Lost data? Stop. Don’t switch it back on.
Most damage happens after the failure, not during it. If a drive is making a noise, a laptop won’t start or files have vanished, leave it alone and call us.
- Diagnostics
- Free
- Quote
- Fixed, before work starts
- Fee
- No recovery, no fee
- Media
- HDD, SSD, RAID, cards, phones
- Drop-off
- Horsham, or we collect
Four things that make recovery harder.
Each is done with good intentions in the first hour, and each reduces the chance of getting your data back.
Switching it on again, and again
If a drive has a mechanical fault, every spin-up damages the surface your data is on. One try is diagnosis. Ten is destruction.
Running recovery software
Downloaded tools write to the drive they read from and can overwrite the very files you want.
Rebuilding a RAID array
An array with one failed disk is recoverable. One re-initialised in a panic often isn’t. Note the disk order and stop.
Drying out a wet device
Don’t power it up or put it in rice. Bring it in as it is.
What we recover from.
Hard drives
Clicking, not spinning or not detected. Mechanical faults go to a specialist cleanroom partner under our management.
SSDs, USB sticks and memory cards
Controller failures and corrupted cards from cameras, camcorders and phones.
RAID arrays and NAS boxes
Rebuilt virtually from images rather than gambling with the original disks.
Deleted files
Emptied recycle bins and formatted volumes. The sooner you stop using the device, the better.
Ransomware
We assess what is recoverable from shadow copies, backups and unencrypted remnants, and are honest about decryption.
Servers
Boot failures and corrupted volumes, with the priority on getting the business working.
You know the price and the odds before we start.
Free diagnostics
We identify the fault and whether the data is likely recoverable.
1 to 2 daysFixed quote
A fixed price, a realistic chance of success and a timescale. Nothing happens until you agree.
Same day as diagnosisRecovery
We work from a copy of the drive wherever possible, never writing to the original.
Depends on the faultReturn
Data supplied on new encrypted media with a file list to check before we close the job.
On completion
No recovery, no fee. You only pay any third-party cleanroom costs, and only if you have agreed them in advance.
“Nick provided a first class service. His response to our problem was very prompt and he kept us fully informed about his progress and the costs. He managed to restore our operating system and save all the files within a day.”
“Octotech was highly recommended to me by a friend and I found them to be equally friendly, helpful, professional and very efficient. They successfully saved my laptop and data after an unfortunate experience with a glass of milk!”
“The ‘no fix, no fee’ approach tells you they know what they’re doing… they fixed the problem in 24 hours of my bringing round the hardware, charging for an hour’s work.”
Questions we get asked
How much does data recovery cost?
It depends on the fault. Recovering from a healthy drive is at the lower end; mechanical failures needing cleanroom work cost substantially more. You get a fixed quote after free diagnostics and can walk away at that point.
How likely is it you will get my data back?
Higher than most people expect, provided the device hasn’t been repeatedly powered on or had recovery software run on it. We give you an honest assessment, not an optimistic one.
How long does it take?
Diagnostics take a day or two. Recovery ranges from hours for simple faults to a couple of weeks where cleanroom work is needed.
Is my data kept confidential?
Yes. It is stored encrypted while we work and securely destroyed once you confirm you have everything.
Related services
Lost something important?
Call before you try anything else. Diagnostics are free, and ten minutes of advice can be the difference between a recovery and a loss.