Hard disk & data recovery FAQ
Disk faults and data loss problems
> HELP! - I've
lost my data !
No problem, we'll diagnose the disk
& recover the data for you - call us on
0870 140 2525
** Also, read our 8
Golden Rules for minimizing data loss page. If
you are running a RAID array or server please read our additional
Minimizing
RAID and server data loss page **
> My hard disk
is inaccessible and making a ticking noise
This type of failure is more common on laptop hard disk drives and
fortunately the data if often recoverable from this situation. Often,
the drive will not be recognised in the BIOS and it's important that
you power the drive down and keep it that way as repeatedly turning
it on in this condition may cause further damage. Further information
on this disk fault and possible data recovery options can be found
here: laptop
hard disk inaccessible and making a clicking sound
> My hard disk
is dead and not recognised in the BIOS
A hard drive that is not recognised in the BIOS usually has
one of the following problems:
-
The drive has an electrical fault:
You can usually diagnose these quite easily as (a) the BIOS will
quickly not identify the drive and show the IDE channel it is on
as vacant (b) the drive will not spin. Recovery of data in these
situations is often possible, please see our electrical
failures section on our general data recovery
page.
- The drive has a firmware fault: Firmware is the
microcode on the hard disk that makes it 'work'. Each manufacturer
uses their own firmware and so firmware problems on disks of different
manufacturers show different symptoms. You need to find out what the
hard disk in your system is and then see the following pages:
- The drive has a more serious mechanical problem:
Serious mechanical failure in a hard disk is sometimes accompanied
by a grating or high pitched sound. Alternatively, the drive may cause
the computer to hang in the BIOS or cause the computer to function
very slowly. Please see the mechanical
failures section on our general data recovery
page.
> My hard disk is recognised
in the BIOS but fails to boot my system correctly & I can't access
some or all of my files
Usually, this type of problem is indicative of a fault with the data
on the hard disk rather than the hard disk itself. Please refer to our
logical
failures section on the general data recovery page.
Also, you may have bad
sector problems on your hard disk which are resulting
in read errors and causing the problem.
> My system is warning me that
there are problems on the hard disk and wants me to run Scandisk / Chkdsk
/ Fsck
We recommend that if you are serious regarding the correct recovery
of your data that you never, ever run any of these utilities. They are
not designed to run on damage hard drives and will often make recoverable
data unrecoverable. Read our problems
with running Scandisk, Chkdsk and other disk checking software
page.
Pricing and timeframe for data recovery
> Do you charge a diagnosis
fee ?
No, we provide a free diagnosis in most situations.
> In what situations do you
charge a diagnosis fee ?
We charge a diagnosis fee on the following:
* RAID arrays and servers
* IBM Deskstar and Quantum AS hard disks
* Disks that have been opened or have been sent to other recovery companies
before reaching us
* Disks where the cause of the data loss is due to
Scandisk or Chkdsk having been run
* When conventional recovery methods have failed and customers decide
to use our Advanced
Data Recovery facility
> How much do you charge for
data recovery ?
This cost is dependent on a variety of issues such as:
(a) what problem(s) the disk is suffering from
(b) the type of disk
(c) the service level you choose
> What service levels do you
offer ?
We offer 3 levels of service:
* Emergency - Your data is recovered within 48 hours
* Priority - Your data is recovered within a 2 - 4 day timeframe
* Standard - Your data is recovered within a 5 - 10 day timeframe
> How is my recovered data
returned to me ?
Your data is returned to you on either CDs, DVDs, or hard disk. The
choice is yours.
> Can you guarantee
to recover my data ?
No data recovery company can guarantee to recover
your data as this is dependent on what is actually wrong with your
disk. However, using our Advanced
Data Recovery facility we regularly recover data from
drives that other data recovery have pronounced unrecoverable. Many
other data recovery companies also sub-contract their data recovery
work to us. Please take a moment to review
some of our more well-known customers. We are
confident we can successfully recover data from many instances where
other recovery companies fail.
> Is my data
treated as confidential ?
All customer data is treated as sensitive and confidential as standard.
Additionally, we can provide a Non Disclosure Agreement
should you require one (view
a draft NDA here, PDF 114k).
Finally, Data Clinic are the only UK data recovery company
with a quantifiable Research
and Development programme into drive failures
and advanced recovery techniques.
Call us now on 0870 140 2525
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