Unfortunately, hard drives are not made to last forever. Like all mechanical devices, they are subject to wear and tear, degradation and eventually they stop working altogether. When this happens, they can take your valuable data down as well, costing you time, money, and aggravation.
In the majority of cases, a data recovery specialist can help you retrieve the files from your damaged hard drive and copy them so you can download them onto a new drive. This isn't a process that the average computer user can do at home, you need specialized tools and a dust free clean room in which to work.
As a result, you'll have to send your damaged drive to the data recovery company of your choice to have the work done. When you ship the drive there are several precautions you should take to avoid damaging the drive further:
1. Send the drive in the manufacturer's original packaging.
If at all possible, it's best to ship the drive in its original packaging. Manufacturers prepare the packaging to ensure the drive is kept as safe as possible and using their packaging takes the guesswork out preparing the drive for shipping.
2. Be careful when removing the drive from your computer.
Most data recovery companies will want you to ship the drive itself, rather than the whole computer. This saves on bulk and less costly to ship. If you're comfortable taking apart your computer and know where the hard drive is located, you should remove the drive and send it on its own. If you've never done this before or are uncomfortable with doing so, ask a friend to help or consult with the data recovery specialist to decide the best course of action. In any case, you should never perform any repairs on your computer that you are not 100% comfortable doing as you may inadvertently cause further damage. Do NOT attempt to take apart the actual drive itself, as this will very likely cause permanent damage and the loss of your data forever.
3. Make sure the drive is packed in an anti-static bag.
Again, if you have access to the actual bag that the drive was shipped in, this is ideal. If not, a typical plastic freezer bag will do. The key is to protect the drive from static, as static charges can cause major damage to your drive.
4. Pack the drive in a box at least twice as big as the drive itself.
The box needs to be large enough to fit a sufficient amount of packing material to protect the drive. Of course, there is some leeway in the size of box that you can use, but ideally, it should be about twice the size of the actual component that you're shipping.
5. Use enough packing material that the drive cannot move inside the box.
You should completely fill the space inside the box with packing material. This prevents the drive from moving around in the box and possibly sustaining damage during the shipping process.
6. Use foam padding or similar packing material to protect your drive.
Foam padding is one of the best materials to use in packing your drive. It doesn't convey static electricity and is soft enough to cushion any blows if the box is dropped or mishandled. Bubble wrap works reasonably well. You should avoid using Styrofoam peanuts as they can convey static which could further damage your hard drive.
7. Use a well established courier company.
Since you're spending considerable time, money and effort to retrieve your data, it's clearly very important to you. With that in mind it makes sense to ship it via a well known and first class shipping company such as FedEx or UPS. If you try to cut corners with a bargain basement shipping company you never know what kind of service you'll get. Your hard drive is a sensitive instrument and excessive bumping or knocking can render the drive inoperable and you may lose your data permanently.
8. Consider shipping insurance for your package.
If you have a significant financial interest in the data contained on your drive, it may be worth buying shipping insurance to provide a financial benefit if the package is damaged in transit. It's not a bad idea to use a trackable shipping option so you can locate your package if it doesn't arrive on time.
9. Make sure you include all relevant contact data inside the box.
Of course you'll have a return address and contact number on the outside of the box, but make sure you also have your contact details and a brief summary of the problem attached to the drive on the inside of the box as well. Often the outside box gets discarded and your contact info can be lost if it's not directly attached to the drive.
10. Let your data recovery service know when to expect the drive.
Once your drive has been sent, let the data recovery company know when it was shipped and approximately when they can expect to receive it. If the drive is late arriving they can let you know and you can follow up with the shipping company to find out what is causing the delay.
In the majority of cases, a data recovery specialist can help you retrieve the files from your damaged hard drive and copy them so you can download them onto a new drive. This isn't a process that the average computer user can do at home, you need specialized tools and a dust free clean room in which to work.
As a result, you'll have to send your damaged drive to the data recovery company of your choice to have the work done. When you ship the drive there are several precautions you should take to avoid damaging the drive further:
1. Send the drive in the manufacturer's original packaging.
If at all possible, it's best to ship the drive in its original packaging. Manufacturers prepare the packaging to ensure the drive is kept as safe as possible and using their packaging takes the guesswork out preparing the drive for shipping.
2. Be careful when removing the drive from your computer.
Most data recovery companies will want you to ship the drive itself, rather than the whole computer. This saves on bulk and less costly to ship. If you're comfortable taking apart your computer and know where the hard drive is located, you should remove the drive and send it on its own. If you've never done this before or are uncomfortable with doing so, ask a friend to help or consult with the data recovery specialist to decide the best course of action. In any case, you should never perform any repairs on your computer that you are not 100% comfortable doing as you may inadvertently cause further damage. Do NOT attempt to take apart the actual drive itself, as this will very likely cause permanent damage and the loss of your data forever.
3. Make sure the drive is packed in an anti-static bag.
Again, if you have access to the actual bag that the drive was shipped in, this is ideal. If not, a typical plastic freezer bag will do. The key is to protect the drive from static, as static charges can cause major damage to your drive.
4. Pack the drive in a box at least twice as big as the drive itself.
The box needs to be large enough to fit a sufficient amount of packing material to protect the drive. Of course, there is some leeway in the size of box that you can use, but ideally, it should be about twice the size of the actual component that you're shipping.
5. Use enough packing material that the drive cannot move inside the box.
You should completely fill the space inside the box with packing material. This prevents the drive from moving around in the box and possibly sustaining damage during the shipping process.
6. Use foam padding or similar packing material to protect your drive.
Foam padding is one of the best materials to use in packing your drive. It doesn't convey static electricity and is soft enough to cushion any blows if the box is dropped or mishandled. Bubble wrap works reasonably well. You should avoid using Styrofoam peanuts as they can convey static which could further damage your hard drive.
7. Use a well established courier company.
Since you're spending considerable time, money and effort to retrieve your data, it's clearly very important to you. With that in mind it makes sense to ship it via a well known and first class shipping company such as FedEx or UPS. If you try to cut corners with a bargain basement shipping company you never know what kind of service you'll get. Your hard drive is a sensitive instrument and excessive bumping or knocking can render the drive inoperable and you may lose your data permanently.
8. Consider shipping insurance for your package.
If you have a significant financial interest in the data contained on your drive, it may be worth buying shipping insurance to provide a financial benefit if the package is damaged in transit. It's not a bad idea to use a trackable shipping option so you can locate your package if it doesn't arrive on time.
9. Make sure you include all relevant contact data inside the box.
Of course you'll have a return address and contact number on the outside of the box, but make sure you also have your contact details and a brief summary of the problem attached to the drive on the inside of the box as well. Often the outside box gets discarded and your contact info can be lost if it's not directly attached to the drive.
10. Let your data recovery service know when to expect the drive.
Once your drive has been sent, let the data recovery company know when it was shipped and approximately when they can expect to receive it. If the drive is late arriving they can let you know and you can follow up with the shipping company to find out what is causing the delay.
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