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Hard Drive Data Recovery

Here are the 3 basic types of hard drive "crashes" and how to recover data in these scenarios.:

1) File structure is incorrect (usually caused by improper shutdown or disconnecting the drive while it is being written to. Usual fix involves running a scandisk or chkdsk. Scan can take a few hours at most depending on the settings.

2) Unreadable data caused by bits being de-magnetized. Can be resolved by running programs which "re-magnetize" the bits. This is common on laptops that get jarred or dropped mildly. Bad sectors that aren't physically damaged can be recovered. Software used: HDD Regenerator or SpinRite. Scans can take days.

3) Hardware failure. Sometimes the disk/platter gets scratched, the arm stops working (head crash), or the on-board chip gets fried. All of these repairs require a specialty recovery service. Anytime the hard drive needs to be opened, a clean room (dust-free room) is required. Time to recover data depends on the company. Turn around times is a
few weeks.