How to recover data from hard drive? [Easy Data Recovery]

If you’re told to format the disk before you can use it, or you have no access to the files and photos in your hard drive, first thing you do, no panicking: you can still recover data from the hard drive.

How to recover data from hard drive?

Here are the 3-step fix for you to try to recover data from a dead or crashed hard drive. You may not have to try them all; just work your way down until you find the one that help recover data from hard drive for you.

• Step 1: Hook your hard drive up to another computer
• Step 2: Download a data recovery tool
• Step 3: Bring out the big guns

Can I recover data from a damaged hard drive?

Yes, it’s possible. And it’s not crazy to try to recover the data from a dead or erased hard drive.

Here’s the thing:

• If your hard drive dies from software failures, the data will still be in your hard drive, and you just have no access to them at this point;
• If you accidentally delete all the files in the hard drive, chances are, your data are still there: they aren’t gone, they are just hidden from you. Unless you overwrite the hard drive with something real quick;
• If your hard drive is physically damaged, you can still hope to get the data back, but you can’t do so without the help from the experts.

That said, there’s still chance for you to recover data from the hard drive.

Do I need professional data recovery service?

Well, it depends.

If your hard drive is making the signature clicking, indicating a mechanical hard-drive failure, or you can see the pins broken, and the data in the hard drive is really important to you, you should contact data recovery service that you trust, and have them deal with it. Otherwise, you can save yourself a fortune by dealing with the erased or dead hard drive by yourself.

The rule is, the less work you do on the hard drive that you’d like to recover data from, the bigger chance for you to get your deleted or lost files back. So if you can’t decide what to do with your hard now, it’s always wise for you to get a second opinion from the pros.

Step 1: Hook your hard drive up to another computer

Note: You might need a USB universal drive adapter (something like this) if you’re not a Mac user.  It costs you about $30.

0) Stop using your computer. As mentioned, your files and photos might still be in your hard drive, as long as you don’t overwrite it. And adding or removing new programs to your computer could increase the chance of overwriting your hard drive.

1) Remove your hard drive from the sick desktop or the laptop.

2) Connect the hard drive to a working computer with the USB cable.

3) If you can see the hard drive data on the second computer, your hard drive could be just fine. But you may need to reinstall or rebuild your sick computer. Do remember to backup your data before you reinstall.

Step 2: Download a data recovery tool

Data recovery program is one of the easiest way for you to recover data from hard drive. We recommend Stellar Data Recovery.

1) Download and install Stellar Data Recovery.

2) Run Stellar Data Recovery. Tick the data you want to recover, then click Next.

3) Tick the box for the hard drive you want to recover data from. Click Scan.

4) Make sure the data you want to recover are listed correctly. Click Recover to get your files back from the hard drive. (This requires the Pro version which comes with 30-day money back guarantee, lifetime validity, unlimited recovery and free tech support.)

5) Browse to select where you want to put the recovered data to. Click Start Saving.

6) If your file size is large, it might take you a while to fully recover data from the hard drive. Just sit tight and wait with patience.

Step 3: Bring out the big guns

If the above steps don’t help you recover the data from hard drive, and the data in it means so much to you that you’re willing to pay for it to be back, it’s time for you to give the professionals a call.

You can search for the data recovery experts nearby or go to the manufacturer of your hard drive to see if they can provide some help. But you should be prepared that such service would cost you quite a big amount of money.

Let’s face the truth, all hard drives fail at some point. So the best thing you can do and should do now is to prepare for it. Save your important files, photos and videos locally, and make a copy in the cloud, and you’ll make your future life so much easier.