Data Recovery - Tape, Hard Drive and Optical
eMag provides optical, hard drive and tape data recovery services to help you get your data back. Our engineers have extensive knowledge spanning 25 years on all media types, and our recovery success rate is phenomenal at just over 97%. We can solve your data recovery needs with either a software or a service at our US location in Atlanta, GA or at our UK facility in Abertillery, Wales.
Tape Data Recovery
Hard Drive and RAID Data Recovery
Optical Data Recovery
Tape Data Recovery
Tape data recovery is the successful retrieval and copying of data from a tape cartridge that has been damaged due to any of the following:
- Heat and Smoke Damage
- Water Damage - Sprinkler System or Flooded
- Damage Resulting from Dropping the Cartridge
- Data Residing after an EOF Mark (Overwritten)
- Damage Resulting from the Tape Drive
- Damage as a Result of Aging (Past Warranty)
- Damage Resulting from Exposure to Extreme Temperatures or Humidity
- Internal Cartridge Mechanism Failing
- Permanent Errors Residing Mid File
View examples of tapes that we've recovered
As in all data recovery operations, recovering data from tapes is very specialized. There are primarily two recovery types - Physical and Logical.
Physical Data Recovery is necessary when there is a physical problem with the media or plastics which prevents the data from being read normally. This type of recovery may include dealing with issues such as deteriorating magnetic coatings, cracked or broken reels/cartridge shells, creased tape edges, twisted or folded tape, stretched or broken tape, etc. This recovery type also includes capturing the data from media that has mistakenly subjected to adverse conditions such as water, mud, or other debris. While these physical issues are often difficult to handle, recovery of these types can usually be achieved in the high 98+% range.
Logical Data Recovery is typically the most difficult, and consequently, the most expensive. Recovering files logically includes recovering the data portion of a tape that was successfully recorded, but for some unknown reason cannot be read. The recovery of files from this type of problem often requires multiple passes using proprietary software that restores the file to the HDD. If hard errors occur, "dummy blocks" are written in their place, the file fragments are pieced back together and the logically re-created file written to the appropriate output tape.
Other forms of Logical Data Recovery include tapes that were written with misaligned heads, and tapes that contain critical data and were re-initialized by mistake. All of these problems can be recovered, or at least partially recovered using internally developed proprietary software and processes.
Often data recovery gets "One Shot" - make that attempt the best possible:
Our Credentials
Some Success Stories
Quick Response Saves 23 Terabytes of Data After Flood
Basic Precautions
Precautions to Take with Water Damaged Tapes
Read eMag's Data Recovery Article
Hard Drive Data Recovery
Hard drive data recovery involves replacing failed components such as read/write heads, head assemblies, magnets and drive motors in a clean environment. In most cases, the recovery process involves restructuring of the data by examining the low-level data sectors and determining what fixes to filesystem structures are needed to get access to the data. Using highly sophisticated techniques and proprietary equipment and software, our engineers are able to fix and recover data from raw images of all operating systems.
Typical Hard Drive Recovery Situations
- Hard disk failure
- Failed components (read/write heads, head assemblies, magnets, drive motors, etc)
- Drives that have been formatted or overwritten
- Corrupt or missing critical file system structures
- File deletion
- Application crash
- Computer viruses and worms
- Partitioning or boot-up problems
- Damage due to a power failure or surge
Data Storage Devices
- All Hard Drive types, models and sizes including IBM Microdrives.
- Currently manufactured models: Seagate, Maxtor, IBM, Western Digital, Fujitsu, Quantum, Toshiba, Hitachi, and others.
- Out of manufacture models: Kalok, JTS, Connor Xebec, Imprimis, Miniscribe, Micropolis, Microscience, Rodime, and others.
- Floppy disks 3.5", 5.25", 8", and other media such as 120M SuperDisk, CDR/W, Optical and Worm, Iomega ZIP and JAZ, Syquest.
- RAID
Operating Systems and Platforms
- Windows XP, NT, 2000, ME, 98, 95, 3.x (Fat16, Fat32)
- All MS-DOS, and PC-DOS versions (Fat12, Fat16)
- OS/2, OS/2 Warp
- All Novell Netware versions (NFS)
- All MacOS versions
- Sun OS
- CP/M
- SCO UNIX, XENIX, SGI Irix, AIX, Linux
- Pick
Hard drives under manufacturer's warranty, that require clean room stabilization due to physical failures, still carry the warranty. eMag's clean room facilities do not void the warranty, and the drive can be replaced.
Optical Data Recovery
Recovering image files from Optical Media is much different than tape. Image files are normally recovered to CD's, but other media types may be appropriate in certain situations. Since Optical Disks are recorded on two sides, corruption on one side does not necessarily mean both sides will be affected, or that the same issues are present on both sides. Recovery is never attempted from the original disk, but rather from an Image we take of the disk. This eliminates the possibility of further damage during the recovery process.
Corruption may be experienced with Filenames, Root Directories and Folder Names in addition to the files themselves. When recovering image files from Optical media, it is common to find readable files that cannot be associated with a parent folder or index. These "Orphan Files" are put into their own Orphan File Directory for the customer. If the Parent Folder is missing or cannot be identified, the customer may be able to re-build that part of their structure for these Orphan Files. As with conversion of Optical Disks, all of the system, application, and software information that the customer can provide will be critical in recovery attempts.