Your data goes to a real laboratory, and you only pay if we get it back.
Since 1997, the engineers at our laboratories in Edwardsville, Illinois and Toronto, Ontario have recovered data from failed hard drives, SSDs, RAID servers, phones, and tapes for businesses, government agencies, and families. The evaluation is free, the quote is firm, and if we cannot recover your files there is no recovery fee.
Why clients choose us
Free evaluation, firm quote
Under standard service we diagnose your device at no charge and send a firm price before any work begins. No wide ranges, and no surprises on the invoice.
No data, no charge
If we cannot recover the files you need, you do not pay a recovery fee. The terms are short and public.
Real labs, never outsourced
Both locations are full laboratories with ISO Class 5 cleanrooms, firmware repair tools, and tens of thousands of donor drives. Your device stays with the lab that received it.
Engineers you can talk to
The person who evaluates your device is the person who explains what failed, what we can do, and what it costs, in plain language.
What our clients say
out of 5 on Trustpilot, from 122 reviews
“My external hard drive suffered a major failure, and I absolutely couldn’t have recovered my data myself.”
Steven, Trustpilot review, September 2026
“I had an external drive that was considered toast by 2 other companies. They were extremely professional and kept me informed with a very detailed step by step log.”
Stacy Henson, client testimonial
“Without your help we would have lost these precious student performances, speeches and projects. Thank you for being there for us!”
Principia School, client testimonial
Read more than 500 reviews and testimonials, including Google and Trustpilot reviews with links to the originals.
Inside the labs
We do not operate drop-off storefronts that forward devices somewhere else. Every location is a working laboratory with an ISO Class 5 cleanroom, clean benches, firmware tools, and an inventory of donor drives for parts. We also write much of our own software, including imaging tools, firmware utilities, and the ticket system that tracks every job.
Edwardsville, Illinois (St. Louis area)
Datarecovery.com, Inc.
110 North Research Drive
Edwardsville, IL 62025
Phone: 800.237.4200
Open in Google Maps
Toronto, Ontario
Datarecovery.com
12 Concorde Place, Suite 203
Toronto, Ontario M3C 3R8
Phone: 800.237.4200 ext. 211 · Local: 647.723.7040
Open in Google Maps
Drop-off hours at both laboratories are 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Please call ahead so an engineer is ready for you. Most clients ship: we email a discounted label when you open a ticket, and our packing guide shows how to protect a drive in transit.
Proven on the hardest tickets
NASA
A recurring head failure across thousands of Quantum drives led us to develop some of the industry’s first firmware repair techniques.
United States Army
More than a decade of recoveries for garrisons, brigades, and signal units, from Fort Bragg to Bagram Airfield.
9/11 Tribute Center
Pro bono recoveries during the 2001 rescue effort and, a decade later, for the Tribute Center’s archive.
A note from the founder
I started Datarecovery.com in 1997 in Carbondale, Illinois, doing the recovery work myself in a home-built laboratory. Nearly thirty years later I still spend part of my week on the tickets that need custom analysis or one-off software: unusual arrays, damaged firmware, devices other labs have given up on. We build much of our own software because the hard tickets demand it.
What has not changed is the promise we made in 1997. We tell you exactly what we found, we quote a firm price before we start, and if we cannot get your data back you do not pay for the recovery. If your ticket is unusual, ask for me.
Ben Carmitchel
President and CEO, Datarecovery.com, Inc.
How we protect your data
- Closed networks. Our recovery laboratories run on networks that are not connected to the public internet.
- Limited access. Engineers do not browse your files. They open only the files you ask us to verify after recovery.
- Nondisclosure agreements are available on request, and we handle media under Department of Defense guidelines.
- Your media, your choice. After the ticket we return the original device, or securely destroy and recycle it at no cost if you prefer.
- The details are in our privacy policy and service terms.
Certified, and we publish the reports
Our cleanrooms and clean benches are tested by independent inspectors to ISO 14644-1, the current international cleanroom standard, and certify at ISO Class 5. The standard allows up to 3,520 particles of 0.5 micrometers or larger per cubic meter of air; our benches averaged 2.2 in the most recent test, dated April 18, 2025.
View the test reports (2012 to 2025)
- Apr. 18, 2025: General Certification, ISO 14644-1
- Jun. 28, 2021: ISO 14644-1
- Jun. 19, 2020: ISO 14644-1
- Jan. 24, 2017: ISO 14644-1
- Jan. 26, 2016: ISO 14644-1
- Feb. 3, 2015: ISO 14644-1
- Jan. 15, 2014: ISO 14644-1 report and full report with particle counts
- Oct. 9, 2012: ISO 14644-1 report
- Mar. 26, 2012: Full report
Common questions
What if you cannot recover my data?
Under standard service there is no recovery fee if we cannot recover the files you need. You pay only for return shipping, or we can securely recycle the device at no cost.
Will anyone look at my files?
No. Engineers work with the drive, not your documents. After recovery they open only the files you ask us to verify, and nondisclosure agreements are available on request.
How long does it take?
Under standard service the evaluation takes 24 to 48 business hours after your device arrives, and most recoveries finish within one to five business days after you approve the quote. Expedited service runs around the clock, including weekends, for a $250 evaluation fee that is applied to the recovery. See service options.
Do I pay for the evaluation?
Not under standard service. The evaluation is free and ends with a firm quote; nothing is charged until you approve it.
What should I do right now?
Power the device off and leave it off. Do not run repair utilities, do not open the drive, and do not rebuild a degraded RAID. Then open a ticket or call us, and we will walk you through shipping or drop-off.
Start your recovery
Open a ticket online in about ten minutes, or call 800.237.4200 between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM Central, Monday through Friday. Emergency service is available around the clock. Not sure yet? Call and talk to an engineer before you ship anything.
Start a free evaluation See how it works
Also on this site: Partner program · Careers · Terms · Privacy policy