Hard disk & external HDD data recovery service

A reputable hard disk drive (HDD) and external hard drive data recovery service has to be your first port of call if you’ve lost crucial data from your computer.

Some minor data loss problems can be fixed by a layman, but restoring lost data from a hard drive is definitely a job for the experts.

So, think carefully before trying a quick fix like dismantling your computer and putting your hard drive in the freezer.

Hard drives are prone to data loss

Hard disk drives (HDD) provide non-volatile storage, which keeps data when a computer is switched off. They store computer data magnetically using rigid disks called platters that rotate rapidly. A magnetic head reads and writes data to the surface of the platter.

HDDs are currently grouped into 3 or 4 types:

• PATA – Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment
• SATA – Serial Advanced Technology Attachment
• SCSI – Small Computer System Interface

Hard drives store data through file systems. NTFS (New Technology File System) is now widely used. It’s developed by Microsoft for its Windows platform to replace the FAT (File Allocation Table) system, which can still be found in older versions of Windows.

A professional hard drive recovery centre will be equipped to handle both FAT32 data recovery and NTFS data recovery.

Additionally, hard disks can be combined to form a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) that uses virtualisation technology to boost the performance and reliability of data storage. RAIDs are commonly found in servers and NAS (network attached storage) appliances in a computer network.

External hard drives

External hard drives are portable or desktop storage devices that come in the form of hard disk drives and universal serial buses (USB). They generally hold large volumes of data and are used as extended or backup storage for computer files.

Similarly, a qualified professional will handle portable or external hard drive data recovery with ease.

Possible causes of hard disk failure

Because a hard disk drive consists of so many moving components, it’s the part of your computer most vulnerable to damage leading to data loss. Damage to a hard drive can be either physical or non-physical.

Physical issues include:

• Disk crashes
• Damaged logic cards
• Overheating
• Damaged platters
• Broken spindles
• Fire and water damage

Non-physical problems include:

• Virus attacks
• Accidental shutdown
• Overwriting of Master File Table (MFT)
• Re-partition of logical drives

How to spot a failing HDD

Typical signs of a hard drive deteriorating are:

• Frequent crashes, particularly when booting up.
• Frequent error messages.
• File names and folders becoming scrambled.
• Long waiting time to access data.
• You can hear the hard drive grinding (damaged bearings).

Important: Stop using your hard drive immediately if you suspect it’s damaged!

When you hear abnormal noises coming out of your hard disk, it’s likely it’s damaged. There’s a chance the read/write head of the drive has crashed thereby causing it to scratch the platter.

If you attempt to access your files in a faulty hard drive, damage on the platter – where data is stored – would worsen. This could result in permanent data loss.

Thus, shut down your PC or network server right away, and contact us to request a diagnosis

The HDD data recovery service of TOTL/Greenergy provides you the best chance of bringing your lost data back

The people most capable of retrieving data from a hard drive are data recovery experts. Attempting a DIY job is a recipe for disaster, so you need the help of the best hard drive data recovery company you can afford.

Myths abound about do-it-yourself hard drive data repairs, including popping your damaged hard drive into a freezer for a spell. If moisture has condensed on the surface of the disk, this “procedure” will destroy your hard drive and all the data on it.

Another error by amateurs is attempting partition data recovery by installing recovery software on the same partition as the lost data. This will overwrite your files.

The best chance of a successful restoration of data, including physical damage hard drive data recovery, comes immediately after the data loss, and the first attempt provides the best shot at recovery of all the data.

When you send your hard drive to our hard drive recovery centre, we’ll take the drive apart only in a cleanroom environment to prevent dust and other particles causing further damage to the electronics.

Further, as hard drives are finely-tuned pieces of equipment, our partner’s technicians will use specialised equipment to analyse the platters. They can also repair the device in order to perform an effective data rescue.

What our pro in-charge of hard disk drive and external hard drive data recovery service will do

The qualified technician at our partner computer hard drive data recovery centre will follow a process similar to the one described below when retrieving data from a hard disk drive:

• Analyse the hard disk to find out the extent of damage and determine how successfully data can be retrieved.
• Procure replacement components, if necessary.
• Make an image of the contents and copy them to a separate device.
• Check the quality of the recovered files.
• Send a sample of the recovered data to the customer for verification.
• On verification, the retrieved data is transferred to a device stipulated by the client, along with a backup.

TOTL, the authorised sales partner of Greenergy, is a major player in the Singaporean IT arena. We only collaborate with reputable service providers that share our business philosophy of providing expert IT services to individuals and small and medium enterprises (SME) at affordable prices.

Founded in 1997, Greenergy provides highly-effective, competitively-priced hard drive recovery services, using cutting-edge technologies from Russia and the US.

Over 85% of data recovery jobs carried out by Greenergy lead to restoration of data. In 90% of these cases, all lost data is completely recovered. Hence, Greenergy’s success rate is exceedingly high.

Once you hire Greenergy via TOTL, client liaison will be handled directly by Greenergy for a seamless customer experience.

Greenergy technicians keep up to speed with the latest hardware and software data recovery tools and techniques to give you the best possible chance of damaged hard drive data recovery.