What does data recovery cost?
External hard drive diagnostic is $49. Logical recovery (not detected logically, accidental format, RAW partition, USB corruption on a mechanically healthy drive) is $349. Mechanical failure recovery (clicking, PCB, firmware) is $799. Complex cases (head crash, platter damage, severe water damage) are $1,499. No-data-no-pay: if we recover nothing, you only pay the $49 diagnostic.
Is it possible to recover data from an external hard drive?
Yes — external hard drive recovery is one of our most common and most successful recovery scenarios. Whether your WD My Passport, Seagate Backup Plus, LaCie, or Toshiba drive stopped being recognized, was accidentally formatted, was dropped, or was corrupted after unsafe ejection — we can recover it. Success rate for logical external drive failures exceeds 95%. Mechanical failures have a ~79% success rate.
How to recover data from an external hard drive that won’t boot?
Step 1: Stop connecting it — each attempt risks further damage. Step 2: Call 1 (888) 711-9428. Step 3: Bring to Rue Richmond, Montreal H3J 0C4. Step 4: $49 diagnostic classifies the failure (logical vs. mechanical). Step 5: Recovery and delivery with your approval. Do not run chkdsk, diskpart, or any software on a mechanically failing drive.
My external drive is clicking — is recovery possible?
Yes, in most cases — but immediate action is critical. Power off the drive right now. The clicking sound means the read heads are damaged and resetting. Each reconnection risks scoring the magnetic platters. Do not run chkdsk, do not try to copy files. Call IT Cares at 1 (888) 711-9428. Our success rate on clicking external drives is approximately 79% when they reach us before further damage.
My WD My Passport is not recognized by Windows — what should I do?
Try plugging it into a different USB port and a different cable first — many “not detected” cases are just a faulty USB cable or port. Open Disk Management (Win+X) to see if the drive appears without a drive letter. If none of this works, bring it to us for the $49 diagnostic. WD My Passport drives specifically have a USB bridge chip that can fail independently of the HDD inside — this is often a $349 logical case.
Can I recover data for free from an external drive?
If the drive is detected and only files were accidentally deleted, free tools like Recuva (Windows) may recover them — but only if you’ve stopped writing new data immediately. For drives showing as RAW, 0 bytes, or making unusual noises, professional recovery is necessary. Our $49 diagnostic tells you exactly what’s possible before you commit to anything.
My external drive fell on the floor and makes a noise — can you recover it?
Yes — but do NOT reconnect it. Bring it to us as-is. A dropped external drive may have displaced the read heads (causing clicking) or damaged the actuator arm. The recovery tier depends on the severity of the damage — the $49 diagnostic assesses whether it’s a $799 mechanical or $1,499 complex case. Acting quickly (before trying to power it on repeatedly) is the single most important factor.
Where can I get external drive data recovered in Montreal?
IT Cares is at Rue Richmond, Montreal QC H3J 0C4. Open 7 days a week (Mon–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat–Sun 10am–5pm). Call 1 (888) 711-9428 or book at itcares.ca/en/book.html. We also accept secure mail-in from all Canadian provinces with prepaid, insured shipping instructions.
How long does external hard drive recovery take?
Logical recovery (format, partition, USB bridge): 24–72 hours. Mechanical failure (head replacement, PCB repair): 5–14 business days. Head crash or complex cases: 10–21 business days. Express <24h diagnostic available for $99.99. We provide a precise timeline estimate during the $49 diagnostic.
What is the difference between logical and mechanical failure on an external drive?
Logical failure: the drive spins up normally, the internal HDD is mechanically healthy, but the file system, partition table, or USB bridge chip has a problem. Signs: drive detected in Disk Management but with no drive letter, shows as RAW, or shows wrong size. Typically $349 to fix. Mechanical failure: the internal HDD has physical damage. Signs: clicking, grinding, not detected at all, burned smell. Requires more complex recovery ($799+). The $49 diagnostic determines which category your drive falls into.
