Hard Drive Data Recovery
We recover data from hard drives (HDD) from computers, laptops, external drives, NAS and video surveillance systems, with mechanical, electronic or logical faults. Our own laboratory in Carcavelos, recovering data since 2004, with an ISO 5 (Class 100) cleanroom and a success rate of 98.40% in 2025, audited every year.
Free collection request
Technical Diagnosis in 2 hours* and free collection in mainland Portugal.
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In short
Fill in the online request and send us only the drive: collection is free in mainland Portugal. With the drive at the laboratory, we carry out the diagnosis in 2 hours* and publish the final quote on your request page. The recovery only begins if you accept it.
Hard drive data recovery in the laboratory
The hard drive is the device we recover most often. We work with 2.5 and 3.5 inch drives, of all makes and capacities, internal or inside external enclosures, and with the drives from NAS and video surveillance systems.
When the drive has to be opened, the work is done in an ISO 5 (Class 100) cleanroom: replacement of the read and write head assembly, repair of the motor or the electronics (PCB) and work on the drive’s service area, where the firmware lives. We are the only data recovery laboratory certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 in Portugal.
Symptoms: what your drive is telling you
| What happens | Likely cause and what to do |
|---|---|
| It goes “click, click” when switched on | Damaged read and write heads. Switch it off now: every attempt can scratch the magnetic platters. |
| It does not spin, beeps or buzzes | Seized motor or heads stuck to the platters. Do not keep trying to switch it on. |
| The computer does not recognise it, not even in the BIOS | Fault in the electronics (PCB) or in the service area. Do not swap the board for another: the electronics hold information unique to that drive. |
| It is recognised, but it is very slow or disappears and comes back | Weak heads or damaged areas of the platter. Do not run recovery software: it heats the drive and ruins the area of the platter that can still be read. |
| It fell on the floor | Likely mechanical damage, even if it seems to work. Do not switch it on. |
| You deleted files or formatted the drive | Logical fault: the drive is fine and the data may still be there. Do not save anything on it. See recovering deleted files. |
Types of fault
Read and write heads, motor, bearings, scratched platters (head crash).
Burnt board (PCB), power surges, damaged components.
Problems in the service area: the drive powers on but is not recognised or shows the wrong capacity.
Deleted files, formatted drive, lost partitions, damaged file system.
Most common causes: drops and knocks, power surges and power cuts, heat, wear over years of use and human error (deleting, formatting or reinstalling the system by mistake).
What you should never do
Outside a cleanroom, dust contaminates the platters and the damage can be irreversible.
For a board from another drive, even of the same model: the board holds information unique to that drive.
Or running recovery software on a drive that makes noise, is slow or has been dropped.
How much hard drive recovery costs
* The 2 hours are counted in order of arrival and within opening hours. Drives opened or tampered with before arrival may need an Advanced Diagnosis, at a cost, always communicated in advance. In some cases (when parts are needed) an initial amount is requested, stated in the quote: if there is a recovery, it is deducted from the price; if there is not, it covers the recovery attempt and is not refunded.
We work with all makes
These are some of the manufacturers we receive most often at the laboratory.
Other devices
How it works, in 7 steps
- Online request
- Sending the device
- Diagnosis
in 2 hours* - Final quote
- Recovery and file list
- Payment
- Data delivery
The recovery only starts after you accept the quote. See the full process
Frequently asked questions
Can I try to recover the data from the drive myself?
If you deleted files on a drive that works well, stop using it and do not save anything on it. If the drive makes noise, is slow, disappears or has been dropped, do not try: recovery software forces the drive to read non-stop and can permanently ruin the area where the data is.
How long does the recovery take?
The diagnosis is done in 2 hours, in order of arrival and within opening hours. The recovery depends on the fault and the service chosen: 24 hours, urgent (1 to 3 working days), priority (4 to 7 working days), standard (8 to 12 working days) or non-urgent (15 to 30 days), with a lower price for those who are not in a hurry.
How much does it cost to recover the data from a hard drive?
It depends on the capacity and the type of fault; the prices are published on the prices page. The exact amount is in the final quote, which you receive after the diagnosis. The Technical Diagnosis is only charged if you do not accept the quote or the Advanced Diagnosis, or if the device is so damaged that no quote can be given.
What if I accept the quote and then there is no recovery?
You pay nothing for the recovery service or anything else; return shipping costs are separate. In some cases an initial amount is requested before work starts, always stated in the quote: it is deducted from the price if the recovery succeeds and, if it does not, it covers the attempt and is not refunded. If you accept and do not pay the initial amount within 5 working days, the device goes into storage, at a cost of 1 EUR + VAT per day, up to a maximum of 60 days. After that period, the device is recycled free of charge and the storage remains payable.
Do I send the computer or only the drive?
Only the drive. If it is an external drive, send it inside its enclosure, without the cable or power adapter. See how to pack it on the page How to pack your device.
Is my data safe?
The laboratory is certified ISO 27001:2022 in information security. The copy of the recovered data is kept for 7 days after delivery and deleted afterwards.
Still not convinced?
See what our clients say.
Data recovery laboratory in Portugal since 2004, with a cleanroom and ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certification. Your satisfaction is our priority, and that is what the more than 1,900 reviews from our clients say.
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