Hong Kong Data Recovery and Data Rescue Services

Data Recovery Assessment by Device and Failure Condition

Vector Data Recovery (HK) Company Limited provides data recovery services for hard drives, SSDs, USB flash drives, memory cards, and server and RAID storage systems. If a device cannot be read, data has been accidentally deleted, or another fault has occurred, you may first send it in for a free inspection; we will assess it and provide a quotation based on the device’s condition.

• Hard Drive Data Recovery: Assessment of unreadable hard drives, accidental deletion, hardware faults, and similar situations.
• SSD Data Recovery: Inspection of the solid-state drive and failure condition to assess the scope of possible recovery and the cost.
• USB and Memory Card Data Recovery: Assessment of data loss, unreadability, and other issues affecting USB flash drives and memory cards.
• RAID/Server Data Recovery: Assessment of servers that cannot boot, issues after a hard drive replacement, or data problems that occur after a RAID rebuild.

We are a Sandisk Asia-Pacific Platinum-tier third-party data recovery service provider, as can be verified on the Sandisk official website.

We are a Western Digital data recovery partner, as can be verified on the Western Digital official website.

No fee is charged if data cannot be recovered; a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) can be signed on request. Accepting a quotation does not guarantee that all data can be recovered.

When enquiring about “data recovery”, “data rescue”, or “data repair”, please state the device type, what happened leading up to the fault, and whether the device is unreadable or individual files cannot be opened, so that we can understand the issue to be assessed.

If a hard drive makes unusual noises, please shut it down immediately and avoid powering it on again. Please feel free to contact us first to discuss arrangements for sending in your device, and refer to the service process, pricing details, and frequently asked questions.

Before sending in your device, you can view the key preparation and acceptance points for each device type: Hard Drive Data Recovery, SSD Data Recovery, RAID and Server Data Recovery, USB and Memory Card Data Recovery. Each page summarises fault records, data lists, and arrangements to be confirmed before submission.

Submission for Inspection and Assessment: NVMe SSDs, Mac/APFS Storage Devices, Encrypted Devices, and NAS/RAID Systems

Vector can accept NVMe SSDs, Mac/APFS storage devices, encrypted devices with BitLocker/FileVault enabled, and NAS/RAID systems for inspection and assessment. Please provide the make and model, what happened leading up to the fault, and the data required; for encrypted devices, please first state whether they can be unlocked normally.

Whether recovery is possible, the scope of recovery, and the quotation can only be confirmed after inspection. Acceptance for inspection and assessment does not guarantee the recovery of all data, nor does it mean encryption can be cracked or bypassed.

Faults are generally classified as software or hardware problems. Software problems generally include:

• Computer viruses
• Accidental deletion of files or emails
• Partition damage
• Overwritten files
• Corrupted files
• System damage
• Hardware problems generally include:
• Damaged read/write heads
• Motor failure
• Circuit-board failure
• Scratched platters
• Water damage
• Bad sectors

A software problem generally means that the storage medium’s hardware is functioning normally but the data cannot be read. The recovery process mainly consists of reconstructing and organising the data retained on the storage medium. When data loss is caused by formatting, accidental deletion or viruses, the data that remains and the extent of damage must first be examined before the possibility of recovery can be assessed; it cannot be guaranteed that all data will be recovered intact.

When data cannot be read because of a hardware problem, we repair and replace faulty parts in a Class 100 cleanroom so that data can be recovered. Because storage media come in many designs and each brand or model uses different parts, we maintain a comprehensive parts inventory for most media to support our professional data recovery services.

We can also handle servers; common problems include:

1. Failure to start normally
2. Failure to start after hard-drive replacement
3. Original data overwritten after RAID rebuilding

Servers generally consist of two or more hard drives. Our first step is to resolve the hardware problem. For example, when the heads of two hard drives are damaged, we need to make a complete image of both drives, then analyse and rebuild the entire RAID in order to restore the data. The structures of servers, systems and RAID vary by brand; with our extensive experience, there is a good chance of recovering the data.

If you wish to use data recovery software
If you want to install data recovery software and try recovery yourself, please make sure not to install the software on the hard drive with the problem. You must also make sure that the hard drive has no other hardware problems; otherwise the situation may become more serious.

Do not power it on
If a hard drive makes clicking noises, disconnect the power. Powering a damaged hard drive may cause serious damage.

Data deleted during reorganisation
Under normal circumstances, the data can be recovered. However, if a reorganised hard drive is used for a long time, the data recovery rate may be reduced.

Hard drive subjected to impact
Most people believe that a hard drive with physical damage cannot be repaired. In fact, as long as the platters are not seriously damaged, there is still a chance that the data can be recovered.

Hard drive flooded with water
If a hard drive has been flooded with water, the data can still be recovered, but do not power it on or clean it; send it to us for handling.

• Unix
• Solaris
• Linux
• Macintosh
• MS-DOS
• Windows 98/ME NT4.0/Server
• Windows 2000 Pro/Server
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Embedded
• Windows XP/Vista/7
• etc.

• Desktop / Laptop
• Server
• Tape
• Floppy disk
• Mobile device

• FAT16
• FAT32
• NTFS
• NSS
• HFS+
• EXT2/3/4
• RFS
• RAID volume
• etc.