How long does data recovery take?

The truth is it depends on a number of factors which are often only determined once the device has been evaluated by a data recovery specialist.

We work on an estimated 5-7 working days for a Standard rig based Recovery, 7-10 working days for Advanced engineering Recovery and advanced plus depends on the availability of spare parts. This is a very rough guideline, with simple recoveries often completed in a few days. On occasions it may take a few weeks to find the exact spare parts required for a fix for Advanced plus recoveries.

The most important thing to understand is that data recovery cannot be rushed. It is commercially in our interest to complete the recovery as quickly as possible, however we have to maintain engineering quality to ensure the best possible chances of getting your lost data back.

There are a number of factors that can contribute to varying timescales for Data Recovery.

• The type of device
  Different devices have their own unique faults, some of which may require a greater investment in time. For example RAID systems may require additional work to be rebuilt after the data has been recovered or USB devices may require chip removal and micro soldering. Some recoveries on Hard disk drives or SSDs may only require use of standard software techniques.
• The type of fault
  The type of fault can have a big impact on the timescale. This is most noticeable with Hard drive recoveries. If a hard drive is heavily damaged the recovery process could be significantly longer. Sometimes the fault itself causes a slow recovery, on other occasions we may need to slow down the recovery process to stabilise the drive and provide the best chance of retrieving the lost data. It is critical to avoid the drive completely failing before all the data is recovered.
• The amount and type of data to recover
  Modern hard drives and other devices can have huge storage capacities and the amount and type of files will have an impact on the timescale. Recovering fewer large files is often faster than many small files. In our experience it is the quantity of files rather than the file size that we have seen increase.
• The availability of spare parts
  There may be a delay due to the availability of spare parts. Whilst we keep many components in stock, it is impossible to carry spares for every variation of every device. With hard drive head assemblies used as a donor component, often there are other specific requirements to match than just the manufacturer and model.