Hard Drive Data Recovery - Datatrack Labs

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  • LucianH
    LucianH Posts: 445 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Photogenic
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    Just a further thought related to the freezer. When I did it (sucessfully) I took the HDD out of the freezer and connected to a desktop. Now, it is recognised that the risk is condensation. And condensation happens when something cold hits warm, damp air. So, if you got a laptop, why not put the HDD in the freezer with the cables connected and attempt to operate the HDD with the laptop WHILE the HDD is in the freezer (after it's got cold of course!)

    Discuss...
    Never let it get you down... unless it really is as bad as it seems.
  • S0litaire
    S0litaire Posts: 3,535 Forumite
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    the freezer trick worked for me many times!
    But that was with a certain batch of WB drives 10 years ago.

    The batch shipped with a faulty controller chip that overheated so the drive needed to be close to zero as possible to let the drive operate long enough to recover data...
    Laters

    Sol

    "Have you found the secrets of the universe? Asked Zebade "I'm sure I left them here somewhere"
  • Miss_sparkle_2
    Miss_sparkle_2 Posts: 4 Newbie
    edited 3 May 2012 at 9:05AM
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    Hi everyone... My first post so please be nice!

    My external hard drive failed on me today and the Know How team at PC World had a bit of a play around with it and told me it the data needs to be recovered in lab conditions... Their charge min £700 regardless if data is recovered and no mention of running a diagnostic first...

    Spoke to a few IT repair people and they agreed it needs to be recovered in a lab as the ticking noise suggests it needs to be fully dismantled. I've looked online at these data recovery companies and I'm very scared to send my hard drive off to any of them...

    I usually have everything saved on my computer and on this hard drive but due to issues with my computer last week everything is only on this hard drive so it's typical it would fail now!

    I first of all spoke to Fields Data Recovery and the rep sounded very knowledgeable and I was all ready to send it to them... Then noticed a video on google followed by A LOT of reports of scams... So I then found Datatrack Labs, my thoughts were that it sounded too good to be true but like you mentioned before the costs could soon mount up.

    Tomorrow I'm calling Retrodata (thank you to you guys that mentioned them as I didn't find them on my search) and I have also found another called Xytron that have photos on their site and Facebook of their lab and it looks good.

    Please let me know if you have sent your hard drive anywhere yet and how you got on as I'm really anxious about sending mine off... Just like you I have so many photos that simply cannot be replaced due to sentimental value and also all my iTunes Library.

    Thank you to everyone who has posted... Everything I've read so far has been very helpful :)
  • glob_al
    glob_al Posts: 5 Forumite
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    I have used the freezer trick once for a collegue (who now uses incremental backups!) trick is to wrap the drive in kitchen roll and put it in sandwich bags and seal it, leave it either on ice or in the freezer while you work (done it using a USB converter on a 500GB drive, took a little while to transfer but thats the benefit of sealing the drive!!)
  • LucianH
    LucianH Posts: 445 Forumite
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    glob_al wrote: »
    trick is to wrap the drive in kitchen roll and put it in sandwich bags and seal it, leave it either on ice or in the freezer while you work
    The hard drive should definitely be enclosed in a plastic bag to seal it as best you can. If you've got some small packs of desiccants lying around then pop them in the bag (but dry them out first - in a warm (60 degree ish) oven for about an hour I'd say but others may be able to advise better).
    Never let it get you down... unless it really is as bad as it seems.
  • glob_al
    glob_al Posts: 5 Forumite
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    Never thought about desiccants before (drying crystals right?) good shout, thats getting added to the technique lol
  • Steve_Andrea
    Steve_Andrea Posts: 85 Forumite
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    Miss_sparkle wrote: »
    Please let me know if you have sent your hard drive anywhere yet and how you got on as I'm really anxious about sending mine off... Just like you I have so many photos that simply cannot be replaced due to sentimental value and also all my iTunes Library.

    Thank you to everyone who has posted... Everything I've read so far has been very helpful :)

    Hey Miss Sparkle,

    Sorry to hear about your data loss.... Im in exactly the same position...

    Im going to send me drive off and will let you know how I get on...

    Unless the data is MEGA urgent, dont rush into anything.... if you can wait until mine has gone and (hopefully) come back then at least you will know what your getting yourself into.........
  • GeorgeSElder1967
    GeorgeSElder1967 Posts: 2 Newbie
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    Hi

    This is my first post and I understand that this will invalidate my opinion for some people but I felt that after having read someone stating 'don't touch Datatrack Labs Ltd with a barge pole' that I should share my own experiences with the company.

    I had a 1TB hard drive that was knocked from a table by a nephew and it basically died a death - I had lots and lots of material on it and ironically it was only in the living room as I was preparing to back it up. I had decided that I'd deal with the loss and move on but as I thought about what was lost I started getting that sinking feeling. So, I decided to shop around and the research that I did led me to Datatrack Labs Ltd.

    I spoke to them and found that they were very helpful and open about what they would do and what the cost could entail. I sent off my hard drive and within a short time they sent me a report on what was wrong with it and what needed to be repaired. They also sent me a list of the files that they had been able to recover and when the data was returned to me it was all there as promised.

    To be honest the HD was damaged badly - the platter, the Head Disk and some files had been corrupted so it wasn't a cheap job, but by the same token it was also a very reasonable price for the amount of data that was going to be recovered.

    Apart from the technical side of things I would, without going into too many details, recommend them simply because Michael Owens, the man I dealt with, is one of the nicest, most reasonable and honest people I have ever dealt with.

    I understand that people have different experiences with a company but from my perspective and experience Datatrack Labs Ltd were amazing at what they did and incredibly nice people to deal with and I would have absolutely no compunction about recommending them to anyone that has data that has been lost. The service is honest and every step is discussed with you as it happens and you will, whenever possible, get your data back.

    Cheers

    George
  • trust99
    trust99 Posts: 9 Forumite
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    Friend of mine just had a quote from Data Track labs under my observation. Apparently data can be recovered for approx £250 with additional cost for USB HDD. If you want to wait 14-21 days for your HDD. (500GB hdd btw)

    There is a more rapid service of 5-7 days @ an additional £450!+ quote

    Or if urgent emergency turnround of 24-72 hrs @ an additional £ 750+quote making it nearly a thousand pounds.

    Be interesting to see if retrodata charge a similar price.

    BTW am not knocking Data track labs, am just sharing experience especially if you look online at some of the other firms and scammers
  • thunder1
    thunder1 Posts: 6 Forumite
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    Steve_Andrea wrote: »
    Hi,

    My 1TB external hard drive recently decided to stop pack up after 18months.

    The drive's hardly been used and has over 700gb of free space.

    Problem is, the drive has every single baby photo we have ever taken of our soon to be 2yr old son...

    Its really distressing as the photos are irreplaceable.

    I've tried everything I can think of but the drive is dead. Windows and Bios do not recognise it and its making a horrible clicking noise.

    So I've looked online for "Data recovery" specialists and have had a number of quotes ranging from £175+ VAT to £1200 :eek:
    One of the firms who have quoted is Datatrack Labs

    They have sent me 2 emails, one of which is stalling that they are doing a deal for £175+ vat, plus free collection by courier until the 15/05/12

    It also says that the maximum recovery fee of £249.99+ vat will be fixed until the 15/05/12....

    They want £75 for a replacement 500gb pocket sized hard drive or I can supply my own!!

    All sounds pretty reasonable.

    But is this deal too good to be true?

    Thanks in advance

    Sorry about your drive.

    All i can recommended is that cd (hiren boot cd) it has a bunch of tools on it, not only for recovery. if you could do it with it or some other software that was presented above than you are lucky if not sending it to some company it won't do much good since majority of them are doing the same thing. What would help is to have another identical drive and switch the electronics from the good to the bad one (sometimes is electronics that are broken and make it sound like a mechanical problem). Good luck.
    :beer:
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