Why are files disappearing from my hard drive?
To recover missing files, download Ontrack's EasyRecovery software, which recovers up one gigabyte of deleted files free of charge. If files are consistently disappearing from the hard drive, it could indicate corruption of the file system. Corruption can occur if the computer isn't properly shut down or has lost power while writing data to the hard drive. Running the Windows CHKDSK program in Windows, or Apple Disk utility, if you're using a Mac, can fix minor file corruption and help prevent the problem from reoccurring.
Are there any fees for Ontrack Tech Support?
Ontrack Tech Support is free, and available Monday - Friday from 7:30 am - 6:00 pm Central Standard Time (CST).
Can Ontrack be trusted to handle extremely sensitive data?
Yes. Ontrack's Labs are ISO 27001 Certified. Ontrack also receives an annual SOC 2 (formerly SAS 70 II) report from a certified audit firm.
Can you repair a hard drive that isn’t spinning?
A hard drive that isn't spinning could indicate a mechanical problem. For the safety of your essential data, you should turn off the drive or computer as soon as possible and contact us for further advice. If a hard drive spins up and then stops after a few seconds, it could indicate damage to the platters inside the housing. Damage can occur when the read/write heads scrape the surface of the drive platters. This condition is known as a head crash. To ensure the potential for a successful data recovery, do not leave the drive powered on or allow it to cycle on and off. The longer a drive with a head crash is left running, the more damage that can occur.
Does hard drive data recovery always need to be performed in a cleanroom?
A cleanroom is a static and dustfree environment that protects a hard drive's platters during the data recovery process. If a hard drive has suffered mechanical failure or physical damage, the sealed mechanism will need to be opened in a cleanroom to access internal components such as the actuator assembly, read/write heads, and the magnetically-coated platters that hold data.