire
-
Service Type: Data Recovery
-
Issue: No power after prior board-level repair attempt
-
Previous Work: PMIC replacement by another technician
-
Symptoms: ~30mA current draw when prompted to boot
-
Repair Performed: CPU, NAND, and EEPROM transplant to a donor board
-
Turnaround Time: 1 week
-
Result: âś… Full data recovery (complete iTunes backup)
When a Previous Repair Makes Things Worse
This iPhone 13 arrived at VCC Board Repairs from New Hampshire in a completely dead state — no power, no boot, and no access to the customer’s data. Unfortunately, the phone had already been worked on by another technician before it reached us.
During that earlier attempt, the PMIC (Power Management IC) had been replaced. While PMIC failures can happen, replacing it unnecessarily — or without proper thermal control — can cause severe collateral damage. In this case, the work appeared to have overheated the area around the CPU, creating unpredictable board-level faults.
When we connected the device to power, it showed a 30mA draw when prompted to boot, a classic sign of deeper logic board failure. At that point, traditional repair paths were no longer viable — but the customer’s data was still worth fighting for.
Choosing the Most Extreme (and Safest) Data Recovery Path
Because the customer’s priority was their data — photos, videos, messages, and personal memories — we moved forward with one of the most advanced recovery methods available: a CPU swap.
This process involves:
-
Removing the original CPU, NAND, and EEPROM
-
Transplanting them onto a known-good donor logic board
-
Preserving the encrypted relationship between these chips so the phone can recognize and decrypt the data
What makes this especially challenging is that these components are underfilled and sealed with adhesive. That glue acts like armor — protecting the chips, but also making removal extremely dangerous. Too much heat, too little heat, or even a microscopic slip can permanently destroy the data.
There are no second chances with this type of work.
The entire process is slow, deliberate, and nerve-wracking — but it’s often the only way to recover data after severe board damage or failed repair attempts.
The Result: Everything Recovered
After nearly a week of careful microsoldering, diagnostics, and testing, the donor board successfully booted using the customer’s original components.
We were able to provide:
-
âś… A full iTunes backup file
-
âś… All photos and videos
-
âś… Contacts
-
âś… Text messages
-
âś… Notes
-
âś… Voicemails
In other words — everything that mattered.
Why Experience Matters in Data Recovery
This case is a perfect example of why advanced board-level data recovery should never be rushed or guessed. One incorrect repair decision early on can turn a simple issue into a catastrophic failure.
At VCC Board Repairs in Las Vegas, NV, we specialize in last-resort recoveries — the phones that others can’t fix, and the data people are afraid they’ve lost forever. Whether your device is dead, previously worked on, or written off entirely, there’s often still hope.
📦 Mail-in data recovery available nationwide
đź“Ť Trusted by customers across the U.S. for precision, honesty, and results
If your iPhone won’t turn on and your data matters, reach out before it’s truly gone.