Data Recovery

Lost data is undeniably the most critical event, parallel only to losing your own memory: pictures, keepsakes and personal communications can be lost forever - or sometimes not. Data recovery is the process of retrieving lost, deleted, corrupted or inaccessible data from a storage device, by restoring from a backup or using specialized tools to reconstruct files that have not yet been overwritten. Be warned: the best data recovery will always be from a well-planned and executed backup, again and again.

When Data Recovery Is Needed

In all my years of fixing the computers that come through my workshop I am stinned at how long it has taken man to understand that whilst a computer has fans built in it is not a vacuum cleaner but we place it on the floor… Dust heat and coodies all destroy your precious data and nobody does a single backup … WHY? Accidental deletion, a failing hard drive or SSD, a system crash, malware or ransomware, or physical damage from a drop or spilled coffee. Formatting a drive can also wipe the file system structures that point to your files. The sooner you call, the better the chances: every minute of use can overwrite what we are trying to save.

How Data Recovery Works

For simpler cases, files are restored from an existing backup. Otherwise, Specialised software software scans the drive for remnants of deleted files and damaged file system structures. Where that fails, file carving searches for unique file signatures to rebuild files, and for physically damaged devices data can be read directly from the flash memory chips. With today's SSDs this is a dark art, but I do it for the successes I have won for my clients. be aware we can always try our best but never promise success

Why Backup Is Crucial

While you are not looking at the poor PC sitting on the floor next to the beloved Pet it is inhaling piles of Dust and Dander A backup is your safeguard against accidental deletion, crashes, hardware failure and ransomware - letting you recover without paying the attackers. For a business it means getting back to work fast, keeping customer trust and meeting legal requirements. A backup system costs far less than one serious data loss. Ask me to set one up for you.

Hard Drives & SSDs

Failing and clicking hard drives, dead SSDs, formatted memory cards and USB sticks. Each case is different, and I will always tell you honestly what the chances are before any work starts. If a drive is making strange noises, switch it off straight away - every minute it runs can make recovery harder.

Business Backup & Recovery

For small businesses I set up automatic backups to an external drive, a NAS or the cloud, and test that they can actually be restored. If the worst happens - ransomware, a dead server or a deleted folder - you get your files back quickly, without paying anyone a ransom.

What To Do Right Now

Stop using the computer or device, don't install recovery software onto the same drive, and don't let anyone reformat it. Then call me on 508-398-4358. The less the drive is used after the loss, the better your chances of getting everything back.