Many data recovery firms have a no-data, no-charge policy. This means that if the device is so damaged and nothing is recoverable, there is no charge. This is good, but other data recovery firms are pushing a more transparent recovery sequence.
Rather than an upfront estimate without examining the actual drive, these companies tell you the drive’s full charge only after you’ve sent it in, and they’ve had a chance to look it over. It takes a leap of faith to use this type of data recovery firm, and it entails some anxiety, but there’s more certainty for the rest of the process.
For all but the most abused drives, there’s generally some data that can be recovered. On the other hand, don’t expect to get every single file back, particularly for a heavily worn or damaged drive. That said, a good recovery firm will extract a surprising amount of data from a drive that is thought to be dead.
A simple software problem might cost several hundred pounds, while a minor mechanical failure might run a thousand pounds or more. Fixing a major hardware problem and extracting its data could cost several thousand pounds, and a dead RAID array might run tens of thousands of pounds.
Keep in mind that time is money. In other words, ask yourself, how long can you can stand to be without the data? If the drive held historical data or company policies, a week or two might be OK. But if it’s online orders or your payroll, a few days might seem like an eternity. Recovering data from typical software failures might be done in a day or two, while a minor hardware failure can take several days. A major hardware problem on a high-capacity drive can occupy a week or two of work to repair and extract its data.
If you need it yesterday, Tech Computers can do the repair and recovery work on a rush basis. The technicians will work 24/7 this way, it’s worked on until the project is done, and you have your data back. It will cost you by the hour however.
Why not ask about a backup solution, that way if drives fail you always have your data.