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Professional Hard Drive Recovery

skisteven1

Senior member
Hi All,

I have a laptop hard drive (80gb, Hitachi - I think) which is dead. It doesn't spin up, though I do hear the motor begin to engage when the system powers on. I have no reason to believe that the drive has incurred any physical damage (outside of the obvious) -- ie. I believe that the data is fully intact on the platters within the drive.

I have pictures and documents form 4 months in China on there, and I would absolutely hate to lose them. In the past, I would have put such a drive in the freezer, which I know sounds crazy, but I heard it works and has in fact worked for me once before. However, in this case I am particularly attached to the contents of the drive and would really really really like to get them back.

Can anyone recommend a professional hard drive recovery service? I've gotten quotes from a few in the past couple of days, and they all seem to be in the $1000->$1500 range for this drive, which is ludacris even with how much I want this stuff back. I seem to remember seeing a place in the past that had prices in the $100-$300 range, but can't be absolutely positive, and definitely can't remember the name. Do you know of one?

I'm willing to spend a few hundred dollars, but would like someplace professional (otherwise I could just stick it in the freezer and hope for the best), and below $500 or so. Any recommendations anyone? PLEASE?
 
I think you will be spending a minimum of $1000 because of the fact that it is mechanically dead. It's going to require disassembly in a cleanroom. Try OnTrack. They are expensive but I hear they are good.

OnTrack Data Recovery
 
We've used these guys a half a dozen times, and they have recovered what was needed each time.

Any legitimate place with a clean room will run from $500 to $3500. Our average has been around $2000.

Drivesavers
 
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