Frequently asked questions

Most recoveries are completed and returned within 2 to 5 business days. The exact time depends on the cause of the damage, how much data is involved and the type of device. No two cases are the same. Some finish within an hour and some need a week or more.

If you need the data urgently, ask for our emergency service. In emergency cases data can often be recovered within a few hours or one business day, depending on the fault and the volume of data. Call (951) 595-8065 and we will tell you what is realistic for your case.

We cannot give an exact price before examining the device, because the price depends on the time and work the case needs. Some faults are resolved in minutes. Others need donor parts, clean room work and days of imaging.

The evaluation is free, and you receive a firm quote before any paid work starts. There are no hidden costs. If we cannot recover your data, there is no charge.

We offer discounts to:

• Educational institutions, teachers and students
• Computer repair shops
• IT staff
• Non-profit organizations
• Medical institutions and hospitals
• The military

If you belong to one of these groups, please ask.

Data recovery is like car repair. A mechanic cannot name a price before knowing which parts are needed and how long the job will take. A flat fee means simple cases are overcharged to cover the difficult ones, or the difficult ones are not attempted properly. We prefer to diagnose first and quote for the work your case actually needs.

We do everything in our power to recover your data, and our success rate is above 95%. No lab can honestly promise 100% on every case, even with the best engineers and equipment. Some damage is too severe. What we can promise is a straight answer after the evaluation about what is recoverable.

Stop using the device immediately. Continued use is the main cause of further loss.

Do not install or run recovery software downloaded from the internet on the affected drive, do not let the computer run repair tools, and do not open the drive or put it in a freezer. Each of these has turned recoverable cases into unrecoverable ones.

Power the device down and bring or send it to us. The less that has been tried, the better the result.

Only if the drive is physically healthy, the files were simply deleted, and you install and run the software from a different drive. Never install it on the drive you are recovering from.

Do not use software on a drive that clicks, is very slow, disconnects, or is not detected properly. Scanning a failing drive for hours is one of the most common ways data is lost for good.

Sometimes. When you delete files or format an SSD, the system sends a TRIM command and the drive erases those blocks in the background, often within minutes. Once that has happened the data is gone.

Recovery is possible when TRIM was not active, for example on some external enclosures and RAID setups, or when the computer was shut down quickly enough. Power off at once and we will tell you after evaluation whether anything remains. See SSD recovery.

Yes, provided you can give us the recovery key or password. We repair and image the drive, then unlock the copy with your key. Nobody can break the encryption without it.

A BitLocker recovery key is normally stored in your Microsoft account, or with your IT department for a work computer. A FileVault recovery key was shown when FileVault was turned on and may be stored with your Apple Account.

Yes. On these Macs the storage is encrypted and tied to the logic board, so the board itself has to be repaired far enough to unlock its own data. Send the whole Mac, and do not have the logic board replaced first. See Mac recovery.

Usually just the drives, all of them, each labeled with its bay number. Include any that have failed. For a few systems we need the enclosure as well, and we will tell you when you open the case. See NAS recovery.

Often the data can be recovered without affecting the warranty. Some physical recoveries do require opening the drive. If your warranty matters to you, tell us before work starts.

When a drive has to be opened, we can provide written confirmation that it was opened by a professional recovery lab. Manufacturers often honor the warranty on that basis. A warranty covers the drive and never the data on it.

There are three ways:

• Bring it to our lab in Temecula or our London office.
• Send it by mail or courier. Shipping to us is free. Wrap the drive in an anti-static bag, surround it with at least two inches of padding and use a rigid box.
• In an emergency we may be able to arrange collection.

Call (951) 595-8065 or see contact and shipping for the best option.

No. You can send the whole computer and we will remove the drive. For laptops, Macs and any device with soldered storage, sending the whole machine is the better choice. Removing a drive yourself risks further damage if you are not used to doing it.

It depends on the amount of data and what suits you:

• On a new external drive, which you can buy from us.
• On an external drive that you supply.
• By encrypted download, for smaller amounts of data.

Shipments are released only to the owner of the data, who signs for them.

Yes. Recovery does not have to mean everything on the drive. Bear in mind that the whole device may still have to be repaired and imaged to reach that one file, so the cost can seem high for a single item. If the file can be re-created in a few hours, that may be the better option, and we will say so.

Privacy is a top concern. Your data is handled only by experienced engineers bound by our confidentiality terms and non-disclosure agreements. We never pass any part of your data to a third party, and recovered data is returned only to you.

We delete our working copies as soon as you tell us to. See our privacy statement.