I need help with MAC hardware.

[Lavinia]

Hello all tech savvy people! I need some help. My hard drive on my desktop crashed. Like totally crashed. I've removed the hard drive and tried to remove the data to an external unit. (yes I just said unit) giggity. The hard drive was slightly physically damaged. I have too much data on there to try myself and potentially lose everything. According to my LaciE I haven't backed it up for 5 years! So a ton of data.

Does anyone have any idea where to take it for recovery? I have been hearing it may cost upwards of a few thousand bucks. I am hoping to have it done for less, but I do need to make a last ditch attempt. Any reputable but smaller computer places for a better price? If someone on here could do it, I'd gladly pay you. I am hoping to find out whether it's recoverable before I sink a ton of money into it. Not even sure if that's an option...... Ahhhhh technology!!!!!!!

Thank you!

 

[Muffdiver69]

there are software solutions that have worked for me in the past. Not on a mac tho, just on windows. Was called GetDataBack.
Worked great and easy to use and only around $80 usd. But there are similar programs available on the mac side of things.
You will need a working computer tho so would have to buy a new hard drive and reinstall the mac OS and data recovery software.

if you prefer someone else to recover your data i would check with the several mac stores in the Vancouver area. They probably have the
backup software in house.

Once you do get things back...use your external "unit" or even 2 and do regular back ups of important files. I actually have 5 back ups
3 external drives that are kept off line and just used for back ups plus i have a NAS (network attached storage - kind of like your own personal
cloud)

and speaking of cloud. that is also another back up solution. There are many out there now. (like One Drive) Depending on how much space you need it could be for free
or a few dollars a month

 

[badbadboy]

If you used iCloud, some data will already be up there in the clouds waiting for you to download it to your new HDD.

Apple does recovery services at Pacific Centre. Sort of guessing that there may be some 'images' on your HDD so you may want to find a tech savvy friend to port what is recoverable to your new HDD.

 

[Lavinia]

Haha it's actually my personal work computer. So nothing naughty. Mainly gibberish to most people. But lot's of family photos and stuff. I have tried all of the recovery software. The computer is totally fried. It actually died when I was trying to back it up to Icloud. One of my dogs stepped on the power cord while it was booting up and pulled the plug out of the socket. Something happened that toasted it. Not sure what but it's dead. I can't physically put the hard drive back in for fear of damaging it further.

 

[hornygandalf]

MacStation has gone out of business, otherwise I'd suggest starting with them. I'm not sure about it costing thousands of dollars, but could be hundreds.
Maybe start by talking to these people to see what they think it might cost. They'll take a look and give you a free quote.
http://www.restoringdata.ca/vancouver-data-recovery.html

I know in theory there is a reasonable chance you should be able to recover some, if not all the data. But the technical side I'd leave to someone else.
All the best on that.

 

[clu]

... I was trying to back it up to Icloud. One of my dogs stepped on the power cord while it was booting up and pulled the plug out of the socket. Something happened that toasted it. Not sure what but it's dead. I can't physically put the hard drive back in for fear of damaging it further.

You may be in luck. A power surge is more likely to fry the control electronics than the media itself. (Even destroying the volume information is recoverable, which is the worst it's likely to have done to the media.) There are shots in the dark you can take (like putting it in a different system as a secondary drive and seeing if it's identified, or swapping the control board with another identical model). A professional recovery service can probably revive it but as others say it could be expensive.

 

[badbubba]

Here's one place. Rate on their website is $350 plus the cost of a new drive which you can provide or purchase from them. http://www.aceondatarecovery.com/

A friend gave me some recovery software to try on my dad's drive. Didn't work since the drive coudn't even be detected.

 

[Lavinia]

Thank you all for your advice and help. Fingers crossed I can get it all back. Muah!

 

[ogreray]

You should take a look at Spinrite. Might do the trick.