Getting your files back
On the iMac A2115 your files are encrypted by the T2 security chip and locked to that exact logic board. The storage cannot be read on another board or in an adapter.
Replacing the logic board (the usual answer from Apple and most repair shops) permanently loses every file that wasn't backed up or in iCloud. The only way to get them back is to repair the original board.
That is what we do. We find the failed component, repair it under the microscope, boot the Mac and copy your files to a new drive. We need your Mac login password, because the encryption cannot be bypassed by anyone.
This model
- Model number
- A2115
- Model identifier
- iMac20,1, iMac20,2
- Processor
- Intel Core i5/i7/i9
- Released
- 2020
- Where your data is
- Encrypted, tied to board (T2)
Same model number, different year: iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019)
Board faults we repair on this Mac
- No powerPower supply and board power-rail faults, including surge damage.
- No pictureGraphics and display-output faults traced at component level.
- Failed previous repairBoards another shop has given up on, or quoted to replace, are worth a second look.
Questions
iMac A2115: data and repair
Can you recover data from a dead iMac A2115 with no backup?
Usually, yes, by repairing the original logic board. We'll need your Mac login password, because the storage is encrypted.
Will a replacement logic board keep my data?
No. The new board can't decrypt the old storage. Anything not in iCloud or a backup is lost unless the original board is repaired.