A fire-damaged hard drive.
When a hard drive is damaged in a fire, data recovery procedures need to begin as soon as possible. Never try to operate a fire-damaged storage device. Even if the drive seems physically intact, operation may cause permanent data loss (we’ll explain why below).
Datarecovery.com provides reliable solutions for fire-damaged hard drives. To schedule an evaluation, submit a case online or call 1-800-237-4200 to speak with an expert.
Below, we’ll explain how we treat fire- and smoke-damaged media. We’ll also provide some basic tips for preserving your hard drive and avoiding accidental damage.
Fire Damage Data Recovery: Basic Processes
Hard drives store data on a series of platters, discs coated in a thin magnetic material. The platters are protected by a metal chassis, and even in cases of extreme heat, platter damage is unlikely to occur immediately (though sustained fires can eventually cause warping and even “boil off” the magnetic coating that stores user data).
In most cases, the hard drive’s printed circuit board (PCB) is destroyed or severely damaged. Provided that the platters are intact, however, data recovery is possible.
While data recovery engineers create a unique recovery plan for each case, the basic process for fire-damaged hard drive data recovery is as follows:
- Cleaning. As soon as the hard drive arrives at our laboratory, soot, ash, and other contaminants are removed.
- Evaluation. The hard drive’s electronics are assessed to determine whether they are salvageable. The platters are inspected for signs of warping, rotational scoring, or other non-recoverable damage.
- Physical Data Recovery. Donor parts are used to restore the drive to a functional condition. Because of the nature of modern hard drive electronics, it may be necessary to adjust/rewrite the drive’s firmware with specialized equipment.
- Logical Data Recovery. Corruption and file damage are addressed with specialized software.
- Verification. Engineers verify that the recovery is successful by inspecting files with hex editors or other tools. With the client’s permission, individual files may be opened to ensure that they are usable. Our engineers follow strict controls to maintain privacy and security when working with recovered data.
- Data Restoration. The data is returned to the client. After the client verifies that their files are accessible, the original fire-damaged drive is scheduled for secure destruction.
Because certain factors have an outsized impact on success rates (such as the length and severity of the fire), we do not advertise recovery rates for fire-damaged hard drives. However, most drives are fully recoverable, and we provide an estimated chance of recovery during our evaluation.
Avoid Data Loss After a Fire, Flood, or Other Disaster
Take these steps to optimize your chances of a successful data recovery:
- Do not attempt to operate the drive under any circumstances. Data recovery software cannot treat physical media damage (regardless of what software developers claim).
- Don’t clean the drive. Soot, ash, and other contaminants must be addressed carefully in a certified cleanroom. Home cleaning chemicals and water will cause further damage.
- If the drive is wet, don’t attempt to dry it. This can accelerate corrosion. Likewise, don’t add water to the shipping container — leave the drive in the condition that you found it.
- If shipping, package the hard drive carefully. Extreme heat weakens the internal components of a hard drive, so safe packaging is especially important. Pack the drive in an anti-static bag and about 5 inches of bubble wrap, taking care to ensure that the hard drive is firmly placed in the box and unable to move during transit.
- If dropping off your drive, choose a data recovery provider that operates laboratories at every location. Datarecovery.com does not operate “shipping offices,” and each of our locations is fully outfitted to treat fire-damaged media.
- Contact a qualified data recovery provider as soon as possible. Timing can make a difference, and most professional laboratories will automatically treat fire-damaged hard drives as priorities. Make sure that your provider has relevant experience with severely damaged storage media.
Expert Resources for Fire-Damaged Hard Drive Data Recovery
Datarecovery.com has successfully recovered data from hundreds of fire-damaged hard drives, RAID arrays, solid-state drives (SSDs), and other storage media. We support our services with a no data, no charge guarantee, which ensures that you don’t pay full cost for a failed attempt.
Call 1-800-237-4200 to get started or set up a data recovery evaluation online.
