24/7 Service:800-388-1266

External Hard Drive Data Recovery
Home ServicesHard Drive RecoveryExternal Hard Drive

External Hard Drive Data Recovery

External hard disk drives (HDD) are used as a secondary form of storage and a reliable backup method. Portable and easy to use, external hard drives typically consist of a standard 2.5" or 3.5" hard drive in a simple enclosure with an external port that connects to a computer or other media devices, most commonly via USB. When an external hard drive fails or becomes damaged, Secure Data Recovery has qualified recovery experts with industry-leading and professional external HDD data recovery services.

Some of the external hard drive manufacturers we work with are:

  • Seagate
  • SanDisk
  • Western Digital
  • Toshiba
  • Samsung
  • G-Tech, and many others
Tour Our Hard Drive Recovery Cleanroom
Play Video
Watch HD Video Tour

Next Step: To get started please choose from immediate options below.

Call Us

Call: 1-800-388-1266

Call our 24/7 toll-free hot line to speak directly with a data recovery specialist. If you have a data loss emergency, click here for an overview of our emergency services.

Request Help

Submit Online Request Form

Use our simple online form to set up a new case and we will contact you shortly.

» Submit a Help Request

Types of External Hard Drive Failure

There are three basic types of external hard drive failure that can result in data loss:

Physical Failures

Hard drives have internal parts moving at high speeds and they can become less reliable as they age. A hard drive's read/write heads hover just above the surface of the platters that store your data, and if they come into contact with the platters, data loss may occur. In addition to internal wearing out and scratching the platters, other common physical failures include:

  • Spindle that controls hard drive spinning locks up
  • Actuator arms don’t work properly
  • Grinding, clicking, or beeping noises on the drive due to read/write head failures

Electronic Failures

If an external hard drive has an electronic issue, it may stop working entirely or it may report an error message, depending on which of its components have failed. Electronic failures are potentially as serious as physical hard drive failures and should only be handled by experienced data recovery professionals. Some external hard drives experience electronic failure due to:

  • Faulty fans on the drive
  • Power cords not plugged into grounded, surge-protected outlets
  • Power surge, preventing your hard drive from being disconnected properly

Logical Failures

External hard drives can also lose data due to non-physical errors that affect how the drive operates. Some of these failures include:

  • Corruption due to a virus attack
  • Accidental Deletion
  • Host system won’t recognize the media
Clicking Heads
Clicking Heads
The clicking sound of a failing drive often indicates problems with the movement of the drive's read/write actuator.
00:00:21
Dead Heads
Dead Heads
This clicking sound is made when the actuator arm continuously resets itself because the read/write heads have failed.
00:00:14
Torn Heads
Torn Heads
This clicking and buzzing indicates damage to the HDD read/write head(s), which processes data stored on the disk platter(s).
00:00:20
Scratched Platter
Scratched Platter
This high-pitched whine usually signals scratches in the disk platter(s) that prevent read/write heads from processing stored data.
00:00:25
Stuck Motor
Stuck Motor
A buzzing or chattering sound coming from your HDD device could indicate a stuck or damaged spindle motor.
00:00:20
Loading…
Ask Our Expert

The Challenges of External Hard Drive Data Recovery

Some of the factors that can affect your chances of successful data recovery on an external hard drive include:

  • File System - Depending on the operating system used, an external hard drive can be formatted in different file systems including FAT, NTFS, HFS+, EFS and XFS. Our engineers work with all operating systems on external hard drives including Windows, Mac, and Linux.
  • Hard Drive Size - Some newer external hard drives hold 8TB of data or more, and data recovery is often difficult on larger drives. Our engineers create full clones of repaired external hard drives before using our proprietary software, to recover the data without damage to the external drive.
  • Failure Scenarios - As mentioned above, the type of failure scenario affects the chances of recovery, and therefore the recovery tools and procedure that are needed. All physically damaged external drives need to be treated in our certified Class 10 ISO 4 Cleanroom to prevent any danger of media contamination.

Secure Data Recovery thrives on challenges in data recovery, so whether your external drive has logical data issues or a severe spindle failure, we have the capabilities, experience and tools to give you the best possible chances of a successful recovery. We have specialized file utilities designed for virtually every file system and file type, and as a result, we offer high success rates for external hard drives.

The Secure Data Advantage for External Hard Drive Recovery

Secure Data Recovery is the most certified data recovery company in the industry. We were the first company to earn SSAE 18 Type II Certification for the highest levels of security and have Class 10 ISO 4 Cleanrooms in each of our six labs across North America. We boast an overall 96% success rate for recovery on external hard drives.

After receiving your external drive, we evaluate the damage and complete a diagnostic report that includes a list of recoverable files, price quote, and turnaround time. After you agree to the recovery, our decades-experienced engineers use advanced proprietary tools to bring your external media to a working state enough to image the drive and work to recover your data from a copy of the media. This keeps your device in its original condition.

Secure Data Recovery customer service is available 24/7 to start a case for you and also offers emergency data recovery for external hard drives with a 48-hour turnaround. We promise you that if we are unable to retrieve the files from your external hard drive, no other company will have the tools or experience to do it. That’s why we stand by our “no data, no recovery fee” guarantee. You don’t pay the recovery fee if we don’t retrieve your files.

When you need external hard drive data recovery, choose the certified experts at Secure Data Recovery. Call 1-800-388-1266 to start your case.

Customer Reviews (73)

Average Rating:
5.0

This service was rated 5.0 out of 5.0 based on 73 review(s)

  • Reviewed on Oct 19 2021  |  Snohomish, WA

    Incredible Experience Start to Finish

    As a photographer I put all of my photos on an external USB hard drive. Every photo I have ever taken... With my USB connected to my laptop I went to set it on my desk not realizing I had set in on the edge. Therefore, slipping off the desk landing directly on the imported USB hard drive. Snapping it in half. Riddled with devastation and panic, my girlfriend found Secure Data Recovery after a quick google search. I immediately called them and was introduced to, Scott McMacken. He calmed my fears and insured me he could restore my photos with ease and confidence. Throughout the days proceeding, Scott was available for every call, email and question I had. Including me on every step of the process. Fast and efficient. I thanked Scott for not only restoring all of my photos but for his thorough professionalism during the entire process. He really made the entire experience feel like I was his number one priority. Hopefully I will never have to go through an emergency like this again, but if i do, I know who I''m calling.

  • Reviewed on Jun 23 2021  |  Labadieville, LA

    Successful recovery of my data

    I am very satisfied with the service I have received with Secure Data Recover Services. From the first call to the completion of the process, I spoke to one person through the entire process, Anthony. He answered all of my questions and assisted me throughout this process. I was hesitant at first to spend this amount on data recovery but when it comes down to having all of your picutures on one device, I really had no other choice to get my pictures back. The damage on my device seemed to be significant and was initially told I may not have a full recovery. I am happy to report that I had a successful 100% recovery of my data on my external hard drive. I haven''t received my device back just yet to check it, but thus far, I am very satisfied with the work of the technicians who recovered my data and for Anthony for answering all of my many questions and being just a phone call away!! Thanks again!!

  • Reviewed on Jun 2 2021  |  Connellsville, PA

    Absolutely Amazing!!!

    When my external hard drive stopped working right when Covid hit, I panicked. My go to IT guy said it was beyond his ability to fix it and suggested I find a company who specializes it recovering them. I waited a year...not only because of covid but because I was terrified of someone saying it was all gone and hopeless. I searched several times for a company I felt I could trust and kept coming to Secure Data Recovery. I felt safe with their policy of not charging if they can’t recover anything and submitted a request online. Which brought me to Anthony Lupica! Anthony was so kind and reassuring and It helped me feel safe handing over my sons entire life (pictures and videos) among several other items on my damaged drive. Him and his techs worked their magic and was able to recover almost the entire drive. I couldn’t believe it!! The entire experience was so easy and painless, it makes me wish I would have contacted them sooner! I can’t thank Anthony and everyone at Secure Data Recovery enough! Your the best!!!

  • Reviewed on May 24 2021  |  Auburn Hills, MI

    Great customer service!

    Kim Nguyen was very responsive at each step of the recovery process from my early request to the final shipment of my hard drive. She helped me out to manage every step. Very good customer service.

  • Reviewed on May 23 2021  |  Douglasville, GA

    Life Savers

    I had lost all my data from a trip to LA and MIA and desperately needed them to complete a project for school. Jonathan Nguyen was my Data Recovery Specialist and he did a great job at communicating about the drive through the entire process. Overall I''m very satisfied with their service and if a situation like this were to happen again I know exactly where to bring it back to!

  • Reviewed on May 22 2021  |  West Covina, CA

    Great Service

    Jonathan was super helpful and really helped in keeping me up to date with my drive. Would definitely refer and use this service again! Thank you Jonathan

Write a Review

Your Ratings *
Request Help
Call for Immediate Assistance
800-388-1266
24 Hour Service Expert hotline
Alternatively, you can also fill out
a request help form online
Submit Help Request
Secure & Certified
Recent Blog Articles
  1. Failed Controller Takes HP ProLiant RAID 5 Offline
  2. WD Blue HDD Crash Threatens Priceless Family Data
  3. Resurrecting an Old CNC Industrial Drive
Download Our App
Apple store mobile app link

Follow Us:

Back to Top
Call us at 800-388-1266