HOME  >>  FAQs  >>  DATA RETRIEVAL, RECOVERY, BACKUP & RESTORATION (Updated: December 21st, 2008) Quick Jump:  Data Retrieval & Restoration |  Data Backup |  FAQ's DATA SERVICES: DAMAGE and DATA RECONSTRUCTION - We do not 'rebuild' corrupt data, or 'recover' data from damaged media or dead drives. You need a company that specializes in that field. DATA RETRIEVAL - We 'retrieve' data that's accessible from working media and drives. DATA RECOVERY - We can often 'recover' data that's been accidentally deleted, or that Windows can no longer access. Be sure to shut off your computer right away and don't use it. DATA REPAIR - We 'repair' master boot records, corrupt boot sectors, file systems, Windows system files, registry errors, drivers, software errors, etc. DATA CLEANING - We run multiple local and remote scans to remove (clean) viruses, trojans, spyware, adware, rootkits, etc. DATA BACKUP - We record a 'backup' copy of your data to the medium of your choice. USB flash memory sticks (thumb drives), CDs, DVDs, additional hard drives, and external hard drives are popular choices. DATA MIGRATION - We 'migrate' your data from one location to another. This usually involves setting up a workgroup, network shares, taking ownership, mapping drives, and running a backup program to migrate the data across our network back onto your computer. This is usually done after we recover and clean your data on one of our bench systems. DATA RESTORATION - We 'restore' your data to it's appropriate locations. This usually includes Desktop items, Favorites, My Documents, Pictures, Music, Address Books and Email folders for each user account. IMPORTANT: You Will Loose Your Data - All hard drives fail, and when they do you usually loose everything. Data corruption and loss is a fact of life. You are responsible for your data and backups, that means you have no one to blame but yourself when you loose everything. Protect your data and have us set up automated backups. You Will Loose All Your Programs and Pre-installed Software - Software installation is usually a one-way process. Programs cannot be 'uninstalled' back onto a disk and then re-installed again, it just doesn't work that way. Original installation disks and valid product keys must be purchased or provided. Export Your Data - Some database programs like Outlook and Quickbooks require you to 'export' data to create a backup file. If you don't regularly create these backups while your computer is working, how will you do it when your computer fails? Without a backup there may be nothing to import. Protect your data and have us set up automated backups. Don't Make Your Data Inaccessible - Avoid using proprietary software or formats to compress, encrypt, backup or password protect your data. If you do, you better make sure that software and support is available in the future, and that any future updates and upgrades are backwards compatible. We will need the user name and password (case sensitive) for your administrator account. It's Not Free - We charge for all data services, even if your data turns out to be useless. We have no control over what happened to your data, so we cannot guarantee it's integrity. Protect your data and have us set up automated backups. DATA RECOVERY & RESTORATION (shop service) DATA RECOVERY and BASIC RESTORATION (1 hard drive, 1 partition) - $60 (add $30 for each additional drive and partition) One hard drive is connected to our bench system, and data recovery proceedures are completed. We then scan your data and remove any detected viruses, trojans, spyware, adware, rootkits, etc. If detected malwares cannot be removed by conventional methods, you will be charged for additional service as required. We then repair your computer as required (not included). Finally we migrate the cleaned data back to your hard drive so you can sort through it at your convenience. DATA RECOVERY and STANDARD RESTORATION (1 hard drive, 1 partition, 1 user account) - $120 (add $30 for each additional drive, partition, and user account) Everything above, plus we restore your old Desktop files, Favorites, Documents, E-mail, Address books and Contacts for one User Account DATA RECOVERY FROM A DEAD HARD DRIVE - Expensive This takes at least 5 business days. Costs depend on how much data there is, where you want your recovered data put (repaired computer, external hard drive, online, disks, etc.), what you want restored (user accounts, partitions, programs, etc.), and what additional services you might need (delivery, onsite service, server repairs, automated backup configuration, etc.). PLEASE NOTE - We cannot tell if your data is complete, or if it will even work before we recover it. This means you will have to pay for our recovery services, even if your recovered data turns out to be incomplete, corrupted or useless to you. We have no control over what happened to your data before it was brought in, so we cannot guarantee it's integrity or existance. BACKUP OPTIONS: The better quality hard drives that we use are designed to last 5 years, but many cheaper drives fail after only 3 years, so you better back up your data. You should back up your data in a reliable manner, do it as frequently as required, regularily test your back ups to make sure they work, and store backups offsite. Tape systems are obsolete and unreliable; an extremely high percentage of tape backups contain errors or don't work at all, and most tape backups have never been tested. We can set you up with a reliable backup system and configure it to automatically perform backups. Backup Mediums: Back up your data to a flash memory stick, CDs, DVDs, another hard drive, computer, or remote system. Install a CD or DVD recorder and show you how to perform backups Install a second hard drive for manual or automated backups or mirrored images so that if one drive fails, the other one keeps going. Set up a new computer with a second mirrored hard drive so that if one drive fails, the other one keeps going and you can continue working. MEDIA CAPACITY* PROS CONS Floppy Disks 1.44MB Portable, user friendly Obsolete, low capacity, slow sequential access, easy to steal, prone to errors (they go blank over time) Magnetic Tapes High capacity Varies with technology (QIC, Travan, DAT, 8mm, Mammoth, AIT, DLT, ADR, LTO, VXA) Portable, can be automated Many formats are proprietary, slow sequential access, easy to steal, not user friendly, maintenance required, tapes wear out, prone to errors (they go blank over time), hard to find Hard Drives (internal) High capacity 80GB-1TB and growing High speed, random access, user friendly, readily available, can be automated Hard drives only last about 5 years, many cheaper drives fail after only 3 years, easy to steal entire computer unless you purchase one of our bolt-down Steel Cages (installation available) Hard Drives (external) High capacity 80GB-1TB and growing High speed, random access, user friendly, readily available, can be automated Hard drives only last about 5 years, many cheaper drives fail after only 3 years, requires case & power adapter, easy to steal Optical Disks Medium capacity CD 650-700MB DVD 3.95-4.7GB Blu-ray 25-50GB Portable, user friendly, can be automated Easy to steal, some brands degrade and lose data within a couple of years, Verbatim, Imation, Ritek RiData, Fuji, Taiyo Yuden (TY) Solid State Devices Low capacity Varies with technology (USB flash memory thumb drives, CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Secure Digital cards, etc.) Portable, high speed, random access, user friendly, readily available, can be automated Low capacity, easy to steal Network Backup Local Server Very high capacity 80GB-2TB or more High speed, random access, user friendly, readily available, backup server or portable Network Attached Storage (NAS) device, can be automated Hard drives only last about 5 years, many cheaper drives fail after only 3 years, easy to steal entire NAS device, or computer unless you purchase one of our bolt-down Steel Cages (installation available) Network Backup Remote Hosting Service Medium capacity 1-20GB is typical Off-site storage via Internet, can be automated Monthly or yearly fees, data security & access could be a problem, large data transfers may not work *CAPACITY VS FILE SIZE - Capacity is how much data the medium can hold, but when making backups, there are usually limits to the size of each file or folder as well. These limits are usually determined by the type of format the medium uses (FAT, NTFS, etc.), and sometimes by the limitations of the backup program, and/or compression scheme (if used), and/or encryption scheme (if used). Further limits may also be encountered when backing up over networks. COST - I have purposely left cost out because it should not be your first priority. Think about what your data is worth and how much it will cost you when it dissappears. No backup means that one day you will definately loose your data. You may only loose treasured family pictures, or you may loose your business. You may also be sued for damages if your customer's personal information falls into the wrong hands. You need to take reasonable steps to secure your data and your customer's personal information. You need a backup routine that provides the redundancy, portability, reliability, and security that is best suited for your needs in case of disaster. FAQ's Can you backup my data? Can you guarantee that my data will be ok? Can you show me how to do my own backups? I don't have any way of backing up my data, can you help? Is there any way to backup my data automatically? Can you provide offsite data storage? My system has crashed, can you rescue and restore my operating system, programs and data? I don't have all my CD's, what about programs that were already on the computer? Do you have to reformat my drive and reinstall Windows? Can you guarantee that my software will keep working? My hard drive is full, can you help me? My hard drive is dead, and I absolutely need my data, what can I do? Can you backup my data? Yes, we can provide data backup services as long as we can access your data and it is intact. We can backup your data to a flash drive, CD's, DVD's, another hard drive, or a remote system. Floppy discs and zip discs don't hold much data, and tapes are not reliable, so they're not suitable for most backup purposes. Can you guarantee that my data will be ok? We take precautions to prevent data loss and corruption, and can remove viruses and malware, however data can fail at any time, so we cannot guarantee the integrity of your data. We assume no liability for any lost or corrupt data. Can you show me how to do my own backups? Yes, we can have one of our technicians come to your location and walk you through the process. I don't have any way of backing up my data, can you help? Yes, there are several options available. We can help you choose a method that suits your needs and put it all together for you. Is there any way to backup my data automatically? Yes, there are several options available. We can help you choose a method that suits your needs and put it all together for you. Can you provide offsite data storage? Yes, please call 604-590-6098 for details. My system has crashed, can you rescue and restore my operating system, programs and data? Often we can repair your existing system and restore functionality. If your system is corrupted beyond recovery, we will have to clean and backup whatever data is still intact, reinstall an operating system, programs and data. If your hard drive has failed, we cannot rescue your data, and we will have to install a new hard drive, operating system and programs. You must provide us with all the installation discs and product keys. If you don't have them, we can usually provide software at prices lower than most retail outlets. I don't have all my CD's, what about programs that were already on the computer? If your drive needs to be formatted or replaced, your operating system and programs will have to be reinstalled. If you do not have the original installation discs and product keys, you will have to purchase them again. Programs cannot be "pulled" from a hard drive, recorded and restored. It just doesn't work that way. We can provide software at prices lower than most retail outlets. We do not provide pirated software under any circumstances. Do you have to reformat my drive and reinstall Windows? Maybe. Sometimes a system can be repaired without reformatting, however it is always best to start fresh. Repairing systems that are plagued with problems can take a considerable amount of time to repair and may still exhibit problems. The only way to restore the stability and performance that your computer had originally, is to clean and back up your data, reformat your hard drive, reinstall Windows, reinstall your programs, and restore your data. Can you guarantee that my software will keep working? No. We don't make the software, control how the system is used, or control the system's environment, so it's unreasonable to expect us, or even the manufacturer to guarantee the ongoing stability, functionality, compatibility and performance of software. My hard drive is full, can you help me? Yes. If you just want more space on your existing drive, we can clean up your system and record data to any popular medium. We can also add an additional hard drive and CD or DVD recorder if you'd like. My hard drive is dead, and I absolutely need my data, what can I do? All hard drives eventually fail. If your hard drive is dead, it may have to be sent to a company that specializes in data recovery. That can cost several hundred dollars or more, depending on the amount of work involved, so back up your data!