In the previous article named “When Data Recovery Software Will Not Help” we were discussing situations when software can do nothing or very little. In this guide, we’re looking at ways to handle a situation of a physically failed hard drive containing important information.
Send It Out
Sending the disk to a data recovery lab is the easiest and most obvious solution. Unfortunately, it is not the most economical method. At the time of this writing, data recovery labs charge $500 to $1500 to extract information from a failed hard drive depending on the nature of the failure, the size and model of the hard drive and whether you are in a rush to get your data back.
It’s been said many times you’re better off making and keeping your backups. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and sometimes we must refer to other methods when a hard drive fails.
Look Around
Looking around can be the best way to get the most important files back. We rarely create unique content without sharing it. If your office computer failed, try asking colleagues and co-workers about your files. You might’ve emailed the files so they could still have copies, even if in the “Deleted Items” folders of their mailboxes (by the way, you can often recover deleted messages and attachments from email databases with products such as Mail Recovery). Look up on your local area network, check network shares and available locations that may have the files. Even old versions of your documents are better than nothing.
Another place to look for your files and documents would be the “Sent” and “Deleted Items” folders of your email client and your webmail service if you’re using one. Gmail, Hotmail and other webmail services keep everything you send or receive through their servers until you delete it. If you have ever shared your files, you have pretty good chances to find them there. Try looking for messages with attachments first, as those are the most likely candidates to hold your files.
If you use an iPad, iPhone or a similar Android-based tablet or smartphone, it may contain some of your data if you synced it to the PC.
If you routinely print your documents, fetching paper copies and scanning them back can be a viable solution.
Some information can be re-downloaded from the source you obtained it from. Software can be usually obtained from their manufacturers, although sometimes you maybe asked to upgrade to the latest version (but it never hurts to ask). License keys can be requested from the sellers. Digital content such as music and movies can often be re-downloaded at no charge.
Fix It
Sometimes it is possible to fix a failed disk at home. For example, failed controllers and main boards can be replaced easily if you have access to the right tools (a special shape screwdriver is required) and have another disk of exactly the same model with working electronics. Swapping controllers and reading data from salvaged disk can be much cheaper than sending the disk out. Organizations in particular are likely to have a bunch of disks of the same model.
Not every disk can be repaired. Mechanical problems and burned motors are nearly impossible to address at home. Clicking noises, unusual whining sounds etc. are signs of mechanical problems that can rarely be addressed without sending the disk out.
