External Hard Drive Recovery
Let us help you get it back!
- Experts with +15 years of experience
- Recovers data within 4-7 business days
- +24,200 Analyses Performed
We recover all types of External Hard Drives
At Laby, we specialize in offering advanced solutions and a wide range of services dedicated to data recovery from external hard drives and mass storage systems.
We understand that the mobility of these devices exposes them to greater risks, so we have the necessary infrastructure to intervene units under any connection standard, including:
- Desktop and Laptop Interfaces: SATA, eSATA and traditional PATA (IDE, EIDE).
- External Connectivity: USB (2.0, 3.0, C) and Firewire. Systems
- Enterprise and Server: SCSI, SAS and Fibre Channel.
We work with multiple brands
Why does a mechanical hard drive fail?
Knowing the most frequent causes of failure helps to act in time and not to worsen the situation when the damage has already been done.
Wear and tear over time
Data stored on a mechanical disk degrades over the years. Magnetic platters lose properties and files become unreadable, both on disks in active use and on drives that have been stored unused for a long time.
Malware and viruses
A virus can't physically damage the disk, but it can corrupt the data on it to the point of making it unreadable or inaccessible. Ransomware, for example, encrypts files by preventing them from being read without the decryption key.
Interruption during writing
Any event that cuts off the write process can leave the data incomplete and make the file inaccessible. The most common causes are:
- Sudden power outage during an installation or upgrade
- Bump or fall of the device while typing data
- Extreme temperatures—severe cold or heat—during operation
- Unplugging the drive without properly ejecting it
Internal mechanical failure
HDDs have moving parts that age and fail. A collision of heads – the reading head impacts on the chainrings – or engine failure are the most critical examples. These failures are more frequent in external disks due to their greater exposure to shocks and vibrations.
If your disc is clicking, rattling, or squeaking, stop using it immediately: Continuing to turn it on can extend damage to magnetic platters.
Signs that your hard drive is failing
These symptoms usually appear before the disc stops working completely. Detecting them in time can make the difference between recovering your data or losing it:
- Unusual slowness when opening, saving, or copying files
- Blue screen (BSoD) or inability to boot the operating system
- The drive doesn't appear in file explorer when you plug it in
- Windows asks to run CHKDSK or other repair tools
- Strange noises: repetitive clicks, squeaks, or knocks when turning it on
If you recognize any of these symptoms, don't turn off or restart the disk repeatedly. Each start with mechanical damage can scratch the chainrings and reduce the chances of recovery. Contact us and we will make a free diagnosis in less than 4 working hours.
How do we carry out the process of recovering data from external hard drives?
Inquiry
Tell us about your case. Immediate response from a specialist and a quote without obligation.
24/7 · 365 daysEvaluation
We analyze your device and give you a report with recoverable data, term and fixed price.
Free diagnosisRecovery
Once the budget is approved, we act. Real-time tracking from your private portal.
95% success >rateData Submission
Your data on an encrypted device sent to your door. Privacy guaranteed.
Secure shipping includedMore than 33,500 devices in stock for fast and economical service. Own software and customized intranet.
What to do if your external hard drive has failed and you need to recover the data?
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1
Disconnect it immediately from your computer. If the disc makes strange noises, gets too hot, or simply stops being recognized, unplug it. Continued use can aggravate damage to magnetic platters or readheads.
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2
Don't hit or shake it trying to get it to work again. It's a common mistake, but any further impact on a disk with already damaged heads can definitely scratch the platters and make the data unrecoverable.
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3
Avoid using recovery software if you suspect a physical failure. Recovery programs are designed for logical failures. On a disk with mechanical damage, forcing repeated reads only accelerates deterioration. If the disk clicks or does not appear on the system, it is a sign of physical failure.
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4
Put it in the hands of a specialized laboratory. The opening of a hard drive must be done in a clean room, with professional teams and trained technicians. This is the only way to ensure that the necessary conditions are guaranteed to access the plates without causing additional damage and maximise the chances of recovery.
Recovery Pricing
Data from External Hard Drives
250€ – 450€
+ VAT
Logic or electronic board faults
Problems accessing damaged partitions, bad sectors, or surface degradation. Electronic boards burned or damaged by short circuit, wrong voltages, or burnt components.
Contact350€ – 690€
+ VAT
HDD Firmware Breakdowns
SW of the corrupted disc. Damaged modules.
Contact450€ – 890€
+ VAT
Engine Breakdowns
Overheating or failure of the motor unit. Requires cleanroom intervention.
Contact450€ – 890€
+ VAT
Head Breakdowns
Surface degradation or failure of the reader unit. Replacement of heads in the clean room with compatible parts.
ContactWhat determines the price
to recover your external hard drive?
The cost depends on two factors: the type of damage to the device and the hours of work required for recovery. At Laby we never charge more for the volume of data, only for the difficulty of access.
Type and severity of damage
External hard drives combine the mechanics of an HDD with a USB enclosure and interface board. A blow can simultaneously damage the heads, the platters and the connection electronics. The more components affected, the greater the complexity of the intervention.
Working hours
The difficulty of accessing the internal disk – which in many models is soldered or encapsulated – increases the intervention time. Disks with SMR technology or with damaged firmware require considerably longer processes.
Conventional models
The reader unit is positioned directly over the sector and operates with a clean and constant write flow. The Translator module (responsible for translating physical information into logic) is stable and rarely corrupted, which simplifies and makes the recovery process cheaper.
Current models — greater complexity
To maximize capacity, manufacturers use narrower tracks than the playhead itself. Any write requires you to read a block of sectors, load it into a buffer, modify it and rewrite it entirely. This cycle generates serious firmware problems and multiplies the work time in recovery.
If we don't recover your data, we don't charge. The diagnosis is always free and you will receive a closed quote before starting. No surprises, no small print.
What do you think of us?
Laby has a quality management system certified in accordance with the international standard ISO 9001:2015, ensuring efficient processes, continuous improvement and a high level of satisfaction in each project.
Laby is registered with the National Institute of Cybersecurity (INCIBE), reinforcing its commitment to best practices in cybersecurity, digital protection and information security.
Laby has an information security management system certified according to the international standard ISO/IEC 27001:2022, guaranteeing the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data.
Frequently Asked Questions about External Hard Drive Recovery
What is an external hard drive and what are its advantages for data storage?
An external hard drive is a peripheral storage device that uses rotating magnetic platters (HDDs) to store large volumes of information in a portable way. Unlike SSDs, their main advantage lies in the capacity-price ratio, allowing terabytes of data to be stored cheaply. They are ideal for mass backups, media files, and data transport between different workstations.
How does it work internally and what connection interfaces do you use?
Unlike flash memory, these disks work by means of heads that “fly” over magnetic plates at thousands of revolutions per minute. At Laby we work with all connection architectures, from domestic to professional: Consumption: USB (2.0, 3.0, C), Firewire and eSATA. Legacy: PATA (IDE, EIDE) and SATA. High Performance/Servers: SCSI, SAS and Fibre Channel.
What are the main parts of an external drive and why are they critical?
It consists of the platters (where the data resides), the motor (which makes it rotate), the actuator arm with its heads (which read/write) and the PCB or electronic board (which manages communication). Being devices with moving parts, they are extremely sensitive to shocks, sudden movements while they are on or electrical failures in the USB port.
If my external drive makes strange noises or is not recognized by the PC, is it broken?
In case of a damaged external hard drive, can the information be recovered?
Yes, in the vast majority of cases it is possible. The chances of success depend on the severity of the damage to the surface of the chainrings. At Laby we use Clean Rooms to open the discs without contaminating them, allowing us to perform head transplants or advanced electronic repairs to extract the image from the data safely.
If you want to know exactly the cost for you, the best thing to do is to contact us and we will give you a free quote without obligation.
What devices do we recover at Laby?
Mechanical Hard Disks
HDD disks have as main components the metal plates where data is stored, and the heads that access the information. The most common hard disk.
SSD Hard Drives
SSDs have no moving parts — hence "solid state." Information is stored in blocks with no heads required. Much more efficient and faster than HDD.
External Hard Drives
External hard disks let you store important backups outside your computer. A single failure can cause you to lose all that valuable data.
iPhone, iPad, iMac or MacBook
Apple devices including iPhone, iPad, iMac, MacBook and Mac Mini. Reliable, elegant and powerful — and fully recoverable when something goes wrong.
Laptop Hard Disks
Your laptop holds important work and personal data. If a failure occurs, all that valuable information can be at risk — we can get it back.
NAS, SAN and DAS Disks
A compact enclosure of several hard disks connected via network cable to the system. Commonly known as a network hard disk — we recover all configurations.
RAID Systems
RAID disks are a redundant group of independent disks (HDD or SSD) forming a storage system to distribute or replicate data across multiple drives.
Pen Drives and USB Flash Drives
Pen drives consist of one or more memory blocks using the same Flash technology as SSD devices, making them fast but vulnerable to sudden failures.
Memory Cards
Memory cards store data from cameras, phones and tablets. They vary in capacity and speed — and when they fail, we recover what matters most.
Virus or Ransomware
We recover data encrypted by viruses or ransomware. Ransomware blocks your device until a ransom is paid — depending on the type, it encrypts the full OS or specific files.
Mobile Phones and Tablets
Recovery from smartphones and tablets is carried out by analyzing the electronics of damaged components or through the chip-off process for deeper failures.
Data Deletion
We offer certified secure data erasure and destruction, carried out either in our laboratory or remotely, with full documentation for compliance and legal purposes.
Forensic Analysis
Computer forensic analysis and expert evidence. We recover and certify critical information with legal value, with certified experts for reports and legal proceedings.