WD Secondary Drive FAILED! DEVASTATED!

[Lionhart27]

Western Digital SATA drive model WD20EARS 2TB. This was my secondary internal DATA drive on my Desktop PC where I stored 100s of photos, videos, documents, and many other files. A few days ago I turned on this PC and found that the drive was missing? I checked ALL connections, et, no joy! I removed the drive and attached a USB connector, connected but still NO drive! This drive has failed and I have lost ALL the files!!! PLEASE, don't tell me that I should have made back-up's on a portable HD or stored my files on 'The Cloud'. Some of these files were on my Laptop, BUT most were on this HD. Photos of my partner that died a few years back with cancer, friends, family and memories ALL lost! I am DEVASTATED!
I know there are companies that claim to repair and recover failed HDs, BUT is there ANY way that I can do this myself? The files are personal, so I am not keen on some technician seeing these files. I have done many PC upgrades myself, and I used to repair watches and clocks, so I am a dexterous. I will contact Western Digital about this, but the drive's warranty has expired so I doubt they can help. ANY HELP OR ADVICE, PLEASE!

 

[Lionhart27]

Thank you ALL. I will take up your suggestions and advice. OC UK have also given me some information about this. As said, not all are lost, as many files but not all, were transferred to my laptop. I now have a portable USB drive for back-up. I have already contacted Western Digital about this, so wait and see what they suggest. It is very important to ALWAYS register any drives for warranty, should anything happen during this time. I will let you know of the outcome on this post, but this may be some time.

 

[Lionhart27]

I purchased the drive from Curry's PCW a few years back. I went there today, just a few miles away, and the repair service was very helpful. They will send the drive away to HD recovery experts, and said about 10 days. They said the company has a strict DATA privacy protection code. They charge £140 and that includes vat and another HD drive plus you get the old HD back. If they can not recover the data, then there is NO charge. I think that is fair.

 

[Lionhart27]

No, I don't know the name of the company, but they WILL be contacting me, and I have to agree directly for them to recover the files, so I will know later. If you want your files back, you HAVE to trust them, if NOT you HAVE to loose them. What is MORE important, loss or gain? In life we have to try and trust one another, otherwise we may as well curl up in some corner, never going out, and living the life of a lonely hermit! I am surprised by the comments above? If my files were THAT sensitive and private, then I would NOT even consider having them recovered! Come on guys, get a life!

 

[Lionhart27]

Alright then, dont come crying to us if it goes wrong and they brick your drive completely.

What on earth are you going on about? The recovery company may brick my HD? That is a very derogative statement to the recovery company and to Curry's PC World! Many people leave their PCs and Laptops with Curry's PCW to be fixed. Of COURSE they are sensitive to peoples files. Curry's PCW were very sympathetic and understanding of my loss. I totally trust Curry's PCW in this matter, do you honestly believe that a huge PC and electrical company would risk their reputation? OC UK suggested a recovery company, are you saying they are wrong to suggest this? How can ANYONE possibly know for sure whether or not to trust a company with your files. As already said, if my files were that private and sensitive I would NOT go to a recovery company, and accept the loss. I lost my partner to cancer a few years back and I would like to get my photos of her back. I find your untrusting remarks to be totally insensitive. YOU CAN'T GO THROUGH THIS WORLD WITH SO MUCH MISTRUST.

 

[Lionhart27]

Maybe I am being a bit harsh on Kindai, and for that I apologise. I do understand what all of you are saying, and I DO take note. Yes, you are ALL right, I should have not been so hasty and go to Curry's PCW, and done more research to find a reputable recovery company. But my point is, how can you possibly know if you can trust that recovery company, no matter what claims and reassurances they give? The only way is by personal reputation. I don't know anyone who has had this experience with data loss, and in all my years with computers since the early 90s this is the first time a HD has failed. We ALL make mistakes, and I made a big one by not doing backups of my files on a portable HD AND the 'Cloud'. I am a VERY busy person, and I can't spend hours and hours researching into recovery companies. Again, YES you are ALL right, less haste and more thought. Anyway, what's been done IS done. I will hope that the recovery company will get my files back, if not, its NOT the 'End of the World' and I would NOT come back crying to this forum, as 'Kindai' suggested. I have written confirmation that my HD WILL be returned, and if NO recovery, NO charge, and I WILL get a FULL refund. As I keep ON saying these files are NOT sensitive, and NONE of them are explicit. And again, a lot of the same files were on my Laptop. Also, I have found another older spare internal HD with a lot of photos and videos, and also some DVD discs. So the loss is not as bad as I first thought. PLEASE, there is no point in continuing with this post, until I hear from the recovery company. I don't have the time to keep replying. I DO thank ALL of you for your suggestions. I WILL let you know the outcome on this post, but this will be some time.

 

[Lionhart27]

FULL RECOVERY!!! I have received a report from datarecovered.com (KnowHow Curry's PCW) and ALL the data has been RECOVERED! I'm NOT sure of the full details yet, but my data will be returned to my local Curry's PCW, with my HD. SO MUCH FOR ALL THE NEGATIVE POSTS ABOUT THIS, I'm sorry to disappoint you guys BUT you were WRONG! NOW EAT YOUR WORDS!

 

[Lionhart27]

You also can't go through this world being so naive and ignorant. You asked for advice, and myself and others suggested reputable data recovery companies based on personal experience. Instead you ignore the advice, and entrust your irreplaceable data to a bunch of cowboys with a reputation for fleecing people who generally don't know any better.

I hope you get your data back, but either way you will be learning at least one valuable lesson

They made a FULL Recovery. Although, some of your thoughts WERE appreciated, Curry's PCW did not turn out to be cowboys!