:: Frequently Asked Data Recovery Questions ::

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How much will the data recovery process cost?

Due to the fact that each data recovery case is unique in nature, there is no 'flat rate' pricing structure that we can provide. This is because the amount of work, time, and effort that goes into each recovery is different for each system that come into our labs.

For single hard drive systems on desktop or laptop computers, recoveries can range anywhere from $500-$2500. For servers, raid arrays, tapes, and other multi-disk storage systems, these prices do not apply.

Generally, with 25 years of experience under our belt, coupled with the most advanced facilities in the industry, our engineers can often recover data in as little as 24 hours from the time of receiving your media. Standard turnaround time for a project will generally range from 24 and 72 hours.

At Nortek we want you to feel 100% secure in your data recovery decision. Data recovery can be an emotionally distressing event for both individuals and organizations. We try to take as much of the uncertainty out of the equation as possible. At Nortek you will know EXACTLY what is wrong with your media prior to making any financial commitment. Our engineers will look at your damaged media to determine precisely what is wrong with your device. This way, you will be in a position to make a fully informed decision about going ahead with the data recovery procedure. You will know exactly what you are paying for.

Hard disk drives store data store data on metal oxide platters spinning as fast as 15,000 revolutions a minute while an actuator arm reads and writes magnetic charges one millionth of an inch above the surface. Even though any contact can and does destroy data, a great deal of information can still be harvested from physically damaged media. Because the manufacturers of storage media like hard drives are constantly striving to compress more data on to smaller surfaces, a data recovery specialist must have a 'clean room' to avoid dust or dirt causing more damage to the delicate magnetic media.

There are many tools being sold online to help recover missing or deleted files from your failed machine. We highly recommend that you do not use these programs unless you know exactly what is wrong with your device and have the technical know how to use the program in question. Otherwise, you risk making a once recoverable hard drive unrecoverable. In particular, avoid running programs such as scan disk. Your best option at this point is to send in your media for a comprehensive free evaluation. This way you will be taking the guessing game out of the equation. Once you know exactly what is wrong with your media, then make a decision on what the best course of action should be for you. For a more detailed explanation please call one of our client care specialists. They will happily assist you with any questions that you may have.

What should I do right now and what should I NOT do? Stop using the hard drive or storage device that requires recovery. If your drive is making unusual noises or showing other obvious signs of distress, shut it down immediately and do not power it up again. Before you forget them, write down all symptoms of the failure and all recent actions and events involving your computer. Contact our technicians for additional advice (which will depend on the type of media involved). Contact us free of charge on our toll-free number.

Do not perform any operation on the storage device that will further damage the physical device or the data on it. In particular, do not write to any of the files on the device or add additional files. Do not format the drive. Do not modify the partitions on the drive (using FDISK or any other partitioning software).

Above all, do not try to open the device to see what is wrong. Hard drives are particularly sensitive to contamination and should only be opened in a microscopically clean environment. If you have a backup, evaluate how current it is and if it will fulfill your needs. Consider restoring your backup to a different system in case you find that critical files are missing or outdated.

Avoid using do-it-yourself recovery software. These utilities can overwrite data on the drive and modify the control structures. If these operations are performed incorrectly, you risk complete loss of the data. You must balance the cost of total loss against your knowledge and experience before using such tools.

If you seek help from a trusted local authority, please remember that professional data recovery is a skill learned from practice and may require highly specialized tools.

While data recovery can seem expensive because it is labor intensive, recreating your data may be equally as expensive. Also, the turnaround time for data recovery is usually much faster than the time it would take to recreate your lost files from scratch.