HDD GURU FORUMS

Hello DR gurus,

Starting the beginning of this year, I have frequently HDD coming for data recovery. A while ago I start looking in to DR lessons especially for repair damaged/dead HDD. Before I continue further I'll say that as I'm advancing into the subject I recognize this will take a while until I'm able to preform a decent HDD repair and will not happened "over night" for sure.
But looking and evaluating the tools on available on the market from professional companies I'm kinda of puzzled what will be best starting combination, and here comes your pro help!

I hope to you will share your valuable pro opinions, build form years of practice/experience in this field….

So far I know I'll need "Clean room", "HDD stand", "Platter and head exchange tools", "Head aliment tool" for some famous WD's, "'Dead' drive/Firmware repair hardware/software diagnostic tools", and "Imager hardware/software" , add-on's aid software, just to launch...

I know my question will cover as well some of the posts in this forum, but still browsing around I did not find very clear answer to what bugging me: what is the best and affordable combination to start. Especially for these two "Firmware repair and diagnostic tool" and "Imager". I'll to post here prices as well and tools names and links to the company's that produce these tools.

So far what catcher my attention most is these two combinations,my target are SOHO customers 3.5", 2.5", 1.8" HDD:

*All-in one: Atola Insight + DiskSense USB; Base price: ~ $6990,00 + $460 yearly updates.
http://atola.com/products/insight/
*FW disk diag and repair: PC3000 UDMA + Imager: DeepSpar Disk Imager™ 4; Base price: ~ $4320 + ~ $3350 = $7670
http://www.acelaboratory.com/pc3000.udma.php
http://www.deepspar.com/products-ds-disk-imager.html

*FW disk diag and repair: PC3000 UDMA + Imager: Atola Imager + DiskSense Gigabit Ethernet unit
; Base price: ~ $4320 + ~ $3890 = $8210

There are a few other options as well:
*Data Compass Premium with RAID Data Recovery Add-On + HD Doctor suite; bace price: ~$4000 + ~$3700 = $7700
http://www.salvationdata.com/

*FW disk diag and repair+ Imager: MRT Pro, Sorry I could not find any English web, only Chinese: http://info.mrtlab.com/; Price: ~ $2650 , here a google translation of the price page: http://translate.google.com.hk/translate?hl=zh-CN&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http://info.mrtlab.com/buy.htm

*FW disk diag and repair?+ Imager: Dolphin Data Lab: Data Recovery Grow-up Suite; Price: ~$3609
http://www.datarecoverytools4u.com

I'm sure I missed some, suggestions for other important companies that make special tools Disk Firmware diag and repair, and Imager you are welcome to add them as well.

Please comment on tools you personally have experience with. Pros and Cons, suggestions?

Although during the years I've done a numerous logical HDD DR,a few times I send damaged drives to a Pro. I'm considering myself a newbie in DR, so any comments about the tools and equipment are welcomed, also good advanced training too!

So for just the begging will need one $10K, for good basic equipment?

Cheers,

When you say PC3000 UDMA, I'm assuming that you mean with DE included.

lcoughey wrote:When you say PC3000 UDMA, I'm assuming that you mean with DE included.

Good question, actually I meant only think PC3000 UDMA, without Data Extractor UDMA, because I thought DeepSpar Disk Imager 4 or Atola Imager covers this functionality isn't it?

or there should be another option in that case?

*Firmware disk diagnostic and repair: PC3000 UDMA + Imager: Data Extractor UDMA, Price: $4320 + $2500 = $6820

Or there is functionality in Data Extractor UDMA that is unique not just like DeepSpar Disk Imager 4 or Atola Imager, I missed something here?

Newbie here....

Using PC3K without DE is like driving a Ferrari within the 30mph city speed limits..

(my earlier metaphor about driving a Ferrari without a clutch was better )

Hint: Don't purchase any tools from China or India.

search the forum for the word "love" and read all the posts. tally up the tools "love" and investigate those and their features

If you are starting for yourself buy R-Studio.

Play with this for a while on your own bought drives until you are proficient and exhaust your logical recovery options.

Then buy an imager that can also recover by file as well as full image: repeat as above.

Then go for serious hardware like Ace labs or Atola Insight (depends what balance of power or automation you need) + (The pc3000 and DE go together. an imager on top of the pc 3000 is not a substitute.)
Account for the cost of training.

If you want to set up as a running DR company, hire a DR pro, take a loan, buy an imager and a pc3000 express/DE or more and advertise like crazy.

northwind wrote:Using PC3K without DE is like driving a Ferrari within the 30mph city speed limits..

(my earlier metaphor about driving a Ferrari without a clutch was better )

I did read your comment about the clutch , but still don't get it? So if DE can do same job as 'Imager' then this would be the cheapest start-up from preferred options above ....
Can DE do selective head imaging? Can someone explain what's the actual pros and cons for DE over DSDI4 and AI? I know some of you guys have all these tools, and if had the funds to buy them since the beginning I would do it, but I don't so I'm trying to figure how much will cost to just get basics that would be enough and add later the rest...

lcoughey wrote:When you say PC3000 UDMA, I'm assuming that you mean with DE included.

Thanks, lcoughey!

thatdellguy wrote:Hint: Don't purchase any tools from China or India.

I'm tempted to do so, but most likely will not! Although I'm working in China.
Thanks, thatdellguy

HaQue wrote:search the forum for the word "love" and read all the posts. tally up the tools "love" and investigate those and their features

I'm on to it , thanks HaQue!

digitalferret wrote:If you are starting for yourself buy R-Studio.

Play with this for a while on your own bought drives until you are proficient and exhaust your logical recovery options.

Then buy an imager that can also recover by file as well as full image: repeat as above.

Then go for serious hardware like Ace labs or Atola Insight (depends what balance of power or automation you need) + (The pc3000 and DE go together. an imager on top of the pc 3000 is not a substitute.)
Account for the cost of training.

If you want to set up as a running DR company, hire a DR pro, take a loan, buy an imager and a pc3000 express/DE or more and advertise like crazy.

I did not refresh my browser, sow you response too late, thanks digitalferret, for valuable advices!
Then buy an imager that can also recover by file as well as full image - what do you use? Any preferences?

Deepspar here.

Thats not to take anything away from the Atola imager.
Same job, different approach.

Both companies have fantastic reputation.

Atola seems to lean more towards standalone product and ease of use.
Deepspar towards versatility and users choice to tweak almost any setting in there.

Deepspar has certain other advantages at the moment in that it can address the newer type of USB controlled portable drives.
check out both websites for full detail.

I would say "good luck" but the more you research the luckier you will get

Kern

digitalferret wrote:Deepspar here.

Thats not to take anything away from the Atola imager.
Same job, different approach.

Both companies have fantastic reputation.

Atola seems to lean more towards standalone product and ease of use.
Deepspar towards versatility and users choice to tweak almost any setting in there.

Deepspar has certain other advantages at the moment in that it can address the newer type of USB controlled portable drives.
check out both websites for full detail.

I would say "good luck" but the more you research the luckier you will get

Kern

Thanks digitalferret!
Yes I sow it and read all advertising and info available about it. Do you know if this USB controller and it's current features can be updated easily just by software/firmware updates? or you need to buy newer version of the USB controller as well?
I like it very much as an option! A few mounts back came in for DR SAMSUNG HM251JX/VPK 2.5" USB HDD fаll down form a meter while was working, and the head was stick to the platter, I wish I knew more about physical DR back then and had this DDI4+this Add-on.

Do you know if this USB controller and it's current features can be updated easily just by software/firmware updates?

Forums are great for general impression of tools.
If you ask 10 people about how a Deepsar (or any other product) works you will get 10 slightly different answers, 2 of those may not even own a Deepspar.

Maybe at this stage you would be better emailing the companies direct, then you can guarantee correct information from the people that make the product.

digitalferret wrote:

Do you know if this USB controller and it's current features can be updated easily just by software/firmware updates?

Forums are great for general impression of tools.
If you ask 10 people about how a Deepsar (or any other product) works you will get 10 slightly different answers, 2 of those may not even own a Deepspar.

Maybe at this stage you would be better emailing the companies direct, then you can guarantee correct information from the people that make the product.

Indeed! I already did it, hope to get a response form them. Thanks for the TIP digitalferret.

I found two more companies producing DR tools, one of them stopped producing their product, the other one is another Russian guys, can someone shed some light on this one?
HDD Repair Tool 5.0 UDMA

I was hoping to gather as much as possible tools/companies available on the market today...

Help me guys? Are there any other high end tools for DR, I'm sure there are more...

Atola Insight + DiskSense Ethernet you miss this version also


example is atola imager vs deepspar

deepspar failed to do the recovery locked up half way throu

atola imager recovery 100% no lock up

we decided to sell our deepspar units and move on


Both companies have fantastic reputation and skills

but there is only one company that has the correct marketing skills in place
and that is atola hands down
to everyone who design it and also the brains behind it Dmitry and his team


look at how many products atola has made

Atola Insight

Atola Bandura

Atola Disk Recycler

Atola imager

all these tools are very well made and the techology behind it is very good

but there a lot of miss information on atola products and other products

example data compass a very good tool so long you know how to use this correctly

people just dont want the competition
and the way to do it
is miss information

craig6928 wrote:Atola Insight + DiskSense Ethernet you miss this version also


example is atola imager vs deepspar

deepspar failed to do the recovery locked up half way throu

atola imager recovery 100% no lock up

we decided to sell our deepspar units and move on


Both companies have fantastic reputation and skills

.....

That's one thing I was asking in the first post a personal opinion form someone with experience.
Other gurus, please don't take this personal and start another flame discussion - there are enough in this forum already. craig6928 only shares his own experience using the tools I asked for...

Thanks craig6928!

Also I'll try to collect all websites for advanced DR hardware/software tools that I can find and put them here for other fellow that may be in the same boat with me. Does someone have done a similar list? Then choose the one I like and buy it.

That's one thing I was asking in the first post a personal opinion form someone with experience.

Is that an insult?

please don't take this personal and start another flame discussion

Please don't take this personal but I think you just severely screwed up your chances of getting any more info here and maybe from people who offer up their valuable time to help people like yourself with your fantasy league gear list.

Following up on that "real experience" thing:
Maybe you would like to dig deeper

example is atola imager vs deepspar : deepspar failed to do the recovery locked up half way throu

Lets have a fair appraisal here.
"The" recovery: Craig could you give us some hard stats there pls?

How many units has your Atola Imager recovered that your Deepspar has not or vice versa.
How did the Insight cope with the disk?
The Bandura?

How does your Atola Insight compare with Your PC3000 and Your Data Compass?
Dolphin v Deepspar v Ace?
What about your Bandura v the Deepspar?

Atola SSDFlash?

No, hang on.... yes that's it.
I just needed to buy the full Atola suite and maybe some SD and a few manuals.

Where was my thinking ..... >.<

прощай

digitalferret wrote:

That's one thing I was asking in the first post a personal opinion form someone with experience.

Is that an insult?

No! Was not my intention to be an insult!!! I'm sorry you taking it like one

please don't take this personal and start another flame discussion

Please don't take this personal but I think you just severely screwed up your chances of getting any more info here and maybe from people who offer up their valuable time to help people like yourself with your fantasy league gear list.

I wont! but everything starts from "fantasy and dream lists".....

I'm very thankful for all educative posts and advices digitalferret they really gave me a good direction! But last one is useless, unless you aim to start a new war... as you said everyone's time is valuable, let's not waste it!

.....

прощай

действительно буду скучать по тебе

If this threat goes this way it's better to be closed... and wiped out.
Thanks to all DR gurus!

Apologies for any misunderstanding on my part, and the harsh reply.

I must have insulted many people in my time through my own inexperience, incorrect choice of words and poor english, and must look to that before taking offense.

Kern

dataplus wrote:That's one thing I was asking in the first post a personal opinion form someone with experience.
Other gurus, please don't take this personal and start another flame discussion - there are enough in this forum already. craig6928 only shares his own experience using the tools I asked for...

Thanks craig6928!

Also I'll try to collect all websites for advanced DR hardware/software tools that I can find and put them here for other fellow that may be in the same boat with me. Does someone have done a similar list? Then choose the one I like and buy it.

I don't know about others, but every post craig6928 makes on this board makes me go
Dude doesn't have any idea what he's talking about.
Just sharing my personal experience.