Laptop data recovery mostly refers to retrieving user files from failed computer drive. In contrast, laptop repair service does not include a real data recovery. It is a scope of data lab experts to work with damaged, malfunctioning Hard Drive or other medium-device. The data recovery process requires only the bare drive that needs be extracted from your laptop case. However, you may ship/bring the whole computer to the lab if you have trouble with the drive removal, or when your intention is not just to restore the data files, but also the whole operating system. It is important to keep in mind that System Recovery is always optional in data recovery process and its success or failure completely depends on drive condition.
A small 2.5 inch Hard Disk Drive (HDD) with SATA interface can be found in many computers, including brand new ones.
While HDD and Hybrid/SSHD (solid state + hard drive) are mechanical devices with moving parts inside and requiring extra caution to avoid excessive shakes and consuming more power from battery, they still have an important advantage over pure Solid State Drives (SSD). Overall, in case of failure, a hard drive has better chance to be entirely recovered, especially when it was not overused in the wrong hands after its initial failure. Be aware that with SSD crash, the recovery options are significantly reduced. The advantage of having no moving parts inside the device turns into extreme disadvantage of impossibility to repair NAND-memory chip on physical level – there is simply nothing to repair or replace there. Therefore, in many instances of flash memory failure the repair options are limited. It's like trying to get data out of a stone.
A large group of solid drives have a regular SATA connector, that allows to use SATA-SSD as a replacement for a laptop's SATA Hard Drive.
Late models of light-weight and razor-slim laptops have SSD that look more like RAM memory stick, with the exposed NAND flash memory elements like the one used in Mac Book Air.
The existing variety of data connectors between motherboard and SSD can be troublesome to find a matching part replacement. SSD form-factor must be also taken into consideration; otherwise a new drive may not fit inside the laptop.
Our lab supports all of the laptop hard disk drive models for data recovery. The micro mechanics of laptop hard drives still can be a challenge for the most of experienced recovery technicians. Data Lab 247 has been investing over decades in the experience of resolving the hardest data recovery tasks, and that time was generously repaid by inventing and creating of new methods, approaches and developments of unique instruments for safe and fast extracting the required information from a damaged, inaccessible data storage device.
The miniature laptop drive design makes any repairs, accompanying follow-up actual data retrieval steps, more delicate and skill refined process and requires using of special tooling, equipment and expertise in advanced digital recovery technologies.
The classic hard drive is much safer, reliable, and cost-effective storage device for user data files, however HDD loses the fight for speed with SSD-flash type drives.
Today the major drive makers start to utilize flash-memory technology to deliver SSD-like performance in the new Hybrid Hard Drives. Other name of hybrid drive is SSHD that stands for Solid State Hard Drive. If you decide to upgrade your old drive to the hybrid kind - to increase the performance of your PC, or MAC system - it should not be a problem at all, as the hybrid drive installs easily and works just like a regular hard drive. SSHD has a regular SATA connector, NAND memory on board to keep and fire up the most frequently used programs and files, and reliable, large, and well recoverable data storage on the rotating Disk Platters. Data Lab 247 supports all Hybrid Drives and recovers all of them same way as classic HDDs.
On how to remove the hard drive from your computer refer to the manufacturer manual. Alternatively, there are plenty of online quality sources about drive removal along with pictures, graphics, or even videos. We have also placed a few illustrated articles with the hard drive instructions on our website. Don't forget to remove and retain for future use all brackets, side screws, interface adapters and other elements from the drive before sending one out to the lab. You may need all those items later to install a new replacement drive into the same computer. Some laptops are very sophisticated in the design and do not give an easy access to the drive even for an experienced technician. Again, if you have a problem with removing a failed drive containing your data, you may consider shipping the whole laptop computer to the lab in one piece and we'll take care of it.
Here are some common tips of how to remove failed hard drive from laptop (notebook) computer:
1. Turn off your computer. Unplug and remove any cables connected to the computer, including the AC adaptor. Remove the battery.
2. Turn the computer upside down to locate the hard drive slot cover. You may need a small Phillips screwdriver to loosen the captive screws that secure the hard drive slot cover, if required.
3. Gently remove the drive from the slot. On some laptop models you will need to loosen ribbon cable or disconnect the drive adapter from the drive.
5. Pack the drive by following the shipping instructions
To learn more about detailed hard drive removal techniques (with sample illustrations) use the help links below:
Hard drive removal instructions for the following laptop computers:
Damaged ASUS Celeron Laptop WD Scorpio Blue from Limburg, Netherlands
I have a serious technical problem with the hard drive; it is not in computer BIOS and makes so much of a strange noise.
I'm very happy to see that it was possible to recover my data! Thanx! Sincerely, Wil P.
