Synopsis:
Data Recovery: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Solution:
If you have data, pictures, or music files which you need recovered from corrupt media, bring it to the OIT Solutions Center or to OIT Hardware Support at 171 Broadmead, whichever is more convenient. OIT Hardware Support offers data recovery services to members of the University community. This service may be helpful if you have stored data on a computer which has become damaged or has become inaccessible, and you have no backup copy of that data.

OIT Hardware Support can recover your documents, music, and picture files from many different types of media including hard drives, floppy drives, USB keys, smart media, compact flash, as well as other devices. You will be asked to list the files you would like recovered in order of priority. A defective device may fail at any time; recovering files in order of priority can help make sure that your most critical files are restored should a failure occur.

OIT Hardware Support has three custom-built machines dedicated solely to data recovery. The machines run a specialized version of data recovery software; the same software used by outside professional data recovery facilities. Hardware Support will look at the drive (for a fee) as a walk-in service and attempt a recovery. They will only charge for time spent working on a recovery which usually averages 2-3 hours of labor at Hardware Support's current hourly rate. Recovered data will be given back to you on any of the following media types: CDs, DVDs or an external hard drive.

If OIT Hardware Support is unsuccessful at recovering your data, arrangements can be made to send your drive to a professional data recovery service, if you so choose. An outside professional services would literally opens the drive in a "clean room" and remove the data from the physical disk. Vendors that offer this type of service can be very expensive, with costs averaging $2000, including a non-refundable initial diagnostic fee.

The best way to avoid the process of data recovery is to frequently back up all your important documents, which OIT strongly recommends. See Solution 9690 for more information on how to save your intellectual property using the options available to you.