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View Full Version : Recommended Data Retrieval Companies

ObGfrHess
01-14-2006, 01:52 AM
I installed a 20G IBM Deskstar harddrive in my wife's computer. It started making unusual sounds at startup, and would lock up occassionally. Scandisk reported no errors or problems. I checked this forum, and the noise sounded like the description of a drive head alignment. Well it has finally failed. When the machine boots, it hangs on the ide scan (after CPU and memory scan).

When I enter the BIOS, the harddrive is never in the IDE list. I tried placing the drive in an external enclosure, but it is never recognized. It constantly makes sounds as if it is trying to find the MBR. The sounds eventually stop, but then start up again.

I was able to boot into UBCD and run the Hitachi drive test program, but it sits at the IDE search, and the harddrive makes the cycle of sounds as if it is searching for something.

I cannot just scrap the drive because it has a lot of digital photos that are not backed up yet.

I am looking for any recommendations. I have yet to try the freezer test because I don't have an ESD bag yet, and I am not so certain the problem is physical. I figure my only option is to try a file recovery company since i cannot get any motherboard to recognize the drive to try any recovery utilities. Can anyone recommend a data retrieval company?

I have found quite a few through Google, but I have no sense for who I can trust.

Thanks.
MrJohnson
01-14-2006, 03:31 AM
Prepair to use a lot of money to get your data back. You need to start considering what thoes pictures are worth.

http://www.drivesavers.com/ is a pretty good company.

When my dad's hard drive crashed we had to get the data off. The repair cost us $1200. Though we used a different company, I don't remember which.
Jasonx82
01-14-2006, 03:50 AM
ygpm
perplex
01-14-2006, 09:45 AM
US $1200? That's nothing. I would of thought atleast US $5K+ would be more like it.
hokatichenci
01-14-2006, 01:25 PM
Prepair to use a lot of money to get your data back. You need to start considering what thoes pictures are worth.

http://www.drivesavers.com/ is a pretty good company.

When my dad's hard drive crashed we had to get the data off. The repair cost us $1200. Though we used a different company, I don't remember which.

qft

Drivesavers is an excellent company to deal with. The High School I went to had a senior prank that involved torching the tech buildings (yes I know stupid). Drivesavers was able to rescue 100% of the data from the scorched systems. They donated their time since they were local but nonetheless they are top notch.