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Data recovery options through Tech Shop or DriveSavers when a hard drive is failing or has already failed.
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If you suspect that your hard drive is failing or has failed, the best thing to do is to stop using the machine, and bring it to a data recovery center. Once a drive starts to fail, attempts at recovery from untrained persons usually result in more damage to the drive and/or data.
Symptoms of a failing hard drive include:
- Erratic machine behavior
- Very slow machine
- Clicking noises (traditional spinning disk drive)
The Tech Shop offers basic data recovery in house and has a partnership with DriveSavers, who can do very detailed recovery for a cost.
When you take your computer in for recovery, plan to take along an external hard drive that is large enough to hold the recovered data. If you have questions about this, talk to the helpful folks at the Tech Shop in advance. Their phone number is 734.647.2537.
In cases where a drive is too damaged to attempt recovery, a free quote can be obtained from Drive Savers for what recovery would cost. This quote usually comes in a fairly wide range. If the general quote is approved, the drive is shipped to Drive Savers for a more in-depth evaluation, after which they would be able to provide a more exact quote. If declined, there is no charge from Drive Savers. If approved, Drive Savers would proceed with the recovery and when completed would provide the results. At that point, payment is arranged with Drive Savers. Departments can pay with a PO, or individuals can contact Drive Savers with the job number and pay with a credit card.
Following recovery, the drive and the recovered data are returned to the Tech Shop's Tech Repair team, who would continue with any needed repair involving the failed device.