Data recovery service on ebay. Should I use it?

[panos1]

Hello everybody,
This is my first post on this forum but the advice I need is very important for me. My WD20EADS 2TB hdd just gave up and all of my photos from the last decade was in it. I was using it as external and sudenly it stoped working. I had it then removed from the caddy and placed it inside the computer. It is now recognised but as not formated. I did some google search and I undestand that there are a lot of software which promish to recover my data but since I only have basic knowledge on computers I don't want to risk loosing everything. I called a couple of data recovery bussinesses in Greece and they quoted me 800-1200Euro for this recovery (it is 2TB so it takes too long etc...). That's way too much I am afraid...
I have already decided to use a proffessional service (for a reasonable cost if I find it) and not to try to recover the data my self or by someone who "knows how to do it" inside his house. I found this offer on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/Professional-Data-R ... 0760389247 . I am also located in Greece so it is very convinient for me. Also they have a promotion offer on ebay for 79.99$ for up to 50GB of recovered data. I called them and since I need almost 500GB they offered me a price of 150Euro to recover my data which I find quite affordable. So I need advice on the following:
1. Is this price reasonable? Why do you think it is so much cheaper than the rest data recovery bussinesses? They are also the cheapest on ebay offering proffessional service....
2. Has anyone tryed to use data recovery service from this or another ebay seller? Are there things that I should notice?
3. I checked their web site http://www.computer-systems.gr and feedback and they seem to have quite a lot of experience on laptop motherboard repairs (more than 1000 possitives on ebay for video board repairs) but they seem to be quite new on data recovery. Should I be afraid of that?
4. and finally and most important. Do you think that I should purchase this repair or keep the drive somewhere safe and wait for a magic solution that might come in the future?

I am sorry for this long post but I understand that I will only have one chance to recover my data and I would like to make the best possible choice so I hope that someone will find the time to read this and reply. I will also make the same post on other forums .
Thank you for your time.
Panos

[dmarques]

If I were you, and my data was important, I would prefer someone more experienced, so I wouldn't take many chances.

[thatdellguy]

No professional DR firm is going to advertise on EBay. Beware of these PC shops with good reviews only on repairing computers and not hard drives. The reviews are misleading when they are all related to computer repair. In the end they will cost you your lost data.

[lcoughey]

Based on the tools being used in the pictures, their method of sales via E-bay and their price, you would be wise to seek out an actual data recovery professional.

[Cleanroom]

It sounds like the drive is fine, since it comes up as not formatted, which is normal since you drive is encrypted. I would guess that the enclosure is bad and that will need repairing of sorts. You could order another 2tb external drive (match the model number on the bottom of the enclosure) and place the drive in there. The encryption is not unique and it may decrypt the data for you. This is just speculation and you can take it as you see it since i do not have the drive in my hands.

I would not send your drive to anyone on ebay advertising data recovery. convenience is nice, but your data is much more important then that.

I am not sure if there are any members here in Greece that can help you out.

Be safe and cautious on who you are sending you drive too, you want to make sure that company knows what they are doing and does not make the data unrecoverable.

[2000cc]

Well, we have partners and clients from Greece.
I was told Northwind (http://www.northwind.gr) is a true DR company, and another company in athens whose name i don't remember. I think anaktisi or something like that.
The others are outsourcing which is not bad, but...

[italian-recovery]

Hi,
I think that a price for a DR service couldn't be done until the drive is not seen by a qualified technician.
We offer our data recovery service from 250 to 1200€ according to the type of intervention needs to be done.
We also offer the analysis of the drive for free, after which we produce a free quote of the intervention needs to be done, joined the list of files that we are able to recover.

We have worked with several companies in Greece which we have successfully recovered the data, if you want you can contact us through our website http://www.italianrecovery.it or by telephone at +39 02 9521223

If your data are importants for you, you have to choose a serious and professional data recovery company

[hddguy]

Based on the tools being used in the pictures, their method of sales via E-bay and their price, you would be wise to seek out an actual data recovery professional.

I agree. Anyone using HDRC tools as advertising of their service cannot be so good...