Hard Drive Data Recovery - Success stories.

Hi,

I have a hard drive that has started making clicking noises. I pulled it from the machine after it failed to boot and managed to extract some of the data before it started clicking. My guess is that it is simply overheating but the contents are pictures that (as is the way) haven't been backed up.

I've was about to rapid-data.net but after reading this:Hexus forum link: 160842-anyone-used-rapid-data-recovery-rapid-data-net.html?highlight=data+recovery
(sorry not posted enough to give you a full url)
And the guy on the phone quoting a lower top price of £150 (first guy said £200) I'm not convice.
That and I'd just like google street view to show a shop front.


So my question is are there any success stories out there? Would be great to know what happend to the drive, how much was recovered and of course by whom.

TIA
Martin

I had a Hard disk break (caused by myself) where the electronics board was broken. This made it
click when powered up which makes me think it could be the same. If it were clunking then it
would indicate a mechanical fault.

Rather than spend load of money see if you can find a working equivalent model and try the
board off that. Its very easy to swap over although you may need a funky screwdriver.

if you cant get hold of the exact same one a very similar one may work. Mine was a 20 GB HDD
and I used a 40 GB board from a HDD in the same series.

You could try the classifieds here or ebay of course and micromart has a free classified section
in its magazine where you could ask for the model you are looking for.

pop it in the fridge in a bag to bring the temp down and try again.

Bear in mind that if you have a head crash continuing to run the disk in an attempt to recover data may in fact make recovery less likely by causing physical damage to the media, and clicking could certainly be a symptom of this. If the pictures are very valuable it may be best to just suck it up and look for a recovery company with a clean room (which you're probably slightly less likely to find in areas with Google Street View...).

Great tip for drives in this location is to recover what you can from it using a linux live CD. Linux is better at reading Windows file systems than Windows is, or at least it's much easier on the drive. Saved many a person's hide using this trick. Also very popular for rescuing data from the many-a-failin' Maxtor drives that won't even show up in Windows.

Yeah, Linux is my usual recovery mechanism. For some reason this time I decided to wire it up directly to my Mac to recover the data. I got some of the immediately important data but the Photos were to much random access for the mechanism. Should have gone with the linux dd.

Clean rooms FTW. Disk is with OnTrack just now. Will let you know how I get on... and how much it set me back. :)

Any news?

Just to follow up. OnTrack were unable to recover the data even though their report said 'minor platter damage'. It just so happened the damage was on track 0 so the drive head wouldn't calibrate.

I also sent it to someone else that in the end didn't charge me but said the disk is unrecoverable and anyone that says they can get the data back is just trying to take your money.

I then researched the recovery options in more depth.. I felt there had to be something that could be done as if the drive was mostly ok then the data should be to. Spoke with a few researchers in the field and eventually found that I needed a company with a Spin Stand. Basically a hard drive test platform where you put the platter in and can read every bit of the drive and piece it back together later.

At the time I sent the drive to OnTrack there wasn't anyone in the UK doing this. Now Data Clinic (http://www.dataclinic.co.uk/) do and use it as part of their Advanced Data Recovery service.

So 4 months later and a lighter pocket later I have the majority of my data, ~15GB of recovered material. Not sure what percentage that is but it was over 7,000 photos & Video so I'm happy. If you really want the data back then pay for the recovery. As others have found in another thread. Offers of 'Free' inspection only lead to pain.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ritchiem

So 4 months later and a lighter pocket later I have the majority of my data, ~15GB of recovered material.

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Out of curiosity, just incase I ever need their services, how much lighter?

Very surprised that www.OnTrack.com couldn't help you - they have an excellent reputation as the best in the industry, cost being the only downside.
... or did they just say it would just be too much money?

How much was dataclinic's recovery in the end?

Thank you for the follow up. There have been a number of threads concerning 'dodgy' data revery services, so it is good to hear of a reputable company that delivered the goods. And I'd be interested to know the final cost - I know it isn't cheap, but if the data is irreplaceable...

And I'm sure you now have a back-up regime in place! :)