Data recovery

When a drive fails, the first hour matters. What you do next decides how much is recoverable.

At a glance

First step: Stop using the drive
Assessed: Before any recovery is attempted
Outcome: Never guaranteed in advance
Bring: The drive or the whole machine

Stop using the drive

A drive that is failing mechanically gets worse every time it spins up. A drive whose files were deleted or whose partition was lost gets worse every time something new is written to it, because the space holding your data is what the operating system will reuse first.

The single most useful thing you can do is turn the machine off and bring it in. Recovery attempts made with the wrong tool, on a drive that is physically failing, can end the possibility of recovery entirely.

What we can and cannot say in advance

We assess the drive before attempting anything, and we tell you what we think is realistic. What we will not do is promise a result. Recovery depends on what has failed and on what has happened since, and anyone offering a guarantee before looking at the drive is guessing.

Afterwards, a backup

Every recovery ends with the same conversation, so it is worth having early: the files that matter should exist in more than one place. We will help set that up, and it costs far less than the recovery you will not then need.

Photographs, documents and anything not downloadable again
A second copy that is not in the same machine
A copy that is not in the same building, for anything irreplaceable

Asked at the counter

Can you always get the data back?

No, and we will not claim otherwise. Some drives fail in ways that make recovery impossible, and some are made worse by what happens before they reach us. We assess first and tell you honestly what we think the chances are.

What does data recovery cost?

It depends entirely on what has failed, so it is quoted after assessment rather than published here. A logical problem and a mechanical failure are very different jobs.

Should I try recovery software myself first?

If the drive is making unusual noises, no — running software against a mechanically failing drive can end the job. If the drive seems healthy and files were deleted, stopping all use of it and bringing it in still gives the best odds.

Bring the drive in

Turn the machine off first. Then bring in the drive or the whole computer.

Contact the store