Expert Hard Drive Recovery: Restore Your Lost Data Safely

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Unlock Your Lost Data:
Seamlessly Recover From Any Hard Drive

Wondershare Recoverit excels at data recovery on all types and brands of hard drives. Whether it's a standard hard drive disk (HDD) or an advanced solid-state drive (SSD), this professional hard drive recovery software restores your lost files with just a few clicks. Explore the various hard drives compatible with Recoverit for seamless recovery.

Types of Hard Drives

Internal Hard Drives

PATA (IDE, EIDE), SATA, PCle, M.2, U.2,
mSATA, SATA Express, SCSI, SAS, NVMe,
Fiber Channel

External Hard Drives

USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB-C, eSATA,
FireWire, Thunderbolt

NAS Hard Drives

USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB-C, eSATA,
FireWire, Thunderbolt

Hard Drive Brands

Western Digital

Seagate

Toshiba

Samsung

Dell

Fujitsu

HP

Synology

QNAP

Lacie

etc.

Recoverit takes data recovery to the next level by supporting encrypted hard drives, including those secured with Windows BitLocker or Apple T2, M1, and M2 encryption. This advanced feature ensures that you can recover your lost or deleted files even from the most secure storage devices. With Recoverit, you can confidently recove data from encrypted HDDs/SSDs without compromising the security of your valuable information.

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Rescue Your Data, Defy Data Loss:
Recover From Hard Drives in Any Situation

Data loss can occur for a variety of reasons. Recoverit is designed to help you retrieve lost and deleted files from more than 500 data loss scenarios. Whether you're facing accidental deletion, system crashes, or corrupted drives, Recoverit is at your service to help you regain access to your valuable data.

Accidental Deletions

We create, update, save, and delete files in our daily work life. It’s no wonder that sometimes, you delete or overwrite files by accident. Recoverit will restore data from a hard drive even if it was deleted using Shift+Delete or you emptied the Recycle Bin.

Hard Drive Formatting

Accidentally formatting the wrong hard drive or partition is quite common, and sometimes formatting is necessary to repair a corrupted drive. This hard drive recovery tool can efficiently recover data from a formatted hard drive or partition.

Hard Drive Failure

A failing hard drive can lead to file disappearing, data corruption, or bad sectors on disk. Recoverit proficiently recovers data in most logical and mechanical hard disk failures, but for severe mechanical cases, you will need a professional data recovery service.

Computer Virus and
Malware Infections

A B2B international survey revealed that 35% of IT specialists experienced data loss due to malware infections. Computer viruses are a genuine threat. Luckily, Recoverit can quickly get your lost files back no matter the type of malware deleted.

Liquid Damage

Electronics and liquids are a dangerous combination. Spilling coffee or water on your PC risks short-circuiting the device, rendering data inaccessible. This hard drive recovery software can scan the affected disk and safely retrieve your valuable data.

OS Crash

Having problems with the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), Black Screen of Death, or MacBook stuck on the Apple logo? Worry not. With Recoverit, you can create a bootable USB and copy files from the crashed computer to a secure location, saving you from significant data loss.

RAW File System

Internal or external hard drives may display as a RAW file system due to format failure, power outages, etc., rendering the device unusable and files inaccessible. This hard drive recovery software is able to scan and recover data from RAW hard drives.

Partition Loss

Accidentally deleting a partition from the hard disk, hardware issues, and many other things can cause a hard drive partition to become unreadable. Wondershare Recoverit can efficiently restore lost partitions and recover the valuable data stored within.

Restore Your Precious Files:
Effortlessly Retrieve Any File Types From Your Hard Drive

Supporting over 1000 distinct file signatures during a deep scan, Wondershare Recoverit guarantees comprehensive recovery of your documents, photos, videos, and other vital data on your HDD or SSD, ensuring no essential files are left behind.

Images

JPEG, JPG, PNG, PSD, RAW, RGB，3FR, ABM, AFX, ANI, ARW, BIZ, BLD, BLEND, BMP, CAD, etc.

Videos

MP4, MOV, AVI, FLV, M4V, WMV, MXF, AVI, MKV, MPEG, MPEG4, MPG, MTS, AVCHD, BRAW, R3D, etc.

Audios

MP3, AAC, FLAC, OGG, WAV, WMA, AA3, AAC, AC3, ACC, AFC, AIF, AIFC, AIFF, AM, AMR, APE, etc.

Office Files

DOC, DOCX, RTF, DOT, DOTX, DOTM, ODT, WordML, XLS, XLSX, XLTX, PPT, PPTX, PPSX, PDF, PDF/A, etc.

Outlook & Archives

EDB, EML, EMLX, MAIL, MBX, MSG, OEB, PAB, PST, WAB, 7Z, BZ, BZIP, CAB, JAR, WAR, ZIP, ZIPX, etc.

Other Files

BQY, BTR, CAP, HTM, HTML, ASPX, ACM, ACP, ADT, AFM, API, ARX, MHT, MHTML, PHP, etc.

Can't see your files listed? Don't worry, Recoverit can retrieve virtually any file type stored on your hard drive. Check full techspecs>>.

How To Recover Deleted or Lost Files From Hard Drives

To recover lost or deleted files from a hard disk, follow the steps below. First, ensure you have downloaded and installed the hard drive recovery software on your Windows PC or Mac. Recoverit allows you to scan and preview files at no cost.

Avoid downloading and installing Wondershare Recoverit on the disk that experienced data loss to prevent overwriting the files you want to store. If your main hard drive has lost data, use a USB drive for downloading and installing the software.

User Reviews for Recoverit Hard Drive Recovery

recoverit hard drive recovery software user 1

ARYEH-OR on Trustpilot

EXCEPTIONAL PRODUCT!!!

I'd taken my failed SSD drive to 2 diff brick and mortar data recovery shops in LAand they both quoted me $500 plus and weeks of time...
As a last Hail Mary before biting the financial bullet, I gave Wondershare Recoverit a shot. Soooooo glad I did! Managed to pull 1.68 TB off a 1 TB SSD drive (overloaded time machine is what caused the lock up/crash). It basically did the impossible. I didn't know you could cram in or for that matter recover so much data beyond a drive's "max capacity"
For a mere $100 I had all my precious data back within 24 hours, prob less time but I just walked away and let the comp do its thing.

recoverit hard drive recovery software user 2

Mike on Trustpilot

SSD cannot access but Recoverit saved 214 Videos!!!

Recently I've had some SSD failures, so I switched over to some old school HDD's since. However, before I did switch I had 214 videos stored on one Patriot SSD and Windows 10 would not read it. Cannot access, tried multiple things and finally just bought Recoverit since I was familiar with and owned their other products like PDF, and Repairit.

Chances of Successful Hard Drive Data Recovery

Two primary factors influence the success rate of hard drive data recovery: file overwriting and the extent of sector damage. When a file is deleted from a disk, it disappears from the hard drive, and the sectors holding its data become free space. However, the file remains recoverable until you overwrite the sectors containing the file's contents with new data. If a disk suffers physical damage, reconstruction is possible, provided the damage isn't excessive.

High

File Deletion

When a file or folder is deleted from a hard disk, it only removes the information pointing to its location on the disk. The actual file remains intact until overwritten with new data. Therefore, even if you have emptied the Recycle Bin, still highly possible to recover your deleted files and folders.

High

Formatting or Partitioning Errors

The most frequently used formatting technique, known as Quick format in Windows, simply reconstructs the file system structure without overwriting the existing data. So, data recovery is possible from a hard drive that has undergone this type of formatting. Conversely, more secure formatting methods, such as the Full format in Windows, make data recovery difficult.

High

File System Corruption

Issues such as operating system errors, improper shutdowns, or malware can cause the file system to become unreadable. In many cases, it’s possible to recover data from corrupted hard drive using data recovery software since the actual files are still intact on the disk.

Moderate to High

Firmware or System Area Corruption

A hard disk is composed of sectors that are organized into blocks. These blocks are utilized by the hard disk's firmware for wear-leveling purposes. When an excessive number of blocks fail or become corrupted, the hard disk might become inoperable. Despite this, the data stored on it should still be repairable and recoverable using the techniques outlined on this page.

Moderate

Mechanical Failure
(Head Crash, Motor)

The mechanical failures typically affect the hard drive's ability to access and read the data, rather than causing direct harm to the data itself. In such cases, the data remains intact on the disk platters, allowing for potential recovery. The possibility of data recovery depends on the severity of the damage and the affected components.

Moderate

Electronic component failure

Data loss caused by damage to electronic components of a disk, such as PCB or power supply, can be recoverable if the damage isn't too severe and doesn't directly affect the data on the disk. Electronic component failures typically impact the drive's functionality rather than the stored data, which usually remains intact despite malfunctioning components, allowing for potential recovery.

Low

Severe physical damage

A hard drive with extreme physical damage, such as exposure to fire or crushing force, rendering it unrecognizable by any device, might not be recoverable using only hard drive recovery software. Although the best hard drive recovery services can sometimes extract data from physically damaged hard disks, successful recovery is not guaranteed in such cases.

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Tips to Maximize Your Success in Hard Drive Data Recovery

We mentioned the two major factors that can impact the success rate of disk data recovery. Based on these factors, the following tips can help improve the success rate of recovery:

Tip 1: Stop Using the Hard Drive Immediately

As soon as you notice data loss or drive issues, stop using the hard drive to prevent further damage or data overwriting.
Tip 2: Take Notice of Unusual Noises

If you notice unusual noises emanating from your drive, it is a strong indicator that you might be facing an imminent hard drive crash. In such cases, it is crucial to transfer your data to a secure location promptly.
Tip 3: Install the Recovery Software in a Safe Location

If the lost files are located on the main hard drive, it's recommended to download, install, and execute hard disk recovery software from a USB drive. This approach helps prevent any inadvertent overwriting of the deleted data.
Tip 4: Use Reliable Data Recovery Software

If the hard disk is still functional and the data loss is due to logical issues, use a reputable and reliable data recovery software like Wondershare Recoverit to attempt data retrieval.
Tip 5: Recover Files to a New Location

Avoid attempting to recover your data onto the same disk where it was initially stored. Doing so may result in overwriting or corrupting files during the recovery process, causing them to become irretrievably lost.

Comparison Chart of the Best Hard Drive Recovery Software

With numerous software applications claiming expertise in data recovery from hard drives, it can be overwhelming to identify the optimal solution for your specific requirements. To simplify your decision-making process, we have meticulously assembled a detailed comparison of five highly regarded hard drive recovery tools for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

	Wondershare Recoverit	Disk Drill	MiniTool Power Data Recovery	EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard	Recuva
OS Support	Windows, Mac, Linux	Windows, Mac	Windows	Windows, Mac	Windows
Supported Hard Drive File Systems	exFAT, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, ReFS, HFS+, Encrypted HFS, HFSX, APFS, BTRFS, XFS, BFS, EXT4	exFAT, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, HFS+, APFS, EXT2/3/4	FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, VFAT, NTFS, NTFS5	FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, HFS+, ReFS, EXT2/3	exFAT, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, EXT2/3/4
Supported File Types	1000+	400+	100+	1000+	50+
IDE/SCSI/PATA/SATA/USB/PCIe Connection Support					Partial Support
BitLocker/T2/M1/M2 Encrypted Drive Recovery		Partial Support		Partial Support
External Hard Drive Recovery
NAS Hard Drive Recovery
Disk Image Recovery
Lost Partition Recovery
Unbootable Hard Drive Recovery
Bad Sectors Recovery			Partial Support
Document/Photo/Video Repair				Partial Support
Quick and Deep Scan
Resume Scanning Process
File Preview			Partial Support		Partial Support
Price	Starts at $59.99	$89	Starts at $69	Starts at $69.95	Starts at $24.95

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In Cases Where Software Recovery Falls Short

As previously mentioned, software-based solutions often cannot recover severely damaged hard drives alone. The best course of action is often to seek professional data recovery services. These experts possess the knowledge, tools, and cleanroom facilities required to handle such complex cases. Here are the general steps involved in recovering data from a severely physically damaged hard drive through a hard drive recovery service.

Step 1

Search Google for a Recovery Center Near You

Look for a well-established and experienced data recovery service provider with a track record of successfully recovering data from physically damaged drives.

Step 2

Contact the Hard Drive Recovery Service Provider

Reach out to the chosen service provider and explain the situation, providing details about the physical damage sustained by the hard drive.

Step 3

Assessment and Evaluation

The hard drive recovery service will perform an initial assessment of the damaged hard drive to determine the extent of the damage and the potential for data recovery. They may provide you with an evaluation report and a quote for the recovery process.

Step 4

Ship the Drive to the Service Provider

If you agree to proceed with the data recovery service, you will need to provide authorization and sign any necessary agreements or consent forms. Then, ship your hard disk to the service provider.

Step 5

Recovery Process

The data recovery experts will carefully disassemble the damaged hard disk in a cleanroom environment to protect the internal components from further harm. They will employ specialized techniques and tools to extract and recover data from the damaged drive.

Step 6

Data Extraction and Restoration

Once the data is successfully extracted from the damaged drive, the data recovery service will transfer it to a new storage device or medium. They will work to restore the recovered data to its original, usable state.

Step 7

Delivery of Recovered Data

The hard drive recovery service will provide you with the recovered data on a suitable storage device or through a secure file transfer method, depending on your preferences.

Comparison Chart of Hard Drive Recovery Software and Service

	Hard Drive Recovery Software	Hard Drive Recovery Service
Operation Type	DIY	Professional Lab
Speed	Several minutes to hours	24 hours or more
Reliability	Moderate to high	High
Cost	Under $100	Over $100
Privacy	High	Low

It's important to note that the success of data recovery from severely physically damaged hard drives can vary depending on the extent of the damage and other factors. Additionally, the cost of professional hard drive recovery services can be relatively high. However, in critical situations where valuable data is at stake, professional data recovery services offer the best chance of recovering the lost information.

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How To Repair Logical Disk Failure and Retrieve Data Without
a Data Recovery Software

When encountering a logical disk failure, you can attempt to repair the issue and retrieve data without relying on hard disk recovery tools by applying the fixes below:

Run CHKDSK Utility

Windows has a built-in utility called CHKDSK (Check Disk) that can scan and repair logical hard drive issues. To use it, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows key + X and click on Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
2. Type chkdsk X: /f in the command prompt, where X is the drive letter of the affected hard drive. Press Enter.
3. The CHKDSK utility will scan and fix any logical errors on the drive. Restart the computer once the process is complete.

Repair Disk on Mac with Disk Utility

For Mac users, the built-in Disk Utility tool can help address logical hard drive issues by scanning and repairing the affected drive. To use Disk Utility, follow these steps:

1. Launch Disk Utility from Applications > Utilities.
2. Select the affected hard drive from the left panel.
3. Click on the First Aid button and then click Run to start the repair process.

Check Your Disk Using Windows Explorer

To check your HDD or SSD for errors and fix them without relying on typing CHKDSK commands, Windows Explorer provides a user-friendly option. Follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the hard drive you want to check for errors and select Properties.
2. In the Properties window that appears, navigate to the Tools tab.
3. Click on Check in the Error.
4. Choose Scan drive from the prompt that appears.
5. If any errors are detected, you will have the option to fix them.

Manually Fixing Bad Sectors Using Linux

Bad sectors can cause data corruption and read/write errors on your hard drive. You can use a Linux operating system, like Ubuntu, to manually detect and fix bad sectors on the affected hard drive. Here's how:

1. Create a bootable USB drive with a Linux operating system like Ubuntu.
2. Boot your computer using the bootable USB drive.
3. Open the terminal and type sudo badblocks -v /dev/sdX, where X is the letter assigned to the affected hard drive.
4. If bad sectors are detected, you can fix them using the fsck command.
Type sudo fsck /dev/sdX and press Enter.

Rebuild the File System for Data Recovery

Sometimes, rebuilding the file system on the affected hard drive can help recover data and fix logical errors. To rebuild the file system, follow these steps:

1. Backup your important data to an external storage device or cloud service.
2. Format the affected hard drive using the appropriate file system (NTFS for Windows, HFS+ for Mac, ext4 for Linux).
3. Restore the backed-up data to the formatted hard drive.

Fix MBR (Master Boot Record) or GPT (GUID Partition Table)

Issues with the MBR or GPT can cause boot problems and partition-related errors on your hard drive. To repair the MBR or GPT, follow these steps:

1. Boot your computer using a Windows installation disc or USB drive.
2. Select Repair your computer and then choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
3. Type bootrec /fixmbr (for MBR) or bootrec /fixgpt (for GPT) to repair the respective partition table.

Update Hard Disk Drivers

When the hard disk drivers encounter malfunctions, it can result in negative repercussions. The solution is to prompt Windows to update them by following these instructions:

1. Press Win + X simultaneously.
2. Select Device Manager.
3. Navigate to Disk drives and right-click on your hard drive.
4. Choose the Update drivers option.
5. Opt for Search automatically for updated driver software.

Assign a New Drive Letter

In certain cases, a logical error may cause the assigned drive letter of a hard drive to be lost, resulting in inaccessibility. To regain access to your files, you can manually assign a new drive letter using the following steps:

1. Press the Windows key + X simultaneously. This will open the Power User Menu.
2. From the Power User Menu, select Disk Management.
3. Right-click on the hard drive that has become inaccessible in the Disk Management window.
4. click on Change Drive Letter and Paths from the context menu that appears.
5. click on the Add button.
6. Select a new drive letter from the drop-down menu and click OK to confirm the selection.
7. Once the new drive letter is assigned, you should be able to regain access to your files on the hard drive.

Run S.M.A.R.T Tests

Modern SSDs and HDDs are equipped with self-checking capabilities that allow you to assess their overall "health" based on various metrics. These capabilities are part of the S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) feature. Although Windows doesn't include built-in tools for running S.M.A.R.T. tests, you can use a free third-party tool like CrystalDiskMark for this purpose.

1. Download, install and launch CrystalDiskMark.
2. Check the health status of your drives in the displayed list.
3. Select the drive you want to test.
4. Configure the test settings, such as test size and type.
5. Click Start to initiate the S.M.A.R.T. test.
6. Review the test results, including performance metrics and any S.M.A.R.T. attribute warnings or errors.

Use Manufacturer's Tools

Every storage device manufacturer provides official tools for evaluating and testing the conditions and performance of their products. As the usage and functionality of these tools vary, we won't delve into the specifics. You can locate them on the official website of your device's manufacturer, typically in the Support section. Check the guidance regarding popular brands:

· Samsung· Seagate
· Toshiba· Western Digital

Please note that these methods may not guarantee complete data recovery, especially if the drive has severe logical issues or physical damage. In such cases, consult a professional hard drive recovery service.

Preventive Actions to Avoid Hard Disk Data Loss

Hard drive corruption is a common occurrence, and unfortunately, data loss can sometimes be unavoidable. However, you can minimize the risk of potential failure and take better care of your hard drive by following these tips:

Tip 1: Regular backups

Schedule regular backups of your important data to an external storage device or cloud service. This ensures you have a copy of your data in case of hard disk failure.

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Tip 1: Regular backups

Schedule regular backups of your important data to an external storage device or cloud service. This ensures you have a copy of your data in case of hard disk failure.
Tip 2: Disk health monitoring

Utilize hard disk monitoring tools to keep an eye on the overall health of your hard drive. These tools can alert you to potential issues before they become critical, allowing you to take preventive action.
Tip 3: Defragmentation

Periodically defragment your hard drive to optimize its performance and reduce the risk of data loss. Defragmentation consolidates fragmented files, making it easier for the hard drive to access and store data.
Tip 4: Virus protection

Install a reputable antivirus program and keep it updated to protect your computer from malware, viruses, and other threats that can lead to data loss or hard drive damage.
Tip 5: Safe shutdowns

Always shut down your computer properly to avoid data corruption or hard disk damage. Avoid forceful shutdowns or unplugging your computer without going through the proper shutdown process.
Tip 6: Update your software

Always shut down your computer properly to avoid data corruption or hard disk damage. Avoid forceful shutdowns or unplugging your computer without going through the proper shutdown process.