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External Hard Drive Data Recovery

External Hard Drive Recovery By the Experts

Our skilled engineers have successfully retrieved lost data from damaged and defective external hard drives since 2007. We have continued to develop new tools and techniques as external disks evolve and portable SSDs become more common.

This has enabled us to restore billions of files across many external devices, making us certified pros in our industry. Our team at Secure Data Recovery has decades of experience and has seen every failure type. Take advantage of our No Data, No Recovery Fee guarantee by giving us a call today.

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We Helped Thousands Get Their Lost Data Back

With over 5,843 satisfied customers and counting, we are proud to provide the service and results that exceed your expectations. Hear what they have to say.

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Data Recovery Services for Every External Drive

Our experts have the specialized hardware and software to handle failed external hard drives from any brand. We have resolved all data loss scenarios involving these devices over the past 16 years and counting. Our technicians have addressed drives damaged in drops and erased on accident. That means we have the tools, replacement parts, and a Class 10 ISO 4 cleanroom to help repair the drive. If the disk works but files are missing, we can use advanced recovery methods to locate and restore deleted data. No matter the issue, we can recover data from your device, as evidenced by our 96% success rate.

Partnerships With the Best Storage Companies

We maintain close partnerships with numerous data storage companies. That includes popular manufacturers of external drives. As a preferred partner, we have established our expertise across all external HDD and SSD lineups. In many cases, our service will not void your product warranty either. The leading brands trust our proven, secure process to deliver results in the most challenging conditions. Regardless of media, size, file system, or failure mode. Here are some of our partners.

External SSD Data Recovery

Our extensive experience with NAND flash storage has prepared us as more users choose SSDs over HDDs for external devices. While SSDs offer better performance and resilience than hard disk drives, the data loss events are often more complex. However, SSDs do not deter us. We have a large library of SSD controllers and state-of-the-art soldering stations for cases with physical damage. We also have cutting-edge software that provides low-level access to the device’s firmware and stored data. These tools allow our engineers to perform a wide range of recoveries on external SSDs.

Reviews for External Drive Cases

Average rating 4.9
This service was rated 4.9 out of 5.0 based on 563 review(s)
Mark Higgins

Great service

Recently had a portable drive failed with over 10 years of personal pictures/ videos on it. Spoke to Mark who was very helpful and explained the full process. Have manged to recovered over 99.9% of the data

Verified
Kim Horak

Elliot was great!

I had a traumatic loss of all the data on my laptop. Elliot helped me through getting my bad external hard drive to Secure Data Recovery and onto retrieving info that I thought was lost forever. He was patient and informative. Answered all my questions and definitely lessened my trauma.

Verified
Todd Mccoy

Eric Dvorin For the W

My experience with Secure Data Recovery Services were excellent. I had hundreds of gigabytes of very personal data, pictures, and life events on an old external hard drive and I thought for sure it was not going to be recovered.
Eric Dvorin was integral every step of the way throughout the process of recovering nearly all of my data. I can''t say enough about the quality of this company an... Read More

Verified
Dark Rays Of Sunshine

Fast Response Time, Understanding, Great Recovery

As a college student, I don''t have much money to spare, so I was particularly devastated to find out recovering the data on the $50 external hard drive I bought would cost $2.3k. When I told the person who was helping me Jonathan Nguyen, that I couldn''t pay the price, he was able to get the price lowered and offered to put me on a payment plan. Unfortunately, using their preferred method for a p... Read More

Verified
William Evans

Got Me Out of a Crisis

Hats off to Scott McMacken for getting me out of a crisis. He was great to work with and was very quick in responding. Had some files that I really needed related to three companies and several legal cases. I run dual backups, but my other drive crashed too! Scott saved me. Many thanks!

Verified
Tess Thomas

Highly recommend!

Eric Fisher and his team were such a pleasure to work with and did an amazing job. They were able to recover everything. I will absolutely come back to them for any future data recovery needs.

Verified

External HDD Data Recovery Process

1

Free
Consultation

Shut down the device as soon as you notice data loss. Contact us 24/7 for a free consultation.

2

Free
Diagnostics

Our experts diagnose the drive in a safe lab to preserve the original data.

3

Free
Quote

We give diagnostic details, an overview of recoverable data, and a precise quote. You can accept or reject the work.

4

Guaranteed
Results

Our team retrieves your files, backed by our No Data, No Recovery Fee guarantee. Payment is due upon proof of recovery.

Common Failures for External Drives

External disk drives and SSDs share the same design principles as built-in devices. So, while external drives have similar failures to internal storage, some malfunctions occur more frequently. Our track record of retrieving files from failed devices speaks for itself. These are a few of the most common failures:

Logical:

  • Deletion
  • Reformatting
  • Encryption

Physical:

  • Platter Damage
  • PCB Damage
  • Firmware Damage

Mechanical:

  • Head Crash
  • Motor Failure
  • Actuator Failure

Unlike hard drives, SSDs do not have moving parts. Therefore, SSDs have a number of unique failures that require a different approach. Here are some reasons that SSDs can suffer data loss:

  1. Physical Damage: SSDs could stop working due to damaged or defective connectors, components, or solder joints. Solid-state drives also have a limited amount of program/erase cycles. The device could encounter problems while reading or writing data as cells degrade.
  2. Electrical Issues: SSDs are susceptible to power surges and dips. Unstable voltage can ruin critical electronics on the drive’s board and lead to sudden data loss.
  3. Logical Errors: SSDs are not immune to file corruption, deleted data, or software bugs. In addition, these devices have several algorithms and processes that contribute to their function but can complicate cases.

Whatever the problem on external HDDs or SSDs, we can help resolve it.

External Hard Drive Repair

An external hard drive can have a higher risk of data loss because it is a compact, portable device. This role exposes them to bumps, drops, spills, debris, dust, and extreme temperatures. As a result, a broken disk often requires repairs to recover data. We have restored thousands of drives with severe physical, mechanical, and electrical damage in our best-in-class cleanroom. Whether you have damaged media or a defective controller, we can fix it.

Success Stories

Our service has set new standards since our founding in 2007. In that time, we have created a secure, transparent process and developed groundbreaking methods to reverse data loss. You can see that commitment to excellence in some of these success stories for external drives:

WD Blue HDD Crash Threatens Years of Personal Images

WD Blue HDD Crash Threatens Years of Personal Images

Images Recovered from WD Scorpio Blue HDD after severe mechanical failure

Images Recovered from WD Scorpio Blue HDD after severe mechanical failure

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How much does data recovery cost for external drives?

    It varies. The cost of data recovery depends on the difficulty of the job. Our pricing considers factors like the failure type, storage media, and investment required to retrieve lost files. Each of these details differs from case to case. Because of this, we provide free diagnostics and quotes. We will not charge You only charge you once we get your data back. Call now to learn more.

  • Are your results guaranteed?

    Yes. Our service offers a No Data, No Recovery Fee guarantee. You get your data back, or pay nothing.

  • Do you offer different service options?

    Yes. In addition to our standard option, we have expedited and emergency data recovery services. These options allow you to choose the plan that best fits your needs.

  • How long does the recovery process take?

    It depends. Emergency service is often less than 48 hours. An expedited case turns around between 4 and 6 days. Our standard plan averages between 7 and 12 days.

  • Are you certified?

    Yes. We are the service with the most industry-specific certifications. We partner with major manufacturers to achieve the best outcomes regardless of device or failure. However, we also undergo regular SSAE 18 SOC 1, 2, and 3 audits. These audits prove our security systems protect your personal and private data. Large companies, healthcare providers, government agencies, academic institutions, and home users trust us with their sensitive data. You can, too.

  • Do you have a cleanroom for invasive procedures?

    Yes. Our Class 10 ISO 4 cleanroom contains less than 10,000 nanoparticles per cubic meter. A cleanroom filters air and prevents harmful substances from contacting the platter of an HDD. Opening a drive outside a cleanroom increases the risk of permanent data loss.

  • How do you return my data?

    We transfer your data to an external drive of your choice and then safely ship your recovered files to you.

  • Can I recover my files with free data recovery software?

    Sometimes. However, software can also worsen the situation. None of these products can recover data from a damaged drive. Improper usage could cause permanent data loss. Consider a certified service if retrieving the data is essential. Your first attempt is your best shot.

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