This is not really a question about tools. It is a question about what specifically went wrong. Once you find out, you’ll most likely figure out what to do next. Occasionally you may get some bad news.
Recovery software can rebuild file systems, recover deleted files, etc., but it can’t correct problems such as faulty head(s), circuit board, firmware, or a dead disk controller. Running this type of software on damaged equipment will cause additional damage.
This overrides every other problem. If you hear a click or tick, the head cannot read in the servo data. Scraping or grinding against the platters will continue to cause damage (cumulative) until they stop working completely. A beep normally indicates a seized motor or stiction. All of this is considered a mechanical failure which cannot be resolved through software, and using a recovery tool to attempt to do so will result in further loss of data that may have otherwise been recoverable.
On the other hand, a drive that does not make noise when spinning and yet is not detected is a completely different situation; this can often indicate either electronic or firmware failure. Although neither type of issue is considered to be a software related issue, it should be noted that it is generally less detrimental to turn off your computer than to continue to power up the failed component.
If your operating system recognises that your disk is installed and/or operational (even if it shows up as RAW or unallocated), then the hardware portion of your disk is functioning properly. Your problem lies with a logical error that is within the realm of software based recovery applications (i.e., deleting files, having a corrupted partition table, a damaged file system, or accidentally formatting your disk).
If you don’t see the drive at all (it never appears), then software won’t work since there’s simply nothing for the software to read from. This is a hardware issue with your board, firmware, or the bridge if you have an external drive; or a mechanical issue.
A user has deleted files, emptied the bin, quick-formatted the wrong volume, erased a partition, or the drive is asking to be formatted: all are logical errors that can easily be recovered via software, as long as the drive itself isn’t damaged. A user dropped it, spilled something on it, had a power spike, and it stopped working suddenly after making a loud noise, or it was working fine last week and is now gone: all are physical issues. None of these are a software error.
The awkward middle ground is the drive that has suffered from bad sectors. It can still be seen by software, however, in addition to being partially accessible, it is also beginning to fail. It will take hours for software to run a full read of this type of drive, and possibly finish it off. It belongs in a laboratory setting, although it appears at least somewhat logical.
People usually skip this step, yet it greatly alters their decision-making process. If the lost data would cause some inconvenience then running a free full scan of your data on a fully functioning hard drive is worth taking a chance. However if you have a collection of irreplaceable items (a company’s financial records, your dissertation, family photos, etc.) and there isn’t another copy available anywhere else, then the first recovery effort you run should be done using an image of the drive instead of the physical original.
This is fundamentally the differentiator. The lab takes an image of the drive read-only prior to doing any other work with the drive; therefore all additional attempts at repair or access are made on a copied version, and cannot make the issue any worse. All software repairs take place upon the original. This is acceptable until it is not. The cost of a single drive is from £300 +VAT (after a complimentary 48-hour diagnostic), and we will always advise you if software would have been sufficient.
The answer is based upon the type of problem encountered (logical vs. physical). A deleted file, corrupted partition, or accidentally formatted hard drive (that still functions) are problems software can address. The failure to detect, noise, physical damage, or spread of “bad” sectors from other areas of the hard drive are physical problems that software will exacerbate.
No, and doing so will only cause additional damage. The fact that your drive is clicking means that the heads cannot read the information stored on the drive. Performing a recovery scan does nothing but keep the drive spinning and continues to spread the damage. This is the one symptom that stands alone as a clear indicator of whether to shut down the drive immediately: power it off!
Generally yes. As long as your system detects your disk, the hardware is functioning correctly and the issue lies within the partition table or file system. Software recovery is designed specifically to resolve these issues. Do not accept any prompt to format or initialise your disk during any investigation.
Before doing anything else, image the drive as read only; therefore each successive action will be performed upon a “copy” (or clone) of the original. Not only does this prevent any potential damage, but a lab can also repair problems with heads, PCBs or firmware that prevented the drive from being readable in the first place; none of these issues can be fixed by using software tools alone.
The price to recover a single disk is from £300 + VAT. Each customer receives a written quotation for their individual problem(s) after a free 48-hour diagnostic, and in most cases you only pay if we recover your data. In addition to providing a written quotation for your specific issue, we will also inform you as to whether the solution was possible through use of scanning software (thus saving you money). This way, if you wish to perform the scan yourself, then you do so without paying for services that you may have easily accomplished on your own.