Question Data recovery from dead external hard drive costs

[WolfandTheJoker]

SO I am trying to shop around to see who can give me a better deal on a data recovery from a dead external hard drive. To confirm it is very dead and old, so old that terabit wasn't even a word. Geek squad quoted me for $500 andone know of a service that can do it cheaper?

 

[rocktalkrock]

Is it a Samsung or Western Digital drive? As far as i know these companies offer a data recovery service for their drives. Try contacting the manufacturers technical support via email and ask what it will cost.

 

[WolfandTheJoker]

Is it a Samsung or Western Digital drive? As far as i know these companies offer a data recovery service for their drives. Try contacting the manufacturers technical support via email and ask what it will cost.

It is Seagate

 

[fzabkar]

Try HDD Guru. Tell them it's a stiction fault (according to your other thread).

 

[RolandJS]

RecoveryForce and DataMedics data recovery entities, having also free forums, are two more places to check into.

 

[USAFRet]

SO I am trying to shop around to see who can give me a better deal on a data recovery from a dead external hard drive. To confirm it is very dead and old, so old that terabit wasn't even a word. Geek squad quoted me for $500 andone know of a service that can do it cheaper?

Do you want it right or do you want it cheap?

Is there any life changing data on this old drive?

 

[DSzymborski]

I'd be suspicious of the quality of a full service that charged only $500.

Plus, I'd be suspicious of GeekSquad anyway.

Unfortunately, the low cost way to recover data -- keeping a proper backup -- is no longer available. You're going to have to choose whether the data or the money are more important for you.

 

[WolfandTheJoker]

Do you want it right or do you want it cheap?

Is there any life changing data on this old drive?

Not life threatening but I am also not willing to throw 1K at it either.

 

[USAFRet]

Not life threatening but I am also not willing to throw 1K at it either.

Exactly.
If there is nothing absolutely critical, let it go.

A "cheap" recovery service you pay for uses the same software you can obtain for free.
Does it spin up?
Is it recognized in whatever version of Windows you're using?

If so, Autopsy.
If not, fridge magnet donor.

 

[fzabkar]

This company has been around a long time and should be able to handle stiction faults:

https://www.300dollardatarecovery.com/

A logical recovery, OTOH, should be a DIY opportunity. I recommend DMDE (US$20) in such cases.

 

[WolfandTheJoker]

Exactly.
If there is nothing absolutely critical, let it go.

A "cheap" recovery service you pay for uses the same software you can obtain for free.
Does it spin up?
Is it recognized in whatever version of Windows you're using?

If so, Autopsy.
If not, fridge magnet donor.

Can't be recognized so I guess very dead.

 

[WolfandTheJoker]

Exactly.
If there is nothing absolutely critical, let it go.

A "cheap" recovery service you pay for uses the same software you can obtain for free.
Does it spin up?
Is it recognized in whatever version of Windows you're using?

If so, Autopsy.
If not, fridge magnet donor.

It make repeating buzzing noise like it is trying to spin up.

 

[USAFRet]

It make repeating buzzing noise like it is trying to spin up.

Maybe a stuck spindle.
With it powered OFF, give it a light tap or two.

 

[86zx]

Maybe a stuck spindle.
With it powered OFF, give it a light tap or two.

I agree with this, beyond that the cheapest method would be finding another drive like it and swapping platters but that requires some precision and keeping a very very clean area, even though most wouldn’t recommend this method it is possible to do but you really need to know what your doing and expect that there is a very high chance of failure

 

[popatim]

I personally wouldn't let Geeksquad blow up a balloon for me; Much less recover data from a Haddrive.
$100 says they were just going to send it out to $300DataRecovery anyways. LoL

 

[USAFRet]

Closing this 2 year old thread.