Data rescuing after 15 years of storage

Recently, we shared a blog about a hard drive that became a “repeat returner,” making three visits over an 11-year span before finally receiving approval for the data recovery process. Now, we have another fascinating case to share – a hard drive left with us a whopping 15 years ago!

In December 2023, a client contacted us, stating that they had handed over a hard drive to us in 2006. After 17 years, they expressed their readiness to initiate the data recovery process. The client lacked additional information about the device and did not possess our paper form. However, they provided a photo displaying the drive’s serial number. Additionally, the image showed our sticker with job number 731 and the year of device receipt, 2008.

Unfortunately, we did not find the hard drive in our device database, and the situation was further complicated by three company relocations, two database overhauls, and a significant number of accumulated spare devices in the past 15 years.

As we have a small inventory of unused devices that are not recorded in the current database, a manual search quickly led us to the discovery of this infamous hard drive. The device with job number 731/08, received 15 years ago and with 44,342 jobs behind it, had undergone three complete relocations and was found hidden in a drawer. This triumphant discovery brought joy and relief to both our team and the patient client.

After sharing the incredible news with the happy client, we conducted a diagnostic on this matured device, revealing a damaged preamplifier of the magnetic heads.

(burned preamplifier and flat cable)

With the green light to proceed, our skilled engineers successfully replaced the damaged components and rescued over 90% of the crucial data.

This story highlights the unpredictable and often fascinating nature of data recovery, leaving us with a profound appreciation for the stories embedded in every hard drive we encounter. It’s not just about recovering data, it’s about reviving memories and ensuring that even the oldest pieces of technology have a chance to tell their tales once more.

HelpDisc D.O.O.

Ivan Aracki