Servo mechanisms identify the parameters and structure of the hard drive. We use high-power microscopes, special dies and sophisticated equipment to look at and test the servos to determine whether they have been damaged or overwritten. Data shifting and servo overwrites usually prevent complete recovery. Files are truncated, structures are lost and require extensive rebuilding in order to recover any good data at all. In these cases we do our best to at least recover your most critical files.

When testing is complete, faulty parts are replaced and the correct firmware is loaded, an engineer will test the drive to see if it is running properly and reading the file structure. If it does, all the data is pulled from the drive to healthy drive or server in the form of an image or sector-by-sector clone so your data can be recovered and safely verified without the risk of your drive going down again.

Cloning

If your hard drive is not suffering from severe mechanical or electrical failure it will be cloned, and bit-by-bit, sector-by-sector the image is created. Once we have an image of your hard drive, we can work with the data to make sure it is readable, there is no corruption and the critical files and folders you need are intact. Then your recovered data the next step is data verification.

Imaging a Hard Drive

Imaging a hard drive can take from 2 to 16 hours or more, depending on the size of the hard drive and the integrity of the data storage area (platters).

Data Verification

As your recovered data is verified, the technician will create a directory of some of your critical files and contact you. You can then, make sure that the files you need are there. If there are some files that you would like us to test, we'll be more than happy to do so.

Recovering Data and Returning it To You

When we receive your authorization to proceed along with your method of payment, a technician begins putting your recovered data on CDs or an external USB hard drive.  If your authorization is received before 12:00 pm Eastern time, your data will normally ship the same day.  Recovered data is shipped via UPS unless you specify otherwise or you can arrange pickup at our facility.