HDD GURU FORUMS :: View topic - Perhaps we have it wrong?

Over the past few years, I've seen numerous posts and engaged in conversations with clients who all seem to know more about data recovery than I do. Here is the "Right" way of doing data recovery.

1 - Never verify a backup and assume it is good before fixing windows errors and/or RAID issues
2 - Don't bother cloning a failing drive
3 - If the drive was bumped or dropped, always assume the PCB is the problem
4 - Don't waste time trying to figure out the source of the problem and assume that if you power the drive on enough times, it will instantly start to read again
5 - It never hurts to open the drive to see what you can do...especially if it is important data that you and/or your client really needs
6 - The freezer can fix almost every issue
7 - What the freezer can't fix, SpinRite and HDDRegen can
8 - After recovering data using the cheapest software you can find online, immediately copy the recovered files to the original drive that wasn't cloned before you verify the data with the client
9 - When a RAID array has failed, just swap out the bad drives and force a rebuild
10 - If you ever find yourself in a rut, post your question in a forum and expect a data recovery pro to give you a free magic solution
11 - Data recovery labs are always the last option, after everything else has been tried. Make sure the drive is completely toast before sending in for an assessment.

Author:	lcoughey [ November 21st, 2012, 9:42 ]
Post subject:	Perhaps we have it wrong?
Over the past few years, I've seen numerous posts and engaged in conversations with clients who all seem to know more about data recovery than I do. Here is the "Right" way of doing data recovery. 1 - Never verify a backup and assume it is good before fixing windows errors and/or RAID issues 2 - Don't bother cloning a failing drive 3 - If the drive was bumped or dropped, always assume the PCB is the problem 4 - Don't waste time trying to figure out the source of the problem and assume that if you power the drive on enough times, it will instantly start to read again 5 - It never hurts to open the drive to see what you can do...especially if it is important data that you and/or your client really needs 6 - The freezer can fix almost every issue 7 - What the freezer can't fix, SpinRite and HDDRegen can 8 - After recovering data using the cheapest software you can find online, immediately copy the recovered files to the original drive that wasn't cloned before you verify the data with the client 9 - When a RAID array has failed, just swap out the bad drives and force a rebuild 10 - If you ever find yourself in a rut, post your question in a forum and expect a data recovery pro to give you a free magic solution 11 - Data recovery labs are always the last option, after everything else has been tried. Make sure the drive is completely toast before sending in for an assessment.

Author:	freakzy [ November 21st, 2012, 10:23 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
lcoughey wrote: 11 - Data recovery labs are always the last option, after everything else has been tried. Make sure the drive is completely toast before sending in for an assessment. And I always think that I am the only one who (is very 'lucky') has customers doing things like this

Author:	pclab [ November 21st, 2012, 13:08 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
Bye Bye data is the 12

Author:	dobrevjetser [ November 21st, 2012, 16:30 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
Going to print this and put it in the lab

Author:	pcimage [ November 22nd, 2012, 4:02 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
lcoughey wrote: Over the past few years, I've seen numerous posts and engaged in conversations with clients who all seem to know more about data recovery than I do. Here is the "Right" way of doing data recovery. 1 - Never verify a backup and assume it is good before fixing windows errors and/or RAID issues 2 - Don't bother cloning a failing drive 3 - If the drive was bumped or dropped, always assume the PCB is the problem 4 - Don't waste time trying to figure out the source of the problem and assume that if you power the drive on enough times, it will instantly start to read again 5 - It never hurts to open the drive to see what you can do...especially if it is important data that you and/or your client really needs 6 - The freezer can fix almost every issue 7 - What the freezer can't fix, SpinRite and HDDRegen can 8 - After recovering data using the cheapest software you can find online, immediately copy the recovered files to the original drive that wasn't cloned before you verify the data with the client 9 - When a RAID array has failed, just swap out the bad drives and force a rebuild 10 - If you ever find yourself in a rut, post your question in a forum and expect a data recovery pro to give you a free magic solution 11 - Data recovery labs are always the last option, after everything else has been tried. Make sure the drive is completely toast before sending in for an assessment. Have you been speaking to our clients?? Spooky!!

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Perhaps we have it wrong? http://forum.hddguru.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=24534	Page 1 of 2

Author:	northwind [ November 22nd, 2012, 4:33 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
12- Always backup your files on the same drive and when people tell you it's not the right way, tell them that you're a computer tech since the ice age and you know what you're doing.

Author:	unknown [ November 22nd, 2012, 9:26 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
lcoughey wrote: 6 - The freezer can fix almost every issue The oven can fix the rest issues.

Author:	lcoughey [ November 22nd, 2012, 9:31 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
I forgot one: 13 - Format the drive so that you can recover the data from it

Author:	networks [ November 22nd, 2012, 13:07 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
I see your getting all my referrals ! Man that's a great list needs to a sticky

Author:	pcimage [ November 26th, 2012, 17:18 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
14 - Always lie about the symptoms and what you've done to it to get a better initial verbal quote, then moan because the actual quote is higher once the DR company has looked at it.

Author:	Deuterium [ November 27th, 2012, 10:39 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
How about these classics, 15. Remove the 'disks' to another 'reader'. (Actual client suggestions / comments!) 16. Magic machine, costs about £40,000, if you invested you would have one. (As above)

Author:	HDD Spaz [ December 4th, 2012, 16:51 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
17. Encrypt the data and never tell the dr company it is encrypted or provide password as they will recover all data regardless of damage.

Author:	labtech [ December 4th, 2012, 19:06 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
True story today: drive died two years ago, comes in, stiction, imaged, some bads here and there, whatever... No meaningful data on this drive, bunch of crap. Customer: I guess I sent the wrong drive. PERFECT. It's not like data recovery people have any better things to do.

Author:	pcimage [ December 4th, 2012, 19:15 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
We get similar stuff. Like people sending two drives in, not knowing which one has their data on (if at all) and can we recover both of them and send file listings "just in case the data is on one of them" then they will pay only if we find the data they want! Yeah right, we love doing work for nothing!!

Author:	labtech [ December 13th, 2012, 11:17 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
That's crazy. Or how about received each individual platter, from a 4 platter Seagate, each platter in its own CD paper sleeve?! Guy was upset when told him it is was not recoverable. Classics...

Author:	Nick_CT [ January 30th, 2013, 9:51 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
Isn't it funny how people (customers) are the same no matter which continent or society they are from. America, Europe, Africa and wherever else, we all experience the same customer interactions. Stupidity knows no bounds.

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Author:	lcoughey [ December 5th, 2012, 9:57 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
If they sent us the wrong drive, no problem, pay me for this job first, then we can assess the correct drive when you bring it in. If they come in with two drives, not knowing which is which. No problem. We quote each drive separately and let them decide which one to start with. What drives me nuts is a client actually requests a file listing before they accept the quote because they want to see what was on the drive or they want to see if they might have the data backed up somewhere else. Our process is, we assess, quote, client accepts, we recover and then provide the file listing for verification purposes, showing that we recovered the data....not to see if they sent the right drive.

Author:	HDD Spaz [ December 5th, 2012, 12:44 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
lcoughey wrote: What drives me nuts is a client actually requests a file listing before they accept the quote because they want to see what was on the drive or they want to see if they might have the data backed up somewhere else. Our process is, we assess, quote, client accepts, we recover and then provide the file listing for verification purposes, showing that we recovered the data....not to see if they sent the right drive. Tell me about it, that drives me up the wall. Another thing which drives me nuts, client keeps phoning every hour wanting the results of the diagnostic, the meaning of life is on the drive, getting quite shirty, we finally provide a very good price, all SATA HDD up to 2 TB no matter what the fault we don't quote more than $700, client then states it's far too expensive, it's a rip off and need the drive returned the very same day which they will send somewhere else and get a similar quote or a place which quote low and can't recover it. I'm sorry but I have better more important things to do than to drop everything and arrange for the return of the disk that minute they ask, they seem to think they are the only customer.

Author:	craig6928 [ December 13th, 2012, 3:00 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
we got a drive in the post from the usa the person enclosed the head-stack unit inside the parcel and the platters and ask us to get his data back doh

Author:	sdknola [ December 28th, 2012, 21:03 ]
Post subject:	Re: Perhaps we have it wrong?
craig6928 wrote: we got a drive in the post from the usa the person enclosed the head-stack unit inside the parcel and the platters and ask us to get his data back doh Yikes. That must have been a fun conversation.