HDD Data Recovery Rd 2

[Zach929rr]

Here we go again.

Due to incompetent 3rd part setup of my company's data integrity measures, we have had a HDD, which contained mission critical data, fail with no backup.

Long story short, I need either an individual or recommendations to a company that can recover this data after a company in MO failed to do so.

[Kim-n-Dean]

Do you know what the company in MO tried? Does the drive spin up?

Depending on those two answers, I might be able to try a few tricks...

[Devaclis]

There is a company next door to Microcenter in DTC that does HD recovery. 2 full recoveries for me so far. Can't remember the name tho.

[Zach929rr]

Drive was on WinServ 2k3 running NTFS. The name of the company my VP tried was called MicroLogic, and they seemed more like a vendor/solutions group than a recovery operation despite my requests to him to find a place that deals specifically with HDD recovery. I haven't had the drive under power to see if it spins up, but signs are pointing to a possible read/write arm failure.

[Ricky]

Sucks!! It's been awhile, but the place I chose was a big name place that showed up on the top of a google search. It was pricey too. Something like $2800 for 8GB worth of data.

[vort3xr6]

Take it it a big name company right off the bat. Any fumbling around by somebody who doesn't know what they are doing can cause catastrophic failure.

http://www.sectorlogics.com/ has gotten great reviews, and works with some pretty high end clients.

[Kim-n-Dean]

Drive was on WinServ 2k3 running NTFS. The name of the company my VP tried was called MicroLogic, and they seemed more like a vendor/solutions group than a recovery operation despite my requests to him to find a place that deals specifically with HDD recovery. I haven't had the drive under power to see if it spins up, but signs are pointing to a possible read/write arm failure.If it's a mechanical failure, I have no parts to swap out. Do you have another identical drive for parts?

[TurboGizzmo]

I personally have recovered over 40 drives using various methods and write blockers. Only every had two "unsuccessful" recoveries in 10 years.

-One because the client declined to pay
-One because actual shattering of the platter

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BHTlmo7sDzE/TG1MtKKAM1I/AAAAAAAAAFA/6iAofb8C8Xo/s400/IMG_20100819_091039.jpg

[Spiderman]

I haven't used them personally (yet), but check out one of our club sponsors: EBOXLAB (http://www.cosportbikeclub.org/forums/showthread.php?p=483855#post483855)

[Tylar]

http://www.drivesaversdatarecovery.com/

We lost all of our kids photos, music, everything due to a backup not functioning when the HDD roasted. Dana recommended it and it turns out my company uses them as well. Complete package, and fast...but not exactly cheap, especially for a home user.

[Zach929rr]

Come to find out that the data was being stored on a stripped RAID 0 array with no mirrors behind it. Other live HDD was reconfigured into a RAID 1 array a few days after the incident. Not unrecoverable, just not needed now.

"Professionals" :banghead:

The upside was that I have come to find out all the data was not necessarily mission critical, it was more of a convenience item that nobody in the company was really using any way.

/falsealarm

[TurboGizzmo]

Come to find out that the data was being stored on a stripped RAID 0 array with no mirrors behind it. Other live HDD was reconfigured into a RAID 1 array a few days after the incident. Not unrecoverable, just not needed now.

"Professionals" :banghead:

The upside was that I have come to find out all the data was not necessarily mission critical, it was more of a convenience item that nobody in the company was really using any way.

/falsealarm

mmMMmmmm recovering RAID arrays is a fun time!

[Zach929rr]

Also, thanks to Tyrel (tjolt) for coming by and chatting about backup options for the future.

[Ricky]

http://www.drivesaversdatarecovery.com/

We lost all of our kids photos, music, everything due to a backup not functioning when the HDD roasted. Dana recommended it and it turns out my company uses them as well. Complete package, and fast...but not exactly cheap, especially for a home user.

That's the place I've used before. Great place.

[Kim-n-Dean]

I personally have recovered over 40 drives using various methods and write blockers. Only every had two "unsuccessful" recoveries in 10 years.

-One because the client declined to pay
-One because actual shattering of the platter

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BHTlmo7sDzE/TG1MtKKAM1I/AAAAAAAAAFA/6iAofb8C8Xo/s400/IMG_20100819_091039.jpgHave you ever needed to recover your own drive? Yeah, me either. Backup, backup, backup and backup. In case you missed it, backup!!

Don't use just auto-backup without manually saving as well!

I manually backup across four different drives. One is an external that I keep in my safe. I also hit a CD back up once a week that Kim keeps at her work. I've had many drives fail over the decades, but have never needed to recover from the shit drive!

For some reason you just can't convince people to backup regularly, if at all. My whole life and business is on my machine...

[TurboGizzmo]

Have you ever needed to recover your own drive? Yeah, me either. Backup, backup, backup and backup. In case you missed it, backup!!

Don't use just auto-backup without manually saving as well!

I manually backup across four different drives. One is an external that I keep in my safe. I also hit a CD back up once a week that Kim keeps at her work. I've had many drives fail over the decades, but have never needed to recover from the shit drive!

For some reason you just can't convince people to backup regularly, if at all. My whole life and business is on my machine...

Here is a picture of a few of my backup areas, some are for clients and some for data recovery some for cases and some for video editing.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/67131_137965802925951_137959759593222_190384_79891 _n.jpg
I also have a newer poweredge 2950 as well thats running 2 mirrored SAS drives and 4 700 something SATA drives in RAID 5.

It only takes once to loose major data and be up all hours of the night recovering to become paranoid.

[Zach929rr]

Backup indeed. This is one area of my company I hadn't had a chance to audit yet.