Who Is Best for Data Recovery!?

[archivepenguins]

I've got a Seagate 400GB external hard drive. It makes some frightening noises and is not detected anymore by My Computer or the Device Manager (I tried switching cables, ports, computers, etc.). At one point it was detected by the device manager, where i got a windows code 10 error.

I want whats on it and I dont want to screw it up- Can anyone recommend a data recovery service that wont rip me off?

Thanks!

 

[statikuz]

Every data recovery service will "rip you off," but depending on how dead your HDD is (probably very dead since it makes dead noises ) it actually does take some real work to recover the data. These guys seem to have their act together and have saved some pretty big names (Pixar, Paramount, ILM), but expect them to cost you somewhere around $1500.

http://www.drivesavers.com/

 

[RebateMonger]

The oldest name in the business is probably Ontrack.com. They've been around for at least 20 years.

If the data on the drive is truly valuable, it would certainly pay to start with a solid datarecovery company. Incompetency is disastrous in that business.

 

[redbeard1]

Originally posted by: statikuz
Every data recovery service will "rip you off," but depending on how dead your HDD is (probably very dead since it makes dead noises ) it actually does take some real work to recover the data. These guys seem to have their act together and have saved some pretty big names (Pixar, Paramount, ILM), but expect them to cost you somewhere around $1500.

http://www.drivesavers.com/

Here is a another plug for these guys. We've sent numerous drives their way and gotten back the data we wanted.

The price for either will range from $500 to $3500 and they will only set the price after they diagnose the drive. The average for us has been $1700.

 

[GhettoFob]

DriveSavers is the best and OnTrack is pretty good too. Both will be expensive though.

 

[savvy]

Evaluate the situation: Do you really need the data?

 

[rappy]

Well I am in the same boat. They tell me my Mobo went bad and fried my HD. And of course, I got lazy on backing up all my stuff! (lazy cuz I was getting ready to try my first build- BUT NOT this soon) Anyhow, they are trying to recover what they can (local computer service) BUT it is definately NOT $1500 plus. My question, is - would it be possible IF I just hold onto the drive, and maybe, just maybe something else might come along, or less expensive that might be able to do the trick??? Or will the drive somehow go "bad" sitting around doing nothing?

Rappy

 

[RebateMonger]

There are two different kinds of drive failues:
a) Hardware failure
b) Logical failure

A Hardware failure includes drive motor failure, drive circuitry failure, and head failure. The CHEAPEST possible repair would be the replacement of a failed drive circuit board. But these boards typically need to be replaced by IDENTICAL boards, which not everybody is going to have. Large data restoration companies have them in stock.

The cost for hardware repair goes up from there. Head failure involves taking a drive apart in a cleanroom and requires considerable precise work. It's not cheap, and won't get any cheaper in the future.

Logical failure is caused by trashed directories, accidental formatting, etc. It can be done with software if the drive is still spinning, the drive control circuitry is working, and the head is responding and undamaged.This is the kind of data recovery that a local repair shop MIGHT be able to do successfully and cheaply. But I wouldn't count on it if the data was truly important.

If a drive is not being detected by the BIOS, like the Original Poster's, it's NOT a logical failure. Something is wrong with the hardware.

 

[kobymu]

(I tried switching cables, ports, computers, etc.)

Hmm, do you mean you tried diffrent external ports or internal ports? the problem may be with of the housing components although 'frightening noises' are usually a bad sign.