Case study · April 2024
Hard disk told it had a "heads failure" – 400 GB recovered the same day
The problem
The customer's drive had been checked at another recovery centre, which said the read/write heads had failed and quoted a high price for a heads replacement.
Before agreeing, he brought the drive to our lab in Pune for a second opinion.
The result
Our diagnosis did not confirm a heads failure, so no heads replacement was needed and the quote was much lower.
All of the roughly 400 GB was recovered within about 8 hours, and he checked the recovered files over a remote session before collecting them.
“He quickly assessed my hard disk, debunked the previous diagnosis… Within just 8 hours, Abhishek had recovered all my data and even provided remote access for me to confirm everything was intact.”
Why a second diagnosis matters
A heads (read/write head) failure is a real and serious fault: the drive usually clicks, beeps or is not detected, and the fix needs donor parts and clean-room work. But a drive that is slow, freezes or shows as RAW can have other causes, such as bad sectors, firmware problems or a damaged file system, that do not need the drive to be opened at all.
Opening a drive that did not need it adds cost and risk. A careful diagnosis first tells you which kind of fault you have, and so what the recovery should really cost.
If this happens to you
- Ask what exactly was found in the diagnosis, not only the price.
- Get a second opinion if the quote is for physical work and the drive is still detected.
- Stop using the drive while you decide; every hour of running a weak drive can make it worse.
- Ask to check the recovered file list before you pay.
Free diagnosis · exact price before work · no data, no fee · free pickup in Pune and PCMC, free courier from the rest of India.
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Frequently asked questions
Does every slow or failing hard disk need a heads replacement?
No. Only drives with physically damaged heads need it. Bad sectors, firmware faults and file-system damage are recovered without opening the drive. A proper diagnosis tells them apart.
Is diagnosis free?
Yes. We diagnose the drive for free and tell you the exact price before any work starts. If no data is recovered, you pay no recovery charge.
Can I check my files before collecting the drive?
Yes. We show you the recovered files first, in the lab or over a remote session, so you know what you are getting.
Every recovery depends on the condition of the device. This case describes one customer's result in their own words; your diagnosis tells you what is possible for yours.