Five signs your phone battery is finished
Batteries fail gradually, then all at once. Here is what the slow part looks like.
Data recovery
The device is replaceable. The photos, the coursework, the four years of client files usually are not. When a drive or a phone dies, what happens next matters more than the hardware.
What this covers
There are two kinds of data loss and they need different work. Logical failure means the storage hardware is fine but the data is unreachable — a corrupted file system, a deleted partition, a failed operating system update, an accidental format. That is recoverable with software and a bit-for-bit image of the drive, and it is the majority of what comes in. Physical failure means the drive itself has broken: a seized motor, failed heads, a dead controller board, or an SSD whose controller has locked. That needs hardware work.
Phones and modern laptops complicate this because the storage is soldered to the board and encrypted. When an iPhone or a recent MacBook will not power on, recovering the data means repairing the board well enough to boot the device once — there is no drive to take out and read elsewhere. It is skilled work and it is not always possible, which is why we tell you the odds before you commit to anything.
One rule matters more than any other: the more a failing drive is powered on, the less there is to recover. Every boot attempt on a drive with failing heads does more damage. If your data matters, stop using the device and bring it in.
What is included
- A free assessment that tells you what failed and how likely recovery is, before you spend anything.
- No recovery, no fee — if we cannot get your data back, you do not pay for the attempt.
- Work carried out on a bit-for-bit image wherever possible, so the original is never written to.
- Recovered data returned on an encrypted drive of your choice, with a file list so you can check it.
- Your data wiped from our systems once you confirm you have everything.
Faults we see most
Drive not recognisedNot showing in the operating system, or showing as unformatted.
Clicking or grindingMechanical failure in a hard drive. Power it off now — every spin costs you data.
Accidental format or deleteWiped the wrong drive, or emptied something you needed. Often fully recoverable.
Failed OS updateMachine will not boot after an update. The files are usually still intact.
Dead phone, needed photosWill not power on after water or a drop. Requires board-level work to boot once.
SSD locked or deadDrive reporting zero capacity or refusing to mount. Controller-level failure.
Prices
Data Recovery — starting prices
Quoted before we start · Diagnostic free
| Repair | Typical turnaround | From |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment and quote | 24–48 hours | Free |
| Logical recovery — drive or SSD | 2–5 days | from $149 |
| Deleted or formatted partition recovery | 2–4 days | from $149 |
| Failed OS — file extraction | 1–2 days | from $99 |
| Water-damaged phone recovery | 3–7 days | from $249 |
| Physical drive recovery | 5–14 days | Quoted after assessment |
| Recovered data on encrypted drive | Included | from $59 + media |
Prices start from the figures shown and depend on the model and the part fitted. You always get a fixed quote before any work begins, and the diagnostic is free whether or not you go ahead.
Questions about data recovery
What does "no recovery, no fee" actually mean?
If we cannot recover usable data, you pay nothing for the attempt — no bench fee, no diagnostic charge. You only pay when we can show you a list of the files we have got back.
My hard drive is clicking. Should I keep trying?
No. Clicking means the read heads are failing, and every additional power-on scrapes the platters that hold your data. Switch it off, leave it off, and bring it in. This is the single most common way recoverable data becomes unrecoverable.
Can you get photos off a phone that will not turn on?
Often, yes, but it depends on why it will not turn on. Modern phone storage is soldered and encrypted, so recovery means repairing the board enough to boot the phone once. We assess that for free and tell you honestly what the chances are.
Who sees my data?
Only the technician doing the recovery. We do not browse recovered files beyond confirming they open, we return everything on an encrypted drive, and we wipe our copy once you have confirmed you have it all.
Related reading
From the bench
Need data recovery?
Tell us the device and what it is doing. We will confirm the fault for free and give you a fixed price before anything is opened.
Walk-ins welcome · Mon–Fri 9–19 · Sat 10–17