Data recovery from hard drives, laptops, and iPhones
The laptop that no longer starts. The external drive that clicks. The old iPhone in a drawer with ten years of photos on it. We recover files from failing and forgotten devices, and we tell you honestly before we start what the chances are.
Most “lost” data is not lost
When a laptop refuses to start, the fault is usually in the power circuit, the screen, or the motherboard - not in the drive that holds your files. When an external drive stops appearing, the file system is often damaged while the data underneath is intact. When an old phone will not charge, the photos are frequently sitting in a backup nobody remembers making.
We have brought back files from a long list of old hard drives, laptops, and phones. The work is patient rather than magical: read the device safely, make a copy, and reconstruct what can be reconstructed from the copy.
First aid: what to do right now
If a device holding important data has just failed:
- Stop using it. Continued use overwrites deleted files and stresses failing hardware.
- Do not format, initialize, or “repair” the drive when the operating system offers to.
- Do not open the drive and ignore home remedies such as freezing or tapping it.
- Write down what happened - noises, error messages, drops, liquid, the last thing that worked.
- Keep everything together - the device, its charger, cables, and any old computers it was synced with.
How we work
- Diagnosis. We identify the type of failure and give you a frank assessment of the chances, the effort, and the cost.
- Imaging. Wherever possible we make a sector-by-sector copy of the device first and work only on that copy, so the original is never put at further risk.
- Recovery. File-system repair, partition reconstruction, and file carving on the copy; backup and account extraction for phones.
- Verification. You review what was recovered - folder structure, photos, key documents.
- Handover and cleanup. Data is delivered on a new drive or transferred to your new device. Our working copy is securely erased.
What we will tell you honestly
- Encrypted devices need their key. A locked iPhone without its passcode, or an encrypted drive without its password or recovery key, cannot be read. We do not bypass device locks.
- SSDs and phones forget quickly. Deleted files on modern flash storage are often gone for good.
- Mechanical damage needs a cleanroom. We recognize it early and refer you on instead of making things worse.
- Ownership matters. We work on your own devices, or with documented authorization - for example in the case of an estate.
Where we work
We take in devices from clients in France, Switzerland, and Germany. Phone and account-based recoveries can often be done remotely; drives and laptops are handed over in person or sent by tracked post.
After recovery: make it the last time
Recovery is the expensive way to keep your data. Once your files are back, we can set up automatic, encrypted backups, move you to a hardened Linux workstation, and securely wipe the old device before it is recycled or sold. For businesses, this is often the starting point for a broader IT security review.
What We Recover
Hard Drives & SSDs
Internal and external drives that are no longer recognized, show errors, or have been formatted or deleted by mistake.
- Deleted files and formatted partitions
- Drives with bad sectors or corrupted file systems
- Old IDE, SATA, and laptop drives
Laptops & Desktops That Won't Start
A dead computer rarely means dead data. We remove the drive, read it safely, and copy your files to a new device.
- Laptops with a failed motherboard, screen, or power circuit
- Systems stuck in boot loops or failed updates
- Very old machines with outdated connectors
iPhones & iPads
Photos, messages, contacts, and notes from old or damaged Apple devices, and from iTunes or iCloud backups.
- Old iPhones that no longer hold a charge or boot reliably
- Extraction from local and iCloud backups
- Transfer to a new phone or to your computer
Android Phones & Tablets
Data from older Android devices, broken screens, and memory cards.
- Devices with broken or unresponsive screens
- Photos and files from SD and microSD cards
- Recovery through account and cloud backups
Memory Cards, USB Sticks & NAS
Camera cards, USB sticks, and small network storage devices that have stopped working or lost their contents.
- Corrupted or accidentally formatted camera cards
- USB sticks that are no longer recognized
- Single drives and simple RAID sets from home and office NAS
Migration & Secure Disposal
Once your data is safe, we move it to where it should live - and make sure the old device does not leak it.
- Transfer to a new computer, drive, or cloud storage
- Backup setup so it does not happen again
- Verified secure erase of old drives before disposal or resale
Data recovery: common questions
My drive is clicking or not recognized. What should I do?
Stop using it and unplug it. Every additional power-on can make a failing drive worse. Do not run repair tools, do not format it when the system asks, and do not put it in the freezer. Note what happened before it failed and contact a recovery service with those details.
Can you recover data from an old iPhone?
Often, yes. If the phone still powers on and you know the passcode, we can usually extract photos, messages, contacts, and notes even when the battery or screen is failing. If the phone is dead, the data may still exist in an iTunes or iCloud backup. We check all three routes.
Can you recover data from an iPhone if the passcode is forgotten?
No, and neither can anyone else who is being honest with you. iPhone storage is encrypted with a key derived from the passcode. Without it, the data on the device is unreadable. In that case we look for backups in iCloud or on an old computer, which is where recovery frequently succeeds.
My laptop won't turn on. Can I still get my files back?
In most cases, yes. When a laptop does not power on, the fault is usually in the charger, battery, screen, or motherboard, while the drive holding your files is untouched. We remove the drive, read it on another machine, and copy your documents and photos to a new device. The main exceptions are laptops with encrypted or soldered storage, where we need your password or recovery key, or a repair of the board itself.
Can deleted files be recovered?
On a traditional hard drive, deleted files often remain recoverable until they are overwritten, so stop using the drive immediately. On SSDs and modern phones, deleted data is usually erased by the device itself within a short time, and recovery is much less likely. We tell you which case applies before starting.
Do you repair physically damaged drives?
We handle logical failures, corrupted file systems, bad sectors, and devices that no longer boot. Drives with mechanical damage - head crashes, seized motors, damaged platters - need a cleanroom laboratory. If we see signs of that, we stop immediately and refer you to a specialist lab rather than risk your data.
How is my data handled?
Confidentially. We work on a copy of the drive wherever possible, keep recovered data on encrypted storage, hand it to you on a drive of your choice, and securely delete our working copy once you have confirmed everything is there. We only work on devices you own or are authorized to access.
How long does data recovery take?
A healthy drive from a dead laptop can be done in a day. A failing drive with read errors can take several days, because it has to be read slowly and carefully. We give you a realistic estimate after the first diagnosis.
Have a device you thought was lost?
Tell us what the device is, what happened to it, and what you need back. We will tell you whether recovery is realistic before you spend anything.