Recovering my files if it's possible

[Saiiid]

hello everyone and i appreciate anyone who can helps me for real i need you a lot

so i have like you see i have 3 internal hard drives working and a 4th external hard drive that has stopped working but i have a work on it that i cannot lose please if there's any idea to recover my files let me know i really need them

and thanks 

 

[vanished]

First the obligatory "we are not professionals and the best thing you can do to maximize your chances of a successful recovery are to take the drive to a professional - anything you do to it yourself, be it a recommendation from this forum or otherwise, has the chance to simply damage the data and chances of recovery further".

 

With that said, there are various home data recovery programs out there.  I know of "recuva" and used it once on Linux to (iirc) good success. nvm apparently it's windows only and I forgot the name of what I used either way, that is one option for you.

[Electronics Wizardy]

Id make a image of the drive with ddrescue before you do anything else to it.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

If the files really are that important, take the drive to a professional.  It'll be expensive, but it will dramatically increase the odds of getting those files back.  I'm not aware of too many people actually recovering files from dying drives with just some freeware tools.  Undeleting them after accidentally formatting the drive,yes.  But getting them back once the file system or the drive itself fails is a whole other problem. 

 

That being said, if the drive still runs and you want to take the risk of doing it yourself, making an image of it is the first priority.  as per @Electronics Wizardy suggestion, ddrescue is pretty much the go-to tool for that. 

Then try to recover data from the image, not from the hard drive itself.  Leave that drive alone so you can take it to a professional if your own attempts to recover your files fail. 

 

I assume you are now painfully aware of the importance of backups, so I won't rub that in too much. 

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

If the files are really important, I wouldn't even try to make an image of the drive since just running the drive could cause further data loss, assuming the data can be recovered. It will be much safer to send it in for professional data recovery. @Lord Xeb and @SSD Sean can suggest where you can send the drive. Warning: it will be expensive!

 

While a little late for your present problem, you need to look into setting up a backup scheme so that, if something like this happens again, you will be able to quickly, easily, and inexpensively recover your data. 

[Pickles von Brine]

The following companies I would suggest:
Drive Savers
Salvage Data
We Recover Data

If this is a WD external, removing it from its enclosure is not advised. WD drives in enclosures are SED (Self Encrypting Drives) and require special tools to recover the encryption key for data and surface area access. Hopefuly the drive is not in too bad a shape. 

If sending out for data recovery, the 3 companies above do the following:
1) No data no charge (Salvage Data sometimes has an attempt fee depending on dificulty, but this is rare. Not sure if policy has changed since I worked there...)
2) Free diagnostics and quote
3) I know drive savers doesn't charge for shipping. I cannot remember if the others do as well. 
4) They offer financing when needed. Data will not be sent till debt is paid. 

For a recovery expect to pay between $400-$2000. In rare cases, it can be more. Generally, the longer you are willing wait, the less you pay. The only way to know for sure what the cost is is to send it out. Again, no charge. If you say no, not an issue. They will just ship the drive back. 
Also, DO NOT OPEN THE DRIVE UP! DATA RECOVERY COMPANIES HATE THAT!!!!!! They will usually charge a previously opened drive fee. Some will downright decline the job. Furthermore, you risk your data if you do! 

If you live in the US, these companies will also do free shipping both ways if I recall correctly. Either way, not a bad deal. I know drive savers ships you a box, you put your drive in, ship it back. 

[Kilrah]

https://rossmanngroup.com/data-recovery-service-nyc/

 

7 hours ago, Lady Fitzgerald said:

you need to look into setting up a backup scheme so that, WHEN something like this happens again

FTFY...

[Pickles von Brine]

They are also pretty good as well. Though not sure how much experience they have. The bigger companies will have more tools and experience at their disposal. No offense to Louis. 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

@Kilrah I would agree on the "when" except some people get lucky.  I've had many drives that never died before I retired them for whatever reason but that was just luck. I do agree that it is better to expect a drive to fail sooner or later and take measures to mitigate the damage from failure (i.e. make and maintain backups!). Backups also have the added advantage of protecting from other causes of data loss other than drive failure, such as user error (such as accidental deletion or formatting), viruses and other malware (such as ransomware), disasters (such as fire, flood, getting dropped, etc.), power surges that blow through any surge protection you may have, theft, etc.

 

@Lord Xeb Thanks for chiming in!

[Pickles von Brine]

7 hours ago, Lady Fitzgerald said:

@Kilrah I would agree on the "when" except some people get lucky.  I've had many drives that never died before I retired them for whatever reason but that was just luck. I do agree that it is better to expect a drive to fail sooner or later and take measures to mitigate the damage from failure (i.e. make and maintain backups!). Backups also have the added advantage of protecting from other causes of data loss other than drive failure, such as user error (such as accidental deletion or formatting), viruses and other malware (such as ransomware), disasters (such as fire, flood, getting dropped, etc.), power surges that blow through any surge protection you may have, theft, etc.

 

@Lord Xeb Thanks for chiming in!

Any time!