Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What IS a flash drive?

A: A small, portable flash memory card that plugs into a computer USB port and functions as a portable hard drive with up to a given storage capacity usually in gigabytes (GB) or megabytes (MB).

Q: Why do flash drives often fail/lose data?

A: There are many reasons ranging from over-use (flash drives often only last for only about 10,000 read/write cycles to individual component failure. The most common cause of failure is physical damage incurred on the drive rendering it inoperable.

Common causes and symptoms of USB flash drive data loss:

   ●  Accidently format USB flash drive
   ●  Virus attack
   ●  Power surges & electro-static discharge
   ●  Not properly removing the USB flash drive from a computer
   ●  Accidently delete files from USB flash drive
   ●  The file system of USB flash drive is displays as raw
   ●  Windows may ask if you want to format the USB flash drive

Q. What makes you better than xyz data recovery shop?

A: Most data recovery shops don’t specialize in NAND (flash) memory. They use automated All-In-One tools which allow "anyone" to recover data but produce inferior results such as corrupt files, malformed images, and low success rates. We have spent over three years reverse engineering controller designs and have written many proprietary tools to retrieve data.

Our goal is to recover as much of your data as possible. The industry standard for a successful recovery is 60% of your data, our standard is 95% of your data. In most cases when another data recovery shop says your data is unrecoverable we can get the data.

Q: Do you outsource your work?

A: NO, all our work is done in-house. Many data recovery shops outsource their work to other companies or other countries. We do all our work in-house at our Bellevue Washington location.

Q: Can you recover my USB Flash Drive, Compact Flash, Secure Digital, or SSD Hard Drive?

A: In almost every case, YES. As-long-as we can get physical access to the NAND (flash) memory there is a very good chance we can retrieve your data.

Q: How do you recover my data?

A: It varies depending on the failure. First we need to figure out if the fault is physical or logical. If it’s a physical problem like a broken connector or bad passive component we try repairing the damaged part(s). If it’s logical like wear damage or corrupt firmware then we read the contents of the NAND memory chip and reverse engineer the controller design.

Q: What is the difference between standard and rush service?

A: Standard service is our economical service, its first come first serve. Once your drive is received its put in a queue with previously received drives. It can take between 5 to 14 days for us to look at your drive. Rush service is an additional $200, If you choose rush service we will look at your drive on the same day its received.

Q: How much does it cost to recover my flash drive, compact flash card or secure digital card?

A: Our pricing starts at $118 which includes labor, a replacement flash drive, and shipping, once we receive your drive we’ll diagnose the fault and quote an exact price for recovery. We can provide a price range over the phone. Our pricing is based on the amount of time, labor and parts required to recover your data. If you choose not to proceed with the recovery your media will be shipped back for free.

Q: How much does it cost to recover my (Solid State Drive) SDD hard drive?

A: Solid State Drives are inherently complex and can take many days or weeks to recover. Generally larger SSD hard drives are harder to recover. When a drive is submitted for recovery we will evaluate the drive and quote a price for recovery.

Q: Why are you cheaper or more expensive than xyz data recovery shop?

A: Our rate is based on the average time it takes to work on a flash drive and the volume of drives we’re receiving. Many data recovery companies outsource their work forcing them to mark up their price. We do all our work in-house.

Q: What is your success rate?

A: If the problem is physical, nearly 100%. If the problem is logical is varies by the quality of data stored in the NAND memory chip(s). In most cases we’re able to recover all your data. In a few cases where the data is severely degraded we may only be able to retrieve specific folders or file types.

Q: What do you charge if you can’t recover my data?

A: Nothing, there is no evaluation or return shipping fee if the drive is being shipped in the United States.

Q: Can you recover digital voice recorders?

A: We're able to recover data from Panasonic voice recorders. If you have another brand feel free to ask, we’re up for a challenge.

Q: What flash media are you unable to recover data from?

A: If you think you have one of these drives call first to confirm:

Encrypted (FIPS/AES/3DS) Flash Drives – If the drive has physical damage or a failed passive component we can usually recover the data however we can’t recover encrypted drives that failed due to logical damage.

Mini/Micro Flash Drives – Some (not all) mini/micro flash drives are just a single piece of plastic with contacts for the USB ports. At this time we’re unable to recover these drives because we can’t directly access the components.

Flash drives with physically damaged NAND chips – If the NAND chips (the black rectangular chips) are physically cracked we can't recover data. If the chip is missing pins we might be able to recover data.

Back To Top