Data recovery is the process of retrieving lost, deleted, corrupted, or inaccessible data from storage devices like hard disk drives, solid state drives, USB drives, and memory cards. Data recovery is crucial because data loss can have severe consequences for both individuals and businesses.
According to a study by Kroll Ontrack, 93% of companies that lost their data for 10 days or more filed for bankruptcy within one year. Data loss can also have profound personal impacts, such as losing years of photos and videos. With so much important information stored digitally, data recovery provides a means to restore access when data is lost or becomes inaccessible.
Data recovery is made possible by the fact that when a file is deleted, the data itself is not usually erased from the storage device right away. Specialized data recovery software can scan storage devices and recover deleted files. However, the longer a file has been deleted, the more likely the space will be overwritten by new data, making recovery impossible. This makes timely data recovery essential.
Overall, data recovery allows both businesses and individuals to avoid catastrophic data loss events by retrieving inaccessible, deleted or corrupted files. As digital data storage continues to grow, data recovery is an increasingly vital tool for mitigating data loss risks.
Seagate’s Data Recovery Services
Seagate offers data recovery services for both Seagate and non-Seagate brand hard drives through its authorized data recovery partners. According to Seagate’s website, they work with “best-in-class data recovery partners” to provide a range of data recovery options including in-lab recovery and mail-in recovery services https://www.seagate.com/support/data-recovery-services/.
For Seagate drives, Seagate offers free in-lab evaluations as well as discounted data recovery service plans starting at $299 for logical recoveries and $999 for complex recoveries. For non-Seagate drives, Seagate’s partners offer market-rate pricing for data recovery without any discounted options. Overall, Seagate aims to provide reliable, affordable data recovery options through its authorized partners.
Free In-Lab Data Recovery Evaluation
Seagate offers a free evaluation of drives sent to their data recovery lab to determine if the data is recoverable. Customers can fill out an online form on Seagate’s Rescue Data Recovery Services website https://www.seagate.com/products/rescue-data-recovery/ and then ship the drive to Seagate. Seagate technicians will diagnose the drive and provide a quote for recommended data recovery service options. If the customer decides not to proceed with recovery after the evaluation, Seagate will return the drive free of charge.
This free evaluation allows customers to find out if data recovery is possible before committing to a paid service. It also provides an expert assessment of what service plan or method would be required to recover the data based on the drive’s condition. However, the free evaluation does not actually recover any data – customers must choose a paid data recovery service option if they want Seagate to attempt restoring their data.
Data Recovery Service Plans and Pricing
Seagate offers various paid data recovery service plans depending on the type of drive and failure. For Seagate drives, pricing starts at $299 for in-lab recovery of drives under 2TB that experienced logical failure. For more complex recoveries of Seagate drives due to physical damage or larger drive sizes, costs can range from $499 to $1,499.
Data recovery pricing is higher for non-Seagate drives. In-lab recovery costs start at $499 for drives under 2TB, and range up to $1,799 for recovery of larger desktop drives. The highest pricing tier is $2,499 for recovery of enterprise-class non-Seagate drives.
In addition to in-lab recovery costs, customers are responsible for shipping costs to send drives to the Seagate facility. Seagate provides free shipping of recovered data back to the customer. There are also “Drive Retention” options available for an additional fee, allowing customers to get their original drive back after recovery rather than having it erased and recycled by Seagate.
Full details on Seagate’s data recovery pricing, service tiers, and options are available on their website at https://www.seagate.com/services-software/recover/data-recovery-services/
Data Recovery for Seagate Drives
Seagate offers data recovery services specifically for drives under the Seagate brand. According to the Seagate Rescue Data Recovery Services page https://www.seagate.com/products/rescue-data-recovery/, Seagate provides in-lab data recovery for Mechanical failures for any Seagate drive as part of their Rescue Data Recovery Services warranty policy. This includes both internal and external Seagate hard drives. For Seagate brand solid state drives (SSDs), Seagate offers data recovery for Mechanical failures and Logical Failures during the warranty coverage period.
To receive Seagate’s Rescue Data Recovery Service for a Seagate branded drive, the drive must be within the warranty coverage period. The standard warranty period for Seagate hard disk drives (HDDs) is 2 years, while their SSDs carry a 5 year limited warranty with 3 year Rescue Data Recovery Services coverage according to Seagate’s policy.
Data Recovery for Non-Seagate Drives
Seagate offers data recovery services for hard drives and storage devices from other manufacturers besides their own Seagate-branded products. However, the policies and pricing are different for non-Seagate drive data recovery.
For data recovery from non-Seagate drives, Seagate first performs a free evaluation to determine if the drive and data are recoverable. If data recovery is possible, Seagate will provide a quote for the service based on the drive capacity and issue type. Non-Seagate data recovery pricing ranges from $299 for a 500GB drive up to $1,699 for an 8TB drive. There are also expedited service options for faster turnaround times at additional cost.
According to Seagate’s data recovery services page, “We have a 90% success rate for logical recoveries and an 86% success rate for physical recoveries” on non-Seagate drives [1]. So while Seagate does not guarantee data recovery, they have high success rates. Customers must ship the non-Seagate drive to Seagate and authorize payment once the quote is provided to start data recovery.
Drive Shipping to Seagate
When shipping a drive to Seagate for data recovery, it’s important to package it properly to avoid any further damage in transit. According to Seagate’s packaging instructions webpage and PDF guide, hard drives should be shipped in anti-static bags or bubble wrap to protect them from electrostatic discharge.
The drive should be placed in a sturdy box with at least 2 inches of tightly packed cushioning material like foam, newspaper, or bubble wrap on all sides. The box should not have any other items inside. Seal the box securely with packing tape.
On the outside of the box, mark it as “FRAGILE” and “HANDLE WITH CARE”. Include a note indicating it is being shipped for data recovery. Make sure to obtain a tracking number and insure the package in case it is lost or damaged during shipping.
Following Seagate’s instructions properly will give the drive the best chance of arriving safely so the data recovery engineers can retrieve the data successfully.
Alternative Data Recovery Options
While Seagate offers data recovery services for both Seagate and non-Seagate hard drives, there are some alternative options to attempt recovering lost data yourself before sending it to Seagate.
One option is to use data recovery software like Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery, Prosoft Data Rescue, or Alsoft DiskWarrior. These programs can scan hard drives and recover deleted files. However, they differ in capabilities and effectiveness. It’s important to research reviews before purchasing data recovery software.
For more affordable do-it-yourself options, you can try data recovery using a bootable OS like Hiren’s BootCD or Data Rescue CD. These boot from a CD/USB without mounting the hard drive, making data recovery possible in some cases. However, they can be more complex to use.
Ultimately, Seagate’s data recovery services remain a top choice for effectiveness and convenience. But weighing DIY options vs. costs is worthwhile before sending a drive to Seagate.
Data Recovery Success Rates
The success rate for recovering lost data can vary significantly depending on the type of storage device and the cause of data loss. However, some general statistics on data recovery success rates include:
According to a recent poll by the Data Recovery Professionals group, the overall success rate for recovering data from all types of failed storage devices is approximately 70% (Source). The success rate was found to be highest for SSDs at 92% and lowest for CDs/DVDs at 52%.
One data recovery company reports that for hard drives, the success rate is 85-90% if there is no physical damage to the drive. If the hard drive has physical damage, the success rate drops to 50-60% (Source).
According to research by Comparitech, there is a 76% chance of recovering data from a failed hard drive if a professional data recovery service is used. The success rate goes down to 54% for DIY recovery using data recovery software (Source).
Overall, the most important factors for improving the chances of successful data recovery are seeking professional help quickly and avoiding any further data loss or damage to the storage device.
Conclusion
In summary, SeaGate does not offer completely free data recovery services. However, they do provide a free evaluation service where you can send in your hard drive and get an assessment on the feasibility and cost of data recovery. If you have a SeaGate drive, data recovery pricing starts at $550 for logical recoveries and $1,100 for physical recoveries. For non-SeaGate drives, the pricing is higher. While data recovery services can get quite expensive, SeaGate is transparent about their pricing and services. For those seeking a free DIY option, third party software may be able to recover deleted files. However, for mechanical or physical failures, it’s best to rely on professional data recovery services, even if there is a cost involved. So in conclusion, if you need to recover lost data from a failed hard drive, SeaGate does offer reliable data recovery services, but not for free.
