Here at EADR we see many hard drives described on the phone to us as “clickers”. Usually, the client themselves has done some on line research and made the assumption there’s a problem with the read/write head or some other mechanical issue. However, our experience in working with thousands of clicking hard disk drives tells us it could be something entirely different!
Recently a customer phoned us in panic (not unusual) because their hard drive had failed. It was clicking and they’d taken it to their local computer repair company advertising data recovery services. Whilst in many situations they can help, in this particular case the local company could not get access to the data and told the client their drive had a mechanical issue needing specialist attention. The client was referred to us and called for an informal chat.
We examined the hard disk and found the drive was not accessible, however, some routine diagnostics coupled with many years of experience led us to find the main Controller on the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) was to blame. So we transferred the adaptive data to a replacement PCB – and, bingo, we could get at the hard drive! Furthermore, we were able to recover all their data. The client was happy as there was no need for us to carry out invasive works and open the drive up in our Clean Chamber, which meant we were able to keep costs to a minimal level.
What if my hard drive is clicking?
If you’re faced with a clicking hard drive and worried about losing important data, we would always recommend you seek impartial advice from a data recovery specialist. In experienced hands you’ll have the best possible chance of recovering your precious information. A good data recovery professional should provide you with some ballpark figures and if you're happy with the price range, offer a no obligation inspection service. They will be able to report the exact fault with your particular device and provide an accurate quotation for specialist data recovery works, often on a No Recovery, No Fee basis. This means that you are only liable for the data recovery fees if they are successful in getting your data back for you.
Computer repair businesses are not the same as data recovery specialists. Our intimate knowledge of how hard drives work and more importantly, how to fix them when they go wrong means we know what work is required to get around any particular problem. We also have the appropriate tooling and equipment and sterile conditions to carry out the repairs.
If you would like to know whether it is possible to recover your data then please feel free to call us for completely free, no obligation advice. And if you’d like to know more about what we do, just ask. EADR – The Data Recovery Specialists.