Below is a lot of information on the topic. Some of it may be outdated,
so be warned. It's all focused on hard disk recovery.
For both floppy and hard drive recovery at UofM, contact:
data.r...@umich.edu or see http://www.umich.edu/~wwwitd/data-recovery/
Note that they are probably better with PC/Mac disks than with Unix
(although they may be able to do Unix too).
ITCS Contract Services did floppy disk recovery in the past, and they
still may. Call them at 615-0500 or see http://www.umich.edu/~itdcs
Generally, if it's a hard disk you're recovering, you might get
away with paying $1000 - $2000. But from what I've heard, $10,000 -
$30,000 is more common, especially if you're in a hurry. So you'll
want to recover from backup tape if at all possible.
Note that if this is just filesystem corruption (not physical damage or
a failed drive component), especially on Linux ext2fs, Solaris UFS, or
FAT filesystems, there may be people in the UofM community who can give
you tricks to repair the damage yourself (even if fsck or scandisk/chkdsk
cannot fix the problem automatically).
Hope this helps.
Mark Montague
LS&A Information Technology
mark...@umich.edu
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From j...@admin.lsa.umich.edu Tue Jun 24 10:42:50 1997
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 09:19:14 -0400
From: Jim Jeffries <j...@admin.lsa.umich.edu>
Reply-To: j...@umich.edu
To: MDun...@umich.edu
Cc: NetWare.Adm...@umich.edu, NT-A...@umich.edu
Subject: Re: Failed Disk Recovery
...
...
...
> Does anyone have any experience (preferably good experience) with
> any of these companies that claim to be able to get back data from a
> failed drive? Any of the companies to stay away from?
Mike,
Try
Data Recovery Labs @ (416)510-6990 == ral...@datarec.com or ad...@datarec.com
They are in Canada.
Sam Rall is who I worked w/ to recover data from a disk that had most of its
info overwritten. Vedy helpful people.
Jim Jeffries
Director, Office of Computing Services (OCS) j...@umich.edu
Physics Department (313)936-2426 (voice)
University of Michigan (313)785-6953 (page)
2047-C Randall Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1120 (313)763-9694 (fax)
From z...@umich.edu Tue Jun 24 10:43:19 1997
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 09:34:05 -0400
From: zvi flanders <z...@umich.edu>
To: MDun...@umich.edu
Cc: NetWare.Adm...@umich.edu, NT-A...@umich.edu
Subject: Re: Failed Disk Recovery
I have some experience with these folks
Skip Osterhus
Soft Recovery Technology
sk...@ibm.net
One drive they completly saved. Another one they failed to help me at all.
I found them to be of VERY high integrity, but slow.
>.
>.
>> Does anyone have any experience (preferably good experience) with
>> any of these companies that claim to be able to get back data from a
>> failed drive? Any of the companies to stay away from?
>
>Mike,
>
>Try
>
>Data Recovery Labs @ (416)510-6990 == ral...@datarec.com or
ad...@datarec.com
>They are in Canada.
>
>Sam Rall is who I worked w/ to recover data from a disk that had most of its
>info overwritten. Vedy helpful people.
>
>
>Jim Jeffries
> Director, Office of Computing Services (OCS) j...@umich.edu
> Physics Department (313)936-2426 (voice)
> University of Michigan (313)785-6953 (page)
> 2047-C Randall Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1120 (313)763-9694 (fax)
>
>
===============================================================
Zvi Flanders Phone (313) 763-2364
Systems Manager e-mail z...@umich.edu
Health Service http://www-personal.umich.edu/~zvi
University of Michigan
207 Fletcher
Ann Arbor MI, 48109-1050
From ma...@umich.edu Tue Jun 24 10:46:11 1997
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 10:00:07 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mary Beth Stuenkel <ma...@umich.edu>
To: MDun...@umich.edu
Cc: NetWare.Adm...@umich.edu, NT-A...@umich.edu
Subject: Re: Failed Disk Recovery
I'd send Bruce Burrell an e-mail (b...@umich.edu). He's an ITD employee
who does disk recovery for the U. He did a great job recovering a PC hard
drive for me. I don't know if he can handle this type of drive. He would
also be a good source of recommendations if he can't do the work.
--MaryBeth
From b...@umich.edu Tue Jun 24 14:25:17 1997
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 14:06:36 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Bruce P. Burrell" <b...@umich.edu>
To: NetWare.Adm...@umich.edu, NT-A...@umich.edu
Cc: disk.r...@umich.edu
Subject: Re: Failed Disk Recovery
Hi, all. Steve Rothwell forwarded this along to me, and I thought the
answer might be of general interest.
May you never have need of it.
> >From: Michael J. Dunigan[SMTP:Michael...@umich.edu]
> >Sent: Tue 24 Jun 1997 7:20 AM
> >To: NetWare.Adm...@umich.edu; NT-A...@umich.edu
> >Subject: Failed Disk Recovery
> >
> > Please excuse this message that is slightly off the subject of
> >these lists, but, I felt that this group of people was my best chance
> >of getting the info that I needed.
Well, it reached me eventually. The University used to offer data
recovery services for hard drives, but does no longer. Joe Mullaney and
I, who used to do this work for ITD Consulting, now offer private
contractual services for data recovery (we're still full-time ITD
employees, but our focus is redirected). The email group
data.r...@umich.edu gets to both of us, and we have plans to set up a
web page somewhere in ~wwwitd sometime before next semester.
We offer second level support for data recovery, wearing our ITD hats,
though there is not much we can do in that capacity actually to effect
getting back the data -- it's not quite like telling someone how to set
tabs in Word. ;-) We will try to assist you to take the best approach
suited to your particular case; if you want to hire us, fine; if not,
I've written a primer on how to find a reputable data recovery service.
My main concern is that you get the best possible result, not that you
employ me.
> > I manage a couple of Periphonics Voice Response machines, and
> >over the weekend, one of them experienced a hard disk failure. I
> >would like to try and get back some of the information that was on
> >the hard disk, if possible. (Mainly the log files of the number of
> >calls.)
I'm not familiar with this kind of machine. Is it proprietary? If so,
and the problem is logical rather than physical, we could always just make
an image of the drive, and let you hack the useful text out of it.
Painful, perhaps, but it might work (and be inexpensive). If the data are
encrypted, or in binary form, it makes matters a lot tougher.
If it's a standard DOS (FAT-based) or Mac (HFS-based) system, we have
plenty of experience; other stuff "depends". Reverse engineering is
always a possibility, but one needs very deep pockets for that.
> > Does anyone have any experience (preferably good experience) with
> >any of these companies that claim to be able to get back data from a
> >failed drive? Any of the companies to stay away from?
I can comment on that; perhaps you'd like to cal me. Standard blurb
follows.
> > Thanks in advance for your assistance.
Sorry to hear that you have the need; hope we can help one way or
another.
If you'd like to contact me by phone, my work number is (612) 488-2578;
this number has an answering machine, but is usually tied up with the
modem. The private line, (612) 488-1689 has no answering machine, but is
usually free when the other line is busy.
I believe in early to bed, early to rise -- I go to bed early in the
morning, and get up early in the afternoon. Therefore you probably won't
get me on the phone if you call between 4am and noon Central time.
-BPB
From b...@umich.edu Sat Oct 25 17:42:23 1997
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 21:49:03 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Bruce P. Burrell" <b...@umich.edu>
To: kots...@mcit.med.umich.edu
Cc: Richard Boys <R...@umich.edu>, Netware.Adm...@umich.edu,
data.r...@umich.edu
Subject: Re: Recover SCSI Drives
Hi, Jim et al; thanks for forwarding this to me, Rich, and for the kind
words. More below....
On Fri, 24 Oct 1997, Richard Boys wrote:
> On Track is one of the better known data recovery firms.
I agree that they're well known, and they're reputable -- but in my
opinion, one can do better. See my primer on our web page for more info
(http://www.umich.edu/~wwwitd/data-recovery/)
> NetWare Support has a copy of the NetWare version their software that
> users can try locally. I used this software in the past and was not
> able to recover the crashed drives that I had. It looked like a good
> product and is fairly good at protecting the user from killing the drive
> completely.
Depends on the problem. If it's a corrupted NetWare volume, NetWare
Tools is a Good Thing -- but if it's a physical problem or a logical
problem not associated with the NetWare partition, they aren't much help.
Depending on the actual problem, though, it's probably worth a try.
> They also offer support for mail in services. Check www.ontrack.com.
Do check, but be forewarned: the best known name is pricey.
> Also try Bruce Burrell, b...@umich.edu, is the best person on campus for
> this type of question.
I've cc'ed our data.r...@umich.edu email group, which includes Joe
Mullaney, my fellow data recovery person. Since the U no longer offers
this service for hard drives, Joe and I provide private contracting (we're
both FTEs in ITD) after we've exhausted all the possibilities for helping
while wearing out ITD consultant hats. Hope that won't be necessary, but
please do contact us and check our web page before you proceed.
> Rich
> >>> Jim Kotsones <kots...@mcit.med.umich.edu> 10/24/97 2:43:49 PM >>>
> Does anyone know who can repair(restore) data from SCSI Drives?
Do you think the problem is physical or logical? What operating system?
> We have two that were suppose to have good backups and even they let us
> down.
Tape backups? Some other kind?
> Any help out there.
If you want to discuss this by phone, just let me know.
-BPB
From b...@umich.edu Fri Apr 17 09:40:50 1998
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1998 14:24:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Bruce P. Burrell" <b...@umich.edu>
To: mark...@m.imap.itd.umich.edu
Cc: ITD Contract Services <it...@umich.edu>, data.r...@umich.edu
Subject: Re: Hard drive Repair
Hi, Mark; thanks for pointing Craig our way. Just one thing I'd add: we
have a bare bones web page set up; its URL is
<http://www.umich.edu/~wwwitd/data-recovery/> I'd be happy to put a link
there to Contact Services; just let me know the text you'd like.
Oh, and since two other firms have been mentioned, I'll put in my vote
for the one I think is the best of the bunch, bar none: Data Recovery
Labs in Toronto <http://www.datarec.com>.
[Since I already replied to email he sent to us directly, I've not cc'ed
him on this reply.]
-BPB
On Thu, 16 Apr 1998, Mark Montague wrote:
> On Thu, 16 Apr 1998, Craig Teeple wrote:
>
> > I know this question has been asked many times before. But here it goes
> > again. Does anybody know where we can send a hard drive to get repaired. We
> > have one that died and we don't know where the software thats on it is
> > anymore..
>
>
> See
>
> http://www.datasavers.com/
>
> They are a professional data-recovery company.
>
> ITD will provide recovery services for floppy disks, but not for hard drives.
> There are several other professional data recovery companies besides
> DataSavers (above); the complete list is at the end of this message.
>
> You might also want to contact Bruce Burrell (b...@umich.edu) or Joe Mullaney
> (sha...@umich.edu) as they will both attempt hard disk recoveries "on the
> side" (i.e., not as ITD employees).
>
> Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions or need
> more information.
>
>
> Mark Montague
> ITD Contract Services
> mark...@umich.edu
>
>
> ---- snip, snip --------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> >From R...@umich.edu Sat Oct 25 17:23:48 1997
> Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 15:06:20 -0400
> From: Richard Boys <R...@umich.edu>
> To: kots...@mcit.med.umich.edu, Netware.Adm...@umich.edu
> Cc: b...@umich.edu
> Subject: Re: Recover SCSI Drives
>
> On Track is one of the better known data recovery firms. NetWare
> Support has a copy of the NetWare version their software that users can
> try locally. I used this software in the past and was not able to
> recover the crashed drives that I had. It looked like a good product
> and is fairly good at protecting the user from killing the drive
> completely. They also offer support for mail in services. Check
> www.ontrack.com. Also try Bruce Burrell, b...@umich.edu, is the best
> person on campus for this type of q uestion.
>
> Rich
>
>
>
> ********************************************************************************
> Richard M. Boys r...@umich.edu
> University of Michigan School of Information Tech Squad
> Phone: 313 764-8449 FAX: 313 763-8937
> Pager: 313 609-3076 ** new ** Alpha Page: rmb-...@umich.edu
> HTTP://www-personal.umich.edu/~rmb
>
> You mean I can't listen to talk radio and (snow) board?
> - Anonymous
> ********************************************************************************
>
> >>> Jim Kotsones <kots...@mcit.med.umich.edu> 10/24/97 2:43:49 PM >>>
> Does anyone know who can repair(restore) data from SCSI Drives? We have
> two that were suppose to have good backups and even they let us down.
> Any help out there.
>
>
>
>
> >From j...@admin.lsa.umich.edu Tue Jun 24 10:42:50 1997
> Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 09:19:14 -0400
> From: Jim Jeffries <j...@admin.lsa.umich.edu>
> Reply-To: j...@umich.edu
> To: MDun...@umich.edu
> Cc: NetWare.Adm...@umich.edu, NT-A...@umich.edu
> Subject: Re: Failed Disk Recovery
>
> ..
> ..
> ..
> > Does anyone have any experience (preferably good experience) with
> > any of these companies that claim to be able to get back data from a
> > failed drive? Any of the companies to stay away from?
>
> Mike,
>
> Try
>
> Data Recovery Labs @ (416)510-6990 == ral...@datarec.com or ad...@datarec.com
> They are in Canada.
>
> Sam Rall is who I worked w/ to recover data from a disk that had most of its
> info overwritten. Vedy helpful people.
>
>
> Jim Jeffries
> Director, Office of Computing Services (OCS) j...@umich.edu
> Physics Department (313)936-2426 (voice)
> University of Michigan (313)785-6953 (page)
> 2047-C Randall Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1120 (313)763-9694 (fax)
> >From z...@umich.edu Tue Jun 24 10:43:19 1997
> Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 09:34:05 -0400
> From: zvi flanders <z...@umich.edu>
> To: MDun...@umich.edu
> Cc: NetWare.Adm...@umich.edu, NT-A...@umich.edu
> Subject: Re: Failed Disk Recovery
>
> I have some experience with these folks
>
>
> Skip Osterhus
> Soft Recovery Technology
> sk...@ibm.net
>
> One drive they completly saved. Another one they failed to help me at all.
> I found them to be of VERY high integrity, but slow.
>
>
>
> >.
> >.
> >> Does anyone have any experience (preferably good experience) with
> >> any of these companies that claim to be able to get back data from a
> >> failed drive? Any of the companies to stay away from?
> >
> >Mike,
> >
> >Try
> >
> >Data Recovery Labs @ (416)510-6990 == ral...@datarec.com or
> ad...@datarec.com
> >They are in Canada.
> >
> >Sam Rall is who I worked w/ to recover data from a disk that had most of its
> >info overwritten. Vedy helpful people.
> >
> >
> >Jim Jeffries
> > Director, Office of Computing Services (OCS) j...@umich.edu
> > Physics Department (313)936-2426 (voice)
> > University of Michigan (313)785-6953 (page)
> > 2047-C Randall Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1120 (313)763-9694 (fax)
> >
> >
> ===============================================================
> Zvi Flanders Phone (313) 763-2364
> Systems Manager e-mail z...@umich.edu
> Health Service http://www-personal.umich.edu/~zvi
> University of Michigan
> 207 Fletcher
> Ann Arbor MI, 48109-1050
> >From ma...@umich.edu Tue Jun 24 10:46:11 1997
> Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 10:00:07 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Mary Beth Stuenkel <ma...@umich.edu>
> To: MDun...@umich.edu
> Cc: NetWare.Adm...@umich.edu, NT-A...@umich.edu
> Subject: Re: Failed Disk Recovery
>
> I'd send Bruce Burrell an e-mail (b...@umich.edu). He's an ITD employee
> who does disk recovery for the U. He did a great job recovering a PC hard
> drive for me. I don't know if he can handle this type of drive. He would
> also be a good source of recommendations if he can't do the work.
>
> --MaryBeth
>
> >From b...@umich.edu Tue Jun 24 14:25:17 1997
> Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 14:06:36 -0400 (EDT)
> From: "Bruce P. Burrell" <b...@umich.edu>
> To: NetWare.Adm...@umich.edu, NT-A...@umich.edu
> Cc: disk.r...@umich.edu
> Subject: Re: Failed Disk Recovery
>
> Hi, all. Steve Rothwell forwarded this along to me, and I thought the
> answer might be of general interest.
>
> May you never have need of it.
>
> > >From: Michael J. Dunigan[SMTP:Michael...@umich.edu]
> > >Sent: Tue 24 Jun 1997 7:20 AM
> > >To: NetWare.Adm...@umich.edu; NT-A...@umich.edu
> > >Subject: Failed Disk Recovery
> > >
> > > Please excuse this message that is slightly off the subject of
> > >these lists, but, I felt that this group of people was my best chance
> > >of getting the info that I needed.
>
> Well, it reached me eventually. The University used to offer data
> recovery services for hard drives, but does no longer. Joe Mullaney and
> I, who used to do this work for ITD Consulting, now offer private
> contractual services for data recovery (we're still full-time ITD
> employees, but our focus is redirected). The email group
> data.r...@umich.edu gets to both of us, and we have plans to set up a
> web page somewhere in ~wwwitd sometime before next semester.
>
> We offer second level support for data recovery, wearing our ITD hats,
> though there is not much we can do in that capacity actually to effect
> getting back the data -- it's not quite like telling someone how to set
> tabs in Word. ;-) We will try to assist you to take the best approach
> suited to your particular case; if you want to hire us, fine; if not,
> I've written a primer on how to find a reputable data recovery service.
> My main concern is that you get the best possible result, not that you
> employ me.
>
> > > I manage a couple of Periphonics Voice Response machines, and
> > >over the weekend, one of them experienced a hard disk failure. I
> > >would like to try and get back some of the information that was on
> > >the hard disk, if possible. (Mainly the log files of the number of
> > >calls.)
>
> I'm not familiar with this kind of machine. Is it proprietary? If so,
> and the problem is logical rather than physical, we could always just make
> an image of the drive, and let you hack the useful text out of it.
> Painful, perhaps, but it might work (and be inexpensive). If the data are
> encrypted, or in binary form, it makes matters a lot tougher.
>
> If it's a standard DOS (FAT-based) or Mac (HFS-based) system, we have
> plenty of experience; other stuff "depends". Reverse engineering is
> always a possibility, but one needs very deep pockets for that.
>
> > > Does anyone have any experience (preferably good experience) with
> > >any of these companies that claim to be able to get back data from a
> > >failed drive? Any of the companies to stay away from?
>
> I can comment on that; perhaps you'd like to cal me. Standard blurb
> follows.
>
> > > Thanks in advance for your assistance.
>
> Sorry to hear that you have the need; hope we can help one way or
> another.
>
> If you'd like to contact me by phone, my work number is (612) 488-2578;
> this number has an answering machine, but is usually tied up with the
> modem. The private line, (612) 488-1689 has no answering machine, but is
> usually free when the other line is busy.
>
> I believe in early to bed, early to rise -- I go to bed early in the
> morning, and get up early in the afternoon. Therefore you probably won't
> get me on the phone if you call between 4am and noon Central time.
>
> -BPB
>
>
> >From b...@umich.edu Sat Oct 25 17:42:23 1997
> Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 21:49:03 -0400 (EDT)
> From: "Bruce P. Burrell" <b...@umich.edu>
> To: kots...@mcit.med.umich.edu
> Cc: Richard Boys <R...@umich.edu>, Netware.Adm...@umich.edu,
> data.r...@umich.edu
> Subject: Re: Recover SCSI Drives
>
> Hi, Jim et al; thanks for forwarding this to me, Rich, and for the kind
> words. More below....
>
> On Fri, 24 Oct 1997, Richard Boys wrote:
>
> > On Track is one of the better known data recovery firms.
>
> I agree that they're well known, and they're reputable -- but in my
> opinion, one can do better. See my primer on our web page for more info
> (http://www.umich.edu/~wwwitd/data-recovery/)
>
> > NetWare Support has a copy of the NetWare version their software that
> > users can try locally. I used this software in the past and was not
> > able to recover the crashed drives that I had. It looked like a good
> > product and is fairly good at protecting the user from killing the drive
> > completely.
>
> Depends on the problem. If it's a corrupted NetWare volume, NetWare
> Tools is a Good Thing -- but if it's a physical problem or a logical
> problem not associated with the NetWare partition, they aren't much help.
> Depending on the actual problem, though, it's probably worth a try.
>
> > They also offer support for mail in services. Check www.ontrack.com.
>
> Do check, but be forewarned: the best known name is pricey.
>
> > Also try Bruce Burrell, b...@umich.edu, is the best person on campus for
> > this type of question.
>
> I've cc'ed our data.r...@umich.edu email group, which includes Joe
> Mullaney, my fellow data recovery person. Since the U no longer offers
> this service for hard drives, Joe and I provide private contracting (we're
> both FTEs in ITD) after we've exhausted all the possibilities for helping
> while wearing out ITD consultant hats. Hope that won't be necessary, but
> please do contact us and check our web page before you proceed.
>
> > Rich
>
>
> > >>> Jim Kotsones <kots...@mcit.med.umich.edu> 10/24/97 2:43:49 PM >>>
> > Does anyone know who can repair(restore) data from SCSI Drives?
>
> Do you think the problem is physical or logical? What operating system?
>
> > We have two that were suppose to have good backups and even they let us
> > down.
>
> Tape backups? Some other kind?
>
> > Any help out there.
>
> If you want to discuss this by phone, just let me know.
>
> -BPB
>
>
>
---- Another message from Bruce:
> > Oh, and since two other firms have been mentioned, I'll put in my vote
> > for the one I think is the best of the bunch, bar none: Data Recovery
> > Labs in Toronto <http://www.datarec.com>.
>
> This is VERY helpful to know. I'll put it at the top of my list when
> sending-people-places-without-recommending-them.
:-) Glad to help; I've actually toured their facility. Just
top-notch, and they have an unbeatable deal: if they can't get data OR
they can't reach a mutually acceptable price for the recovery, they return
the drive **at no expense, including shipping**, to the owner. Of
course, they do charge a lot to -do- the work, though less than OnTrack --
so it is often cost effective to go with Joe or me instead.
Disclaimer: No, I don't get a cut for recommending them.
From R...@umich.edu Sat Oct 25 17:23:48 1997
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 15:06:20 -0400
From: Richard Boys <R...@umich.edu>
To: kots...@mcit.med.umich.edu, Netware.Adm...@umich.edu
Cc: b...@umich.edu
Subject: Re: Recover SCSI Drives
On Track is one of the better known data recovery firms. NetWare Support has a copy of the NetWare version their software that users can try locally. I used this software in the past and was not able to recover the crashed drives that I had. It looked
like a good product and is fairly good at protecting the user from killing the drive completely. They also offer support for mail in services. Check www.ontrack.com. Also try Bruce Burrell, b...@umich.edu, is the best person on campus for this type of q
uestion.
Rich
********************************************************************************
Richard M. Boys r...@umich.edu
University of Michigan School of Information Tech Squad
Phone: 313 764-8449 FAX: 313 763-8937
Pager: 313 609-3076 ** new ** Alpha Page: rmb-...@umich.edu
HTTP://www-personal.umich.edu/~rmb
You mean I can't listen to talk radio and (snow) board?
- Anonymous
********************************************************************************
>>> Jim Kotsones <kots...@mcit.med.umich.edu> 10/24/97 2:43:49 PM >>>
Does anyone know who can repair(restore) data from SCSI Drives? We have
two that were suppose to have good backups and even they let us down.
Any help out there.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul is now in contact with Bruce Burrell and the UM data recovery
staff.
Thanks!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tricia Kalosa E-mail: tri...@umich.edu
Manager, ITCS Contract Services Phone: (734) 936-2986
University of Michigan