Salvagedata.com is a data recovery service that claims to help users recover lost or deleted data from hard drives, USB drives, SD cards, and other storage devices. With data becoming increasingly valuable in the digital age, data recovery services like Salvagedata.com provide an important service. However, it’s prudent to do research before trusting any company with your valuable data. This article will examine Salvagedata.com’s legitimacy based on factors like reviews, transparency, and service quality.
Overview of Salvagedata.com
Salvagedata.com is owned and operated by CBL Data Recovery Technologies, Inc., which is based in Armonk, NY. The company was founded in 2003 with the goal of providing professional, affordable data recovery services to consumers and businesses. Some key facts about Salvagedata.com include:
- Offers data recovery for all types of storage media including hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards, etc.
- Has class 100 clean room facilities for safe hard drive repair
- Provides free evaluations and price quotes
- Offers expedited emergency recovery services
- Provides RAID recovery services
- Has recovery labs in multiple locations across the US
Based solely on its website, Salvagedata.com appears to be a professional data recovery company with the capabilities to recover data from any type of storage device. However, it’s important to look beyond surface appearances to determine if a company is truly legitimate or not.
Salvagedata.com Reviews
One of the best ways to gauge a company’s legitimacy and service quality is by looking at customer reviews. Here is a summary of Salvagedata.com reviews from independent third-party sites:
Positive Reviews
- Many customers reported Salvagedata.com recovered all or most of their lost data
- Customers praised the company’s communication and customer service
- Positive feedback about Salvagedata.com’s data recovery capabilities
- Customers appreciated the reasonable prices and free evaluations
- Several mentioned fast turnaround times, even for extensive recovery jobs
Negative Reviews
- Some customers reported recovering only a portion of their lost data
- Instances of slow communication or coordination issues
- A few mentioned longer than expected turnaround times
- Some felt the pricing was higher than average
- A minority of customers reported poor experiences overall
Overall, the majority of independent reviews for Salvagedata.com are positive. While there are some negative reviews, this is expected for any company in the data recovery industry. Many of the critical reviews appear to involve unique cases or misunderstandings versus outright negligence or fraud on the company’s part.
Transparency of Operations
A company that readily shares information about its history, ownership, facilities, processes, and capabilities is exhibiting transparency. Salvagedata.com seems reasonably transparent in the following ways:
- Their “About Us” page provides company history and ownership details
- Information about their data recovery process is easily accessible
- Their website highlights their state-of-the-art facilities
- Customer service representatives are available to answer questions
- They share their security processes and data protection policy
Additionally, Salvagedata.com maintains profiles on trusted business rating sites like the Better Business Bureau. While they aren’t perfect, their BBB rating is currently A+ which indicates Salvagedata.com makes good faith efforts to address customer complaints.
Data Recovery Service & Capabilities
Salvagedata.com claims to have industry leading capabilities for recovering data from all types of storage devices. Based on customer reviews and their advertised service features, these claims appear legitimate. Here are some of their notable data recovery capabilities:
- Hard Drive Recovery – They can recover data from hard drives that have been deleted, corrupted, mechanically failed, or damaged by water/fire.
- RAID Recovery – They have specialized experience recovering data from RAID configurations of all major types.
- Mobile Device Recovery – They recover lost data from smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices.
- Tape Data Recovery – They support recovery of data from backup tapes and cartridges.
- Advanced Recovery Methods – They claim to utilize techniques like disk imaging, data reconstruction, and more.
While it’s impossible to independently verify all of their service claims, their advertised capabilities match or exceed most professional data recovery firms. They appear to have the technical expertise and technology needed to recover data in even complex situations.
Security Standards & Practices
Recovering customers’ personal and business data requires handling sensitive information. Salvagedata.com seems to follow reasonable security practices including:
- NAID AAA certification for data destruction
- Class 100 clean rooms to prevent contamination of drives
- Employee background checks
- Secure transport of recovered data
- Use of data encryption technologies
They also indicate they comply with various state, federal, and international data security regulations. While no data recovery service can guarantee 100% security, Salvagedata.com appears to make meaningful efforts to protect customer data.
Conclusion
In summary, while no company is perfect, the available information indicates Salvagedata.com is a legitimate, professional data recovery service. The majority of customer reviews are positive and highlight their reliable service and technical capabilities. They operate transparently, make reasonable security efforts, and exhibit the characteristics of a credible data recovery provider. In the data recovery industry, there are certainly worse options than Salvagedata.com for trusted, affordable service.
FAQ
Does Salvagedata.com permanently delete data from failed drives?
No, Salvagedata.com only deletes customers’ data after the recovery process is complete and upon explicit approval. Their processes are designed to recover data, not permanently delete it.
Can Salvagedata.com recover data from water damaged devices?
Yes, they advertise specialized capabilities to recover data from devices damaged by water and other types of physical damage.
Does Salvagedata.com offer emergency/expedited services?
Yes, they offer expedited recovery services for an additional fee for urgent cases where time is critical.
What types of payment does Salvagedata.com accept?
Salvagedata.com accepts all major credit cards, PayPal, checks, and bank wire transfers. Payment is required once data recovery is completed, not upfront.
Is Salvagedata.com an American company?
Yes, Salvagedata.com is owned and operated by CBL Data Recovery Technologies, Inc. which is headquartered in Armonk, NY. They have additional data centers across the United States.
Comparison of Top Data Recovery Services
Here is a table comparing key features and capabilities of Salvagedata.com versus top competitors in the data recovery industry:
| Company | Starting Price | Turnaround Time | Mobile Device Recovery | RAID Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salvagedata.com | $99 | 1-10 business days | Yes | Yes |
| Secure Data Recovery | $499 | 24-48 hours | Yes | Yes |
| Ontrack | $199 | 7-10 days | Yes | Yes |
| Gillware | $299 | 7-10 days | No | Yes |
This table illustrates Salvagedata.com’s competitive pricing and quick turnaround times relative to competitors. They offer a strong overall value proposition for the majority of data recovery situations.
Scenarios When Salvagedata.com May Disappoint
While Salvagedata.com seems capable of handling most standard data recovery jobs well, they may disappoint customers in certain scenarios:
- Cases requiring recovery of highly proprietary or encrypted data
- Specialized techniques needed beyond their advertised capabilities
- Very short turnaround requirements of less than 24 hours
- Situations where human error resulted in catastrophic data loss
- Requests to recover data from extremely obsolete or damaged media
In rare, complex cases that require cutting-edge forensic data recovery skills, customers may be better served by an elite specialist service like DriveSavers or Kroll Ontrack. But for typical consumer and business data loss events, Salvagedata.com remains a solid choice.
Tips for Maximizing Chance of Data Recovery
Follow these best practices when using Salvagedata.com or any data recovery service to maximize your chance of a successful recovery:
- Stop using the device immediately after data loss occurs
- Avoid any further actions that could overwrite the lost data
- Retain all hardware and components related to the device
- Contact the recovery provider quickly after data loss
- Follow all packing instructions carefully when shipping devices
- Provide detailed information upfront about the data loss event
- Ask questions and understand the recovery plan
- Maintain patience throughout the recovery process
- Understand that fragmented or overwritten data may be unrecoverable
While hiring a reputable service like Salvagedata.com is critical, the customer’s actions play a huge role in enabling a successful recovery. Avoid further data loss and work closely with recovery experts for maximum results.