To put your mind at rest, here are answers to typical questions that we are asked everyday.
Can you recover my lost data?
The chances of success will depend on the type of failure. Assuming the media chassis has not been opened and there has been no intrusive attempts at data recovery, the chances are extremely high. Providing there is not extensive media damage to platters, recoveries from mechanical or electronic failure are often successful. RAID controller failures, partial overwrites and formats, firmware failure and simple deletions are normally recoverable. The following lists the most common scenarios where data recovery may be less successful:
a. Completely overwritten or zeroed data (not deleted data)
b. Terminal failure of more than the maximum number of redundant drives in an array
c. Where a device has been physically and deliberately destroyed or degaussed
d. Where a RAID rebuild has taken place and the array was rebuilt from the blank disk
Is there a charge for the diagnostic assessment?
Generally speaking there is no charge for the diagnostic assessment for data recovery. However there may be times when we deem the chances of recovery are marginal and we have to invest in specific parts to attempt the recovery. In this case there may be a small charge, but we would always provide a no obligation quote beforehand. Where we are being asked to forensically investigate digital media as part of litigation or dispute resolution, we may also charge for a diagnostic assessment, but again the client will be given a no obligation quote beforehand.
What will I receive from the assessment?
In order to establish whether your data is recoverable, we must largely complete the recovery. Once you receive the assessment we are sure of our findings and other than verifying and copying your data, we are mostly through the process. You will then receive a no obligation quote, together with a file listing of all the recovered files and a technical report detailing the failure and what was necessary to recover the data.
How long will it take?
Obviously, emergency recoveries take priority over others and we try to turn these around within 24 hours. Where the failure relates to a mechanical component of a hard drive, we usually need to find an identical, working hard drive to use the components. If the parts are not in stock, this can be the primary cause of delays with data recovery. Certain parameters and configuration (sometimes known as the “firmware”) have to be matched identically, otherwise the replacement parts will not work. Typically data recovery can take anything from two days to five. However, we aim to keep you informed of all progress. If we know the recovery is going to be delayed for any reason, we will inform you.
How long will it take?
Obviously, emergency recoveries take priority over others and we try to turn these around within 24 hours. Where the failure relates to a mechanical component of a hard drive, we usually need to find an identical, working hard drive to use the components. If the parts are not in stock, this can be the primary cause of delays with data recovery. Certain parameters and configuration (sometimes known as the “firmware”) have to be matched identically, otherwise the replacement parts will not work. Typically data recovery can take anything from two days to five. However, we aim to keep you informed of all progress. If we know the recovery is going to be delayed for any reason, we will inform you.
Will my warranty be invalidated?
When we recover a hard drive that was sold as a retail product (as opposed to OEM), regardless of who the manufacturer is, they will honour the warranty. Even if we have to dissemble the drive and replace components. We never have issues from Seagate, Samsung, Hitachi, Western Digital or any other manufacturer. You may be required to provide proof that you engaged us to recover the data. In this case the diagnostic report we provide will normally suffice. If more details are required, simply contact us and we will be pleased to oblige.
Should I attempt a recovery myself?
If your data is mission critical we would not advise attempting a recovery yourself, unless you are a specialist. Failed attempts at recovery will at best increase the amount of work required (and hence the price) and at worst render the data unrecoverable. However, there are some things you can do beforehand (assuming there are no immediate fixes through your operating system control panel):
a. If you have an external hard drive, remove the media from the enclosure and test the internal drive independently. The fault may lay with the circuitry on the enclosure
b. Where you have a failed USB portable hard drive, try numerous cables. Often the cable or computer is not supplying enough power to the hard drive.
c. If your computer will not boot, remove the hard drive and place in an external enclosure (available from any computer shop).
d. If you can access the file structure and thumbnails but cannot open the files individually, you can use reputable data recovery software yourself (widely available on the internet). However, you should always attempt a software recovery on a clone or image, never on the original media.