Walk-ins Mon–Sat 9am–6pm at London Bridge and Beckenham 020 7394 2520  |  info@creativeit.tv

Our data recovery process

What happens from the moment you contact us to the moment your files are back with you. You stay in control of the cost at every step.

1. Get in touch

Call us, walk in, or submit a case online. Tell us what kind of drive it is and what happened. If the drive is clicking, making noises or has been dropped or wet, switch it off and leave it off until you bring it in.

2. Free initial consultation

Bring the drive, or the whole laptop or computer, to our London Bridge or Beckenham branch. The initial consultation is free: we find out whether the fault is logical (the data is damaged but the drive works) or physical (part of the drive has failed), and explain the best way to recover your data.

3. Diagnosis

Logical faults can usually be assessed straight away. Drives with physical faults need a clean room diagnostic, £79 + VAT, where we open the drive in our clean room to find exactly what has failed.

4. Your quote

You get a clear price before any recovery work begins. If a donor drive is needed for parts, we send you a link to buy the right one, or we can buy it for you. Nothing goes ahead until you agree.

5. Recovery

We make a copy (an image) of the drive first, so your original is worked on as little as possible, and recover your files from the copy. Deleted file recoveries usually take up to two hours of work, larger logical recoveries 24 to 48 hours, and physical recoveries depend on the condition of the drive.

6. Checking your files

We check the recovered files open properly and can show you what has been recovered before you collect.

7. Getting your data back

Your files are copied to a new external drive, a drive you provide, or your repaired laptop or computer. We don't keep copies of your data once you have it back. See our privacy notice.

We use your details only to reply to this booking. See our privacy notice.