Last updated: March 2026 — Reviewed by the RecuperaTusDatos Technical Team
Is your hard drive clicking, not showing up in BIOS or displaying critical S.M.A.R.T. errors?
Hard disk drives are high-precision mechanical devices: the read/write heads float nanometres above the platters spinning at 7,200 rpm. Any failure — mechanical, electrical or firmware-related — can make your data instantly inaccessible.
At RecuperaTusDatos we are specialists in HDD data recovery. ISO Class 5 clean room, PC-3000 UDMA, direct access to proprietary firmware from Seagate, WD, Toshiba and HGST.
Free diagnosis in 4 hours. No recovery, no fee.
Professional hard drive (HDD) data recovery service. We work with Seagate Barracuda, IronWolf and SkyHawk; WD Blue, Red, Black, Gold and Purple; Toshiba P300 and X300; Hitachi/HGST Deskstar. ISO Class 5 clean room, PC-3000 UDMA equipment. ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified. Over 12 years of experience. No recovery, no fee.
Key Facts — HDD Data Recovery
- Logical failure (formatting, deletion, corruption): 150–350 EUR + VAT — Success rate: 90–95%
- Damaged heads (clicking, scratching): 400–800 EUR + VAT — Success rate: 75–85%
- Burnt PCB (electronics): 250–600 EUR + VAT — Success rate: 85–90%
- Damaged platters (scratched, warped): 500–1,200 EUR + VAT — Success rate: 40–60%
- Firmware corruption: 300–600 EUR + VAT — Success rate: 80–90%
- Standard timeframe: 4–12 working days
- Guarantee: No recovery, no fee
- Diagnosis: Free and without obligation in 4 hours
Types of Hard Drive Failures
Logical Failure
Accidental deletion, formatting, partition table corruption, file system damage (NTFS, HFS+, ext4) or software-level corruption. The drive works mechanically but data is inaccessible. Success rate: 90–95%.
Mechanical Failure
Motor seizure, spindle bearing failure, or general mechanical degradation. The drive may not spin up at all or spin erratically. Requires clean room work and donor parts. Success rate: 70–85%.
Head Crash
The read/write heads contact the platter surface, usually after a drop or sudden impact. Causes clicking sounds and potential platter scratching. Requires head replacement in clean room. Success rate: 75–85%.
PCB / Electronics Failure
Power surge, short circuit or component failure on the printed circuit board. The drive is completely unresponsive. PCB repair or transplant with ROM chip transfer required. Success rate: 85–90%.
Firmware Corruption
The drive's internal operating system (service area) is damaged. Drive may appear in BIOS but with wrong capacity or not be recognised by the OS. Requires PC-3000 firmware-level access. Success rate: 80–90%.
How We Recover Data in Our Clean Room
Our laboratory in Barcelona features an ISO Class 5 certified clean room (fewer than 100 particles per cubic foot), the same standard used in semiconductor manufacturing. This controlled environment is essential for opening hard drives without contaminating the delicate platter surfaces.
Step 1: Initial Assessment
We connect your drive to our PC-3000 UDMA system for a non-invasive diagnostic. We check firmware status, S.M.A.R.T. data, head condition and platter integrity. This is completed within 4 hours.
Step 2: Clean Room Intervention
If physical repair is needed, we open the drive in our clean room. We replace damaged heads using compatible donor parts from our stock of over 20,000 drives. Firmware repairs are performed via vendor-specific service area access.
Step 3: Imaging & Extraction
Once the drive is stabilised, we create a sector-by-sector image using DeepSpar Disk Imager, which handles bad sectors and unstable drives. Your data is then extracted from the image.
Step 4: Verification & Delivery
We compile a list of recovered files for your review. You verify the data before paying. Recovered files are delivered on a new external hard drive or via secure download.
Frequently Asked Questions — Hard Drive Recovery
My hard drive is clicking. Can you still recover the data?
Yes. Clicking usually indicates damaged or misaligned read/write heads. We replace them with compatible donor heads in our clean room. Success rate for head replacements is 75–85%. Important: stop using the drive immediately to prevent further platter damage.
How much does hard drive data recovery cost?
Prices start from 250 EUR + VAT for standard HDD recovery. The exact cost depends on the type and severity of the failure: logical failures (formatting, deletion) range from 250–400 EUR; head replacements from 400–800 EUR; and severe platter damage from 500–1,200 EUR. Diagnosis is always free.
Should I try data recovery software before sending my drive?
Only if the drive is working normally (no unusual sounds, fully detected by the system). If your drive is clicking, not detected or making grinding noises, do not run software — it can worsen the damage and reduce the chances of professional recovery. Power off the drive and contact us.
Which hard drive brands do you work with?
We recover data from all major brands: Seagate (Barracuda, IronWolf, SkyHawk, Expansion), Western Digital (Blue, Red, Black, Gold, Purple, My Passport, My Book), Toshiba (P300, X300, Canvio), Hitachi/HGST (Deskstar, Travelstar), Samsung (SpinPoint) and LaCie. Desktop, laptop and external drives of any capacity.
Hard Drive Not Working? We Can Help.
Free diagnosis in 4 hours. No recovery, no fee. Free pickup* across Spain.
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