Data Recovery: What Is Possible and What Is Not
Losing important files is one of the most distressing things that can happen to a business or individual. Over the years I've recovered data from hundreds of devices — sometimes in seemingly hopeless situations. Here's an honest breakdown of what is and isn't possible.
What Can Usually Be Recovered
Accidentally deleted files
If you've emptied the recycle bin or deleted files from a USB drive, recovery is usually possible — as long as you stop using the drive immediately. When files are deleted, the data isn't erased; the space is just marked as available. Until something overwrites that space, the files can be recovered.
Success rate: 90%+ if caught early.
Formatted drives
A quick format doesn't erase data either — it just removes the file table. Files often remain intact underneath. Even a full format can sometimes be partially reversed.
Success rate: 60-80% depending on what happened after formatting.
Crashed operating systems
If Windows or macOS won't boot but the drive is physically intact, the files are almost certainly still there. We remove the drive, connect it externally, and copy the data.
Success rate: 95%+ if the drive itself is healthy.
Water-damaged laptops
This one surprises people. If a laptop gets wet, the data is often fine. The circuit board is what fails, not the drive. As long as the drive wasn't physically submerged for days, recovery is usually straightforward.
Success rate: 70-85%.
What Is Difficult or Impossible
Physically failed drives
If you can hear clicking, grinding, or scraping from a hard drive, the read/write heads have failed. This requires specialist cleanroom recovery — expensive (£300-£1,500+) and not always successful.
Overwritten data
If new files have been written over deleted ones, they're gone. This is why you should stop using a device immediately after data loss.
SSDs that have been zeroed
Modern SSDs have a TRIM function that actually does erase data when files are deleted. Recovery from SSDs is harder than from traditional hard drives.
RAID failures with multiple drive failures
A single drive failure in a RAID array is usually recoverable. Two simultaneous failures are much harder and sometimes impossible without professional lab recovery.
My Process
1. First step is always a disk image — I copy the drive sector-by-sector before attempting anything
2. I run multiple recovery tools in order of least-to-most invasive
3. I give you a report of what was found before you pay anything
What to Do Right Now If You've Lost Data
1. Stop using the device immediately — every new file written reduces your chances
2. Don't run Windows repairs or disk checks — these can overwrite recoverable data
3. Contact me before doing anything else
I offer a free assessment — if I can't recover anything, you don't pay. Message me on WhatsApp and I'll tell you honestly what's possible.