Hi all
I am getting a raid recovery case & I am super excited for the same.
My first task will be to image all hard disks ( 1tb each)
I would like to know which tool I must to use for imaging. Though most of the softwares support disk cloning , I will prefer which will be most suitable.
Can someone share there experience

Generally speaking, if you are getting a paid data recovery case, you should already have the tools, knowledge and experience to handle the project before accepting the job or attempting the recovery. Is the client aware of this?

Without knowing more, my best advice is to outsource the recovery to a reputable data recovery lab in your region. When all is done and the client has their recovered files back, ask if you keep the original drives and then try to learn how to do data recovery.

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Luke
Recovery Force Data Recovery

Well, you do not state if it is just a logical recover or if the disks are failing.

Lacking a hardware imager, the usual recommended tools would be hddsuperclone and ddrescue.

Just be sure to identify correctly the disk order and corresponding images. If you receive the raid machine/enclosure/appliance complete, better, then label all of the things and their positions. Take pictures when possible. That can help you later if some difficulties arise.

Hi Thanks both of you for responding.

lcoughey --- I will be handling the case most professionally , that's the reason I will be imaging disks first. Unless I do study / R & D myself how can I learn
I will be ensuring that not a bit is written on originals disks and they are kept as it is.
rogfanther - Thanks for suggestion ,unfortunately disks have been removed and some other recovery company has tried and are failed.
I have informed customer how to handle hard disks and must mark / label no. and order before removing.
Don't know in which conditions disks will come. All hard disks in raid 5 array are working , so no failed disk as such.

Ok. IMHO, if disks have already been worked on by another company and data is important, you really should send this case to a more experienced company. You could , for an example, clone the disks before sending them to the other cmpany, then you can study with them and compare your results to those of the other company.

If data is not that important, then I believe you may have some harder time learning from this case, as the situation may have been made worse by other people changing it, and even the order of disks / type of raid can present problems to identify. It can be solved, yes, but for learning it would be better to have a cleaner case to begin with.

I haven't got disks yet .I have decided to clone them using hddsuperclone and give recovery a try before giving up.

While you wait for the disks, maybe try contacting @Amarbir from this forum. He is from India also, and may give you some suggestions. Or maybe you can arrange to outsource the original drives to him, while you try your luck with the clones. They you get to learn, and the customer doesn´t have to wait too long for the recovery of the data ( that is, if the data is recoverable, etc etc )

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Rescue IT Datarecovery service Sweden
Rescue IT Dataräddning Göteborg AB
http://www.rescue-it.se

I am wondering whether forum is for Encouraging or discouraging
No matter everyone tried to generate fears and doubt about my technical skills , actually it is making me stronger and I am determined to beat discourager gang , now while I am waiting for disks to arrive I am really amused and enjoying reading all discouraging posts and laughing.
Possibly they have forgotten that with determination and strong will power one can do miracles.
Provided that raid is not disturbed and degraded , I am sure I will recover data. In case I need help I know whom to contact ( Dr. Kiev)

I'm sorry
the first rule "you" should have is "not to gamble with someone else's data"
it is crystal clear - from reading the thread - that you're lacking the appropriate skills knowledge and tools to handle that case
so... with all due respect, you can get all the help needed when we are talking about your data but not when involved others
sorry for being the messenger to deliver the truth as it is

+1

As to the OP : nobody in the thread discouraged you. Every post tried to suggest the correct ways to approach this, to ensure at the same time client data is preserved/recovered and you have a chance to learn.

And if the objective is to learn something about RAID recovery, there is a simple and effective way : build a raid with some disks of yours, fill it with some data, then disconnect and mix the disks. Then approach it without using information you already had, and try to identify disk order and rearrange images. Way more effective than trying your luck in something that someone already worked, that you don´t know what was the problem, and where disks may have physical problems alongside the logical ones.

To make the experience better, get a friend to build the raid for you, and ask for them to not tell you about the chosen parameters ( raid type, disk order, etc ) . Then get just a bunch of disks with no order marking. When you can recover somewhat easily from a couple tests like this, you can start to build more complex experiments to keep learning and doing R&D.

Pehaps a good measure of things would be, is your client okay with you using their drives to learn? If they were to be reading this thread, right now, would they be okay with it? If they are fully aware of the risks, then go for it.

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Luke
Recovery Force Data Recovery

How do you know it is a raid 5?
There are many possible configurations and it might not be a raid 5.
Sorry to say it but if you say the other data recovery company has tried and failed and you have no prior experience of working with raid so under these circumstances you will probably fail as well.
Just make sure you create those images!
How many drives in the 'raid'?
What device have the drives been removed from or attached to?

OMG

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HDD, SSD, Flash and RAID Data Recovery
Founder of The Data Recovery Professionals Group

Hi All friends , Thanks for your valuable suggestion. Appreciate all the Help
I am seriously studying concerns expressed as you are having experience of handling such cases.
Most important is question raised by dick - How do you know it is a raid 5 -- I don't have answer for this with other vital information like disk order , nor customer is having technical knowledge of the same.
array has 4 disks . Imaging is currently running with very low speed ( 35 Mb/s).

Disks are from assembled server .

Guys finally I have made it .100 % data has been recovered , and client has approved it as well.
Now my question is about commercials i.e charges.I want to know what are typical charges in india for such cases.I know charges vary in different geographical regions . Asian being in value segment , charges are very low as compared to us and Europe .I want to know particularly from indian members how much they charge for suru cases.pm if you want to keep this info confidencial.thanks

You are asking your competitors what they charge?

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HDD, SSD, Flash and RAID Data Recovery
Founder of The Data Recovery Professionals Group

Hi ddrecovery
There is no meaning to word competitor anymore.
Do you think I am competing with you or you with me. We are located in different geographical regions.
But forget geography even a competitor located 200 Km away has different customer base and is not in direct competiton
Further competitor 5Km away from me may not affect my business directly ~
1) he is catering to other dr companies or computer dealers only.
2) I am doing end user business.
3) Other DR company from same city is exclusively catering to corporate customers only.

Often I discuss business and technical information with competitor because he is not affecting my business.
There are good souls like spildit and others who help out of way.
Thanks spildit for dirty technique.

- You original question was asking other Indian data recovery members the prices they charge, so as I am in the USA I assumed you didn't mean me.

- If you are basing your marketing on 'There is no meaning to word competitor anymore', then that is your opinion, but the data recovery market is shrinking and being competitive is more important than ever. Also if you don't think competing is valid anymore, why ask prices of you competitors.

- This is the age of the internet, so saying that a competitor 200km away is not a competitor is no longer true. The fact that you are trying to find out what your competitors charge is exactly what you clients will be doing. As Spildit says, offering a good service at a good price is key.

Please take these comments as constructive, I certainly do not want to discourage you from building your business.

_________________
HDD, SSD, Flash and RAID Data Recovery
Founder of The Data Recovery Professionals Group

Thanks ddrecovery for your advice.
Yes as I agree with spildit's view . My concern was to know what is current pricing for such jobs.
Say if other peoples are charging $1000 and for same job and same quality of work I may end up getting $ 400 because I quote so. That is the reason I would like to know typical market rates.
I would like to add my observation about charges which is not mentioned in any above posts.
Charges are not equally important to all customers , here is how ----
1) a small scale customer may consider $ 1000 exorbitantly high as charges are most important.
2) Same quote given to a corporate may get easily approved because charges are not so important ( several of you have mentioned that a customer may send disk to 200 KM / out of country if charges are low )
This is 100% false. I am registered service provider to several top corporates and my customers do not go because someone from other country or located 200 km away has quoted low. That is not how business customers look to charges.
My experience with raid could be small but I am sure I have far more experience in handling varies customers at par with anyone else.
My customers always look following qualities in there DR partner ( charges do not come in this list at all )
1) Good will of D.R. firm ( mouth to mouth publicity ) again this may not be there as in US and Europe interpersonal relationships are not as close as in India.
Here business runs on your relations how you have previously treated customer etc.
In US peoples could be more professional and may not go for such things.
So most of my business comes from word of mouth or someone recommends my name.
Pls. note whatever amount quoted by my competitor located at 2 km or 200 Km or 2000 Km is not a valid decision making point.
Business dynamics in India are different than western world.
2) NDA and your credibility ---
Business customers are very keen on confidentiality of data. They don't go to 200 Km guy because he is giving free recovery. They always look at reliability , trust , goodwill , market feedback , relationship ,Data confidentiality , technical skills etc.
I have some of my customers who remember me even after 10 years , now based on your theory there could be hundreds of other companies and they are not needed to remember and come to me anymore . But still they come why ?
3) Your Technological strength ---
Customers always prefer vendor having strong technical skills than merely who is quoting low. Customer are not fools to choose company located 200 Km away having no required skills though there quote is lowest.
4) How you respond -- your response in each stage of recovery is crucial.
Hope this will shade light on other aspect of charges and competitor .