Data Recovery from Water Damaged Devices

How does water affect devices?

When water comes into contact with electronic devices, it affects both the external and internal hardware and can even potentially cause corrosion.

Water damage can generally be classified in three categories – general water damage, flood damage, and saltwater damage. General water damage differs from flood damage in that the device is generally exposed to water for a shorter amount of time – when a phone is dropped in the sink, for example. What’s more, the water is likely to be cleaner than that found in flood damage. Saltwater damage has the potential to be far more damaging, as it speeds up the process of corrosion. 

Ontrack can get your data back

We can recover data from the following water damaged devices :

• Laptops
• Desktops
• Servers
• External hard drives
• Mobile phones
• Tablet
• SD cards
• And more…

At Ontrack, we understand that no two recoveries are the same. Our dedicated data recovery specialists will work with you to determine the best course of action for your data recovery. From the initial consultation to ongoing support, we keep the process straightforward and transparent, ensuring you’re kept up to date every step of the way.

How fast do you need your data back?

We understand that when data is lost, timing can be critical. So we offer different services to meet your needs.

Please note: These average turnaround times and can vary depending on the severity of the water damage, the quantity of data, and data transfer speeds. 

What should I do if my device has water damage?

Time is of the essence when it comes to recovering data from water damaged hard drives.

If your device has been submerged for hours, days or longer, the water has more of a chance of filtering through the outer layers to vital components inside. Once it reaches these components, it can cause further damage, adding another level of difficulty to the recovery.

However, if the same level of exposure only happens for seconds, even if it causes the hard drive to fail, it’s more likely that the internal components can be repaired, and the data successfully recovered.

• If your device has been damaged by water, do not try to dry out your hard drive!
  
• Drying out your device after water damage starts the corrosion of the media, so avoid hair dryers, putting the device in rice or any other home remedies which may increase the risk of data loss. Instead, just pat the device with a towel to remove any excess water (so it’s not dripping) and wrap the device securely for transit.
  
• Then ship it to us so we can take care of the data recovery and repair process, right from the start. Doing this within a week of the initial damage will help prevent corrosion. If the device starts to corrode, it lessens the chance of a successful data recovery. 

How the data recovery process works

Four straightforward steps to recover your lost data

Leave it to us…

Eagerness to access lost data leads many people to attempt to fix their devices themselves or take them to general IT support providers rather than experienced data recovery experts.

While you might think it’s ‘worth a try’ before committing to anything more serious, these methods can cause more harm than good and may even lead to permanent data loss.So, before you try putting your liquid damaged device into the freezer for a ‘quick fix’ or opening it up at home, give us a call – we’ll be more likely to get your data back if we’re starting from scratch. 

Call Us:1800 316 658

Common Questions Related to Water Damaged Devices

Have more questions? Contact us directly and our customer service team will gladly help with data recovery for your water damaged device.

Start your data recovery now with a free consultation.

Contact our team of experts. Ontrack accommodates everyone – from the largest government or enterprise organisation to an individual who may have lost their digital photos and everyone in between.