How a data recovery works
Four clearly separated steps: you first learn what is possible and what it costs – and decide afterwards.
Mon–Fri 8 am–6 pm · emergencies and pick-up by arrangement
The four steps
From your first message to the return of the medium.
Contact and first assessment
You describe what happened. We tell you immediately whether the device has to stay switched off and which causes are likely. This costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
Handover and analysis
The medium reaches us by post, in person or by collection. We examine it and, as far as possible, read it out write-protected. No work is done on the original.
Quote with file list
You receive a binding fixed price and an overview of the data found. If you decline, no costs arise beyond the return shipment.
Return and deletion
The recovered data comes back on a storage medium. After your release we verifiably delete image and working copy.
Why an image is made first
A damaged medium tolerates only a limited number of accesses. It is therefore read exactly once, sector by sector, into a complete image. Every further step happens on that copy.
This has two advantages. The original stays unchanged, so if one reconstruction approach fails another can be tried on the same basis. And the medium is not additionally stressed by hours of scanning.
The image is not created in one pass either. Well-readable areas are secured first, difficult ones last and with adjusted read intensity. Most of the data is therefore already safe before the critical zones are touched at all – and if the drive dies in the meantime, the essential part is already out.
What you should know beforehand
Three points that decide more about the outcome than anything we do afterwards.
Switch it off
A medium that makes unusual noises must be switched off and stay off. A device that is not running does not deteriorate; the next start-up attempt might.
Write nothing
No recovery software, no repair tools, no reinstallation. Each of them writes to the very area your files still occupy.
Say what already happened
Previous attempts are not a problem, but we need to know about them. It saves repeating a step that has already failed.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay in advance?
No. The analysis is free and a price only arises once you have accepted a specific quote. Companies and public bodies are invoiced after completion.
How does my medium reach you?
Three ways: insured post, in person by arrangement, or we collect it within our region. When a business is at a standstill, collection is usually the fastest route.
Do I get a list of the recovered files?
Yes. The quote comes with an overview of the folders and files found, so you can see before deciding whether what matters is there.
What medium do the data come back on?
On a medium we supply, or on one you send us. For larger volumes we agree the approach beforehand.
What happens to my data afterwards?
The working copy is kept for an agreed period so you can check completeness. After that, all copies are deleted.
Lost data? Every further start-up attempt can do harm.
Call us or describe the case briefly in the form. The initial assessment is free of charge.