BleepingComputer.com: Professional Data Recovery

Greetings all.

Wasn't sure where to post this, so I thought I'd start here.

I've got a dead Seagate External HD. Posted in the External Hardware forum to try to recover the photos / docs / etc but alas, at the end of the day, it is toast.

A couple of BC members mentioned that professional data recovery is most likely the only real option here and although it seems unlikely that I'll shell huge amounts of money to do so, it did make me stop and think, 'hmmm, what does it actually cost? who does it?'

I figured if anyone would know it would be the good folks here at BC.

So I wanted to know who here at BC has actually done this (professional data recovery from a dead HD) how much did it cost? Was it worth it? Are there questions you wished you would've asked before hand? Questions you'd ask now? etc.

Any feedback, links and/or other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Winterland

Is it worth it? Depends on what is on the hard-drive and how damaged the data might be. I've never had it done, but my previous employers have had it done a couple times. In their case, it was worth it.

I have no idea of the costs. I suspect there is significant variation.

Where to go would depend in part on what kind of drive is in question and where YOU are.

Orange Blossom

Winterland, on 12 February 2012 - 03:47 PM, said:

Try googling for data recovery or seagate data recovery.

Contact Seagate by phone or email, and ask them: https://services.seagate.com/

• Consumer > Economy Services

Orange Blossom / AustrAlien, thanks for the feedback and links. That's the sort of info I was looking for.


The External is pretty full - almost 320 GB's - so I'm going to reach out to Seagate and see what this Economy Service might cost me, as I can't see any other way to get all those photos and files back.


Valuable lesson learned: back up your back ups!


I'll try to update this when I find out what Seagate says / quotes for a recovery and/or if I find another company that seems professional in my area (Eastern Seaboard).


onward,

Winterland

Winterland, on 13 February 2012 - 05:39 AM, said:

It seemed that the original version (copy) was no longer available: A "backup" ceases to be a backup if the original is no longer available. Anything of significance should be saved on at least 2 physically separated media. Data of any importance should be saved on at least 3 physically separated media ... and in different locations.

I look forward to learning what you find out about options for professional data recovery.

Good luck.