Hard drive data recovery services are irregular at best, often due to the number of ways that data can be irretrievably lost. However, the most unpredictable factor in recovering lost data is not the state of the hard drive, but rather the skill of the technicians working on the drive, and the quality of the facility and tools they use. When a drive is beyond salvage, there is little anyone can do to save it, but when the drive is still failing, the slightest mistake could make data recovery impossible.
Most local computer repair shops that offer data recovery services offer what is known as a tier 1 support, meaning they connect the hard drive to another computer in the hopes that the drive still works. However, if the drive is in the process of failing physically, like when the read needles are scratching the disk’s surface, such a test only causes more damage to the drive and prevents possible data recovery. Yet, this is the first test performed by nearly every technical support facility that does not specialize in hard drive recovery.
Even companies that specialize in data recovery are not immune to the effects of nature and the elements, but only a few treat their clients hardware with the same care and respect that was used to create them in the first place. In fact, while there are industry standards for the minimum qualifications that any professional hard drive data recovery company should maintain, there are no laws to regulate these standards, only certifications for when a company is in compliance.
The most two most important standards are that the data recovery company has been approved by all storage manufactures to repair their products without voiding warranties, and that all data is treated in a safe and secure manner. The first demonstrates that the company has proven itself to each hard drive manufacturer and can quickly gain access to proprietary schematics for repair purposes. The second provides a sense of relief that the company is able and willing to treat the sensitive data of their customers with the same care they treat their own.
Additional standard include an ISO clean room, encryption and forensics certifications, and proof of network and process security. The clean room ensures that advanced hard drive data recovery does not fail due to static caused by dust and debris in the air. Since the most advanced techniques of hard drive data recovery involve spinning the disks without the protection of a case, airborne contaminants can become a direct source for failure and must be removed from the environment.
While hard drives will always have the possibility of failing, and corrupted data may be caused by a number of reasons, the quality of the company hired to recover lost data is the biggest variable in the chances for success. Hard drive recovery is a delicate procedure that can succeed on a drive that has survived a house fire, but can fail due to a little bit of dust, and only the most skilled technicians can mitigate the risks.