Floods - Data Recovery from Flooded Media

Data recovery from flooded media, such as hard drives, SSDs, memory cards, and others, is a complex process that requires specialized knowledge and equipment. This process varies depending on the type of media and the severity of the damage. Below I describe the general procedure for recovering data from flooded media.

1. Initial examination and condition assessment

Do not play with the media: It is important that you do not try to connect the affected media to the computer, turn it on, or otherwise manipulate it without professional assistance. This could cause irreversible damage. For a damaged disk or other media, we will perform a professional diagnosis to assess the extent of the damage - whether only the electronic components were damaged, or whether the water also affected the internal storage parts.

2. Drying and protection

The media must be dried as soon as possible. Under no circumstances are hair dryers, radiators or other heat sources used for drying, as they can cause component deformation and other damage. In our specialized laboratory, we use controlled drying processes that do not endanger internal components.

3. Decontamination and repair

After drying, the media is decontaminated. This step includes removing dirt and possibly replacing some damaged electronic components, such as printed circuit boards or internal electronics. If the media has been physically damaged (e.g. corroded or mechanically damaged parts), it may be necessary to repair or replace them.

4. Data recovery from various types of media

Hard drives (HDD)

Mechanical drives have rotating platters and read heads that are very sensitive to water damage. After opening in the laboratory, the platters are cleaned and professional devices read data directly from the platter surface. The read heads and other components can be replaced under certain conditions.

SSD drives

SSD drives have no moving parts, but water can damage the electronic circuits. In this case, we can replace the electronic components and gain access to the stored data.

Memory cards and USB flash drives

Like SSD drives, memory cards and Flash drives are less susceptible to water damage, but water can damage the circuits. Damaged parts can be replaced and the data restored. In the case of more serious damage, we can perform data recovery by reading the data chips directly and then assembling the storage.

5. Data extraction

Once the media is repaired or ready for safe reading, we use specialized data extraction software. This software can also work with damaged files and is able to recover data that is physically and logically damaged.

In some cases, it may be possible to recover only part of the data if some area of ​​the media has been irreversibly damaged.

6. Data Check and Delivery

The recovered data is then thoroughly checked for damage or incompleteness. It is then transferred to the customer on a new medium (external disk, cloud, etc.).

7. Possible limitations

Data recovery is not always 100% successful, especially in cases where the medium has been exposed to water for a long time or has been significantly mechanically damaged. The costs of this process may vary depending on the degree of damage and the complexity of the recovery. If your hard drive has been seriously damaged, feel free to entrust it to our laboratory. We have years of experience in recovering data from flooded hard drives and other data storage devices.

Data recovery from flooded data media and hard drives is very difficult, but there is definitely a chance to recover your lost data. As part of the free diagnostics, we will determine the ideal procedure for repairing or recovering data. You only pay if your data is successfully recovered.

1. Do not turn on the drive!

Important: Under no circumstances should you attempt to turn on a hard drive after it has been damaged by water. This can cause a short circuit and cause irreversible data damage.

2. Secure the drive

Dry the drive thoroughly and pack it in an anti-static bag. Avoid rapid drying with heat (e.g. a hair dryer) as this can cause deformation of the drive's internal parts.

4. Do not disassemble the drive

Hard drives are very sensitive to dust and dirt. Opening the drive without access to a clean room will cause further serious damage.

5. Contact us

In our laboratory, we can open the drive in a clean environment, remove dirt and damage, and attempt to recover data. Water damage is extremely complex and requires professional intervention.

6. Prepare for possible scenarios

Data recovery after water damage is not always successful, and even if some data is recovered, not all of it may be complete. Some sectors of the drive may be irretrievably damaged.