Winter Storm Grayson pummeled the U.S. East Coast with ice and snow from Florida to Maine last week. The blizzard left power outages, flooding, and frigid temperatures in its wake, killing at least 22 people and causing significant property damage.

From historic high tides in Boston to snow in Tallahassee, this extreme weather event wreaked havoc in coastal states. Floods occurred in North Carolina, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, and even two Norwegian cruise ships passing through the storm.

For those who fled for higher ground, they returned to find property — including computers and hard drives —  damaged by severe flooding. In spite of historic amounts of snow, insurers believe that flooding damages will outweigh snow-related ones.

While data loss may be a secondary concern to those impacted by the weather, losing sentimental photos and valuable files is still frustrating. Because of this, Datarecovery.com is offering free data recovery services (not including shipping and parts) to all personal computer users with devices affected by the recent coastal flooding (and if you were unlucky enough to be onboard one of the affected cruise ships, we’ll cover you, too). Affected businesses are eligible for a 35 percent discount.

If your hard drive, server, or other device has suffered water damage, follow these steps:

• Make sure that your computer is off and unplugged before touching any connected media. Water-damaged devices may have live electrical connections, so exercise caution.
• Do not attempt to clean or repair a damaged device. Specialized equipment and expertise are necessary to clean and recover data from a hard drive or other media.
• Do not attempt to dry water-damaged hard drives. All cleaning procedures should be completed in a controlled environment to ensure the highest probability of data recovery.
• Call Datarecovery.com to speak to an engineer. Our experts can help determine the best course of action and advise you on how to best preserve your device for shipment.

The platters of a hard drive are sealed off, so even a waterlogged device may contain recoverable data. Datarecovery.com uses ISO 5 cleanroom technology and other specialized tools to recover information from water-damaged drives. Media can continue to degrade after the initial damage, so don’t delay in contacting a professional.

If you or your business has been affected by flooding from the recent blizzard, contact Datarecovery.com at 1-800-237-4200 to speak to an engineer and start a case.

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Here is some recent feedback from a Puerto Rico resident affected by flooding from Hurricane Maria that we were really happy to see:

“I have no words of how happy I am with you guys, you recover all my photos from a wet hard drive something I will appreciate for the rest of my life, if something happen again and counting on you guys thanks so much.”

While every case is different, most flood-damaged drives have issues with platter contamination, PCB damage, and corrosion. Platter contamination is the most pressing issue since any water is bad and flood water isn’t exactly clean. When we receive these drives, our immediate goal is to clean all components and prevent additional corrosion and damage. As soon as we’ve checked in each case, we perform a thorough decontamination in an ISO 5 cleanroom environment.

What To Do if Your Computer Is Damaged in a Hurricane

If you have a flood-damaged hard drive, it’s vital that you don’t attempt to clean it yourself, since you may accidentally cause additional damage—plus, for the time being, we’re not charging for the cleaning, so you might as well leave the task to the professionals.

Instead, package it securely in a plastic bag. Don’t try to use hair dryers or other devices to dry the electronics, and don’t add water to the bag (we’ve seen customers try both of these techniques, and the results aren’t great).

Here’s the good news: Most flood-damaged hard drives are recoverable. Time is a factor, so get your media to a qualified data recovery company with real laboratories.

That’s especially important; if you bring your media to a company that just forwards your case on without cleaning its components, your drive might incur additional corrosion damage while it’s waiting for an evaluation. If the data’s important, you definitely don’t want to take chances.

Check out a few pictures of our recent Hurricane Harvey cases below via Imgur. You can also check out our Reddit post on this subject here, or for more information about flood-damaged hard drive data recovery or to set up a free case, call 1-800-237-4200.

Hurricane-Damaged Hard Drives

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Datarecovery.com, a worldwide leader in data recovery technology, announced free services for all victims of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.

Personal computer users can receive any of Datarecovery.com’s standard hard drive, flash drive, and cellphone data recovery services free of charge. For business users affected by flooding, Datarecovery.com will offer an unconditional 35 percent discount.

“This isn’t a gimmick,” said Datarecovery.com President Ben Carmitchel. “The services are actually free. We’re trying to make a horrific situation a little bit easier.”

Hurricanes can cause extensive damage to computer systems through flooding, fires, and electrical events. Datarecovery.com operates four laboratories with certified clean rooms, and the company’s engineers can restore damaged hard drives, servers, and flash media to recover crucial data.

“Many people escape hurricane zones, only to realize that they left behind computers with family pictures and other priceless data,” Carmitchel said. “When they return home, their computers are permanently damaged by floodwaters. That’s where we come in.”

Normally, data recovery services for flood-damaged computers can cost thousands of dollars. Engineers have to carefully clean the affected media, rebuild damaged components, then treat corruption and other logical issues.

“We maintain high recovery rates for flood-damaged computer media, but it’s not an easy process,” Carmitchel said. “Time is definitely a factor, since the devices can corrode quickly.”

Computer users should contact Datarecovery.com at 1-800-237-4200 to inquire about free services. The company also provides a page, linked here, with tips for improving the chances of a successful recovery following a flood.

The two hurricanes are expected to be extremely costly. Hurricane Harvey will cost the United States up to $180 billion by some estimates, and damage from Hurricane Irma could top $125 billion according to historical models. Damages due to data loss are difficult to quantify, but many insurance providers do not offer policies that cover the costs of data recovery.

Important Note: Free services are restricted to personal computer users directly affected by Hurricane Irma or Hurricane Harvey. Customers are responsible for paying the actual cost of any replacement components used during repairs, along with return media (customers can provide return media at no charge) and shipping.

Datarecovery.com is a worldwide leader in data loss prevention, computer forensics and data recovery services. With four locations in California, Illinois, Arizona, and Toronto, the company provides a variety of services to thousands of clients each year. Visit https://datarecovery.com for more information.

Contact:
Datarecovery.com
Ben Carmitchel, 602-635-2020
ben.carmitchel@datarecovery.com
Datarecovery.com

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After any natural disaster, Datarecovery.com receives an influx of cases from business owners, government offices, and personal computer users who have lost data from damaged hard drives and servers. Even if a property avoids flooding, the sustained winds and rains of a hurricane can break windows and cause extensive water damage—especially to sensitive electronic equipment.

Luckily, data recovery experts can salvage data from most water-damaged devices. Though the electronics or sensitive mechanical parts may no longer function, the platters where information is stored may still be readable.

“Most problems we see are not as bad as one would think,” says Ben Carmitchel, CEO of Datarecovery.com, Inc. “Modern drives are sealed off from air, often keeping the sensitive platters out of harm.”

The key to data recovery is acting quickly and relying on experts. Attempting to dry or repair a hard drive yourself reduces the odds of recovering your data.

“When it comes to flood recovery, the faster we get the drive, the better the chances of recovery,” Carmitchel says. “Every minute counts.”

If your hard drive, server, or other device has suffered water damage, follow these steps:

• Make sure that your computer is off and unplugged before touching any connected media.

• Do not attempt to clean, dry, or repair a water-damaged device. Specialized equipment and expertise are necessary to clean and recover data from a hard drive or other media.

• Call Datarecovery.com to speak to an engineer. Our experts can help determine the best course of action and advise you on how to best preserve your device for shipment.

We hope that Irma loses steam and dissipates before any more damage occurs. However, if it continues on its path and hits the U.S., Datarecovery.com is offering a 35 percent discount on all data recovery services.

Of course, avoiding data loss in the first place is preferable. If you can back up your essential data in the cloud or pack your hard drives when you evacuate, do so as soon as possible.

If you have data recovery needs because of Hurricane Irma or any other reason, call us at 1-800-237-4200 to discuss your options.

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The deadly storms have killed more than a dozen people and destroyed homes and businesses throughout the region.

“Many businesses are struggling to get their computer systems back up and running, and these first few days are crucial. Lost computer files can make an enormous difference for some companies,” said Ben Carmitchel, President of DataRecovery.com.

Hard drives and computer devices can take additional damage in the weeks following a major natural disaster, as storm water can cause corrosion and other issues. DataRecovery.com urges computer users to take immediate action to protect their files.

“In addition to physical damage, we often see damage from electrical shocks, flooding, and fires following major natural disasters,” said Carmitchel. “Because the damage can get worse over time, we recommend getting assistance right away.”

DataRecovery.com’s engineers carefully clean damaged media in a certified Class 5 clean room, removing water, dirt, and other sources of contamination. They can then provide a detailed data recovery report, and if the computer’s owner chooses to proceed with the recovery, the process is completed within several days.

Even if computer users do not want to pay for the services, they can receive free hard drive evaluation services to limit damage. DataRecovery.com also provides free shipping for tornado victims and a sizable data recovery discount.

“We’re trying to help in any way we can,” said Carmitchel. “We can recover data from most hard drives, even when they’ve sustained serious damage. However, it’s very important to get the damaged hard disk to a reputable data recovery provider as quickly as possible.”

DataRecovery.com’s engineers carefully clean damaged media in a certified Class 5 clean room, removing water, dirt, and other sources of contamination. They can then provide a detailed data recovery report, and if the computer’s owner chooses to proceed with the recovery, the process is completed within several days.

Datarecovery.com is a worldwide leader in data recovery services. With four locations in California, Illinois, Arizona, and Toronto, the company provides a variety of services to thousands of clients each year. Visit www.datarecovery.com for more information.

Contact Information

Datarecovery.com, Inc.
Ben Carmitchel
1-602-635-2020
www.datarecovery.com

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“We’ve already received a number of hard drives from businesses and personal computer users through our St. Louis laboratory,” said Ben Carmitchel, President of DataRecovery.com. “Over the next month or so, we expect to receive several hundred more. Major storms usually cause data loss, unfortunately, and this storm was particularly rough for our customers.”

Sensitive electronics also need protection from extreme weather. If a laptop or desktop computer sits in a cold environment with temperatures of under 60 degrees, the computer should sit in a room temperature environment for at least four hours before operation. This allows the computer’s hard drive to adjust to the new temperature, preventing hard drive read/write head issues. Computer owners should also ground themselves before handling their hard drives. Static electricity can build up during dry winters, and static discharge can instantly damage electronics.

Most importantly, computer users should regularly back up important files. A regular backup plan can prevent permanent data loss on any system, regardless of its size, and Carmitchel notes that data recovery should be a last resort.

“We offer data recovery for all types of hard drives, servers, and other storage devices,” said Carmitchel. “Of course, we’d rather help our clients avoid data loss in the first place, particularly during harsh winter weather.”

Datarecovery.com is a world leader in data recovery and computer forensics. With four locations in California, Illinois, Arizona, and Toronto, the company provides a variety of services to thousands of clients each year. Visit www.datarecovery.com for more information.

Contact Information

Datarecovery.com, Inc.
Ben Carmitchel
1-618-635-2020
www.datarecovery.com
Ph. 800.237.4200 ext. 269

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