Anyone know a USB Flashdrive recovery service?

[dtolman]

I have discovered to my horror that the usb thumbdrive (a teeny-tiny 1gig IStick 2.0) where I keep all my important documents has ceased to work.

Windows won't even recognize it as a disk (USB device not recognized. Lovely).

Does anyone know a service that they've used (or a friend has used) to recover data from a similar situation?

Being a super-genius, even though the contents were important to me - enough that I'm more than willing to pay $$$ to recover the data - it hasn't been backed up in months. Maybe longer.

If I could build a time machine, I'd go back to yesterday and punch my past self in the face, repeatedly, for being such a lazy irresponsible prick.

[Lorini]

Have you tried a second computer? Hopefully RyanMichael can help you out too.

[Skipper]

If you don't have another machine to test it on, I would start by shutting down, unplugging any non-essential USB devices, unplugging your system from power, restarting without power (if laptop) or with it (if PC) and trying the stick again.

There are services that can restore a USB stick, You're looking at a few hundred bucks depending on if they physically repair it or just extract previously deleted files.

[RyanMichael]

If you can't get Windows to recognize it, you're going to have to go with a professional recovery service. Skipper's advice is exactly what I would've said.

[dtolman]

I've tried it on 4 different PCs - same message. Damn thing is getting hot after sticking it in - so I'm nervous to keep trying - seems its getting power, but thats it.

Its only a gig of data, and I just want to get it recovered - their is no hope of repairing this thing (its encased in plastic - they'll have to rip it open to get to the guts).

Any advice on a good Professional Recovery Service?

Right now I'm looking at the Flash Drive Pro's - who seem reasonable at 150 bucks (all inclusive).

The alternative seems to be eProvided.com - who charge only 20 bucks if its easy, but based off consumer reports will get you for 500 bucks if it requires more intensive stuff. Doesn't sound like a good bet to me.

[Fugitive]

If it's not showing up, there's a good chance that it's just the interface electronics that are busted and the data is still intact and recoverable. But yeah, you'd have to send it off to a recovery service, for them to do the required electronics hackery to hook it up to a new interface.

[Omniscia]

I wonder if you could use a forensic tool like FTK Imager to make an image of your drive, and recover the files from that?

[dtolman]

That would work if it could recognize it as a disk. But its damaged enough it can't go that far. I suspect that there is a physical problem behind that plastic shell.

I'll report back next week on how the FlashdrivePro's are - my drive should arrive there on Friday...

Now to find some good removable disk/flashdrive backup software so this doesn't happen again.

[Lorini]

This is why I've just started using Dropbox. I know Dropbox may go away. But at least I do believe they would give some warning and allow us to back up the stuff on the service. You could also use LiveMesh in conjunction with Dropbox, it's not likely that MS is going away (although they could outsource LiveMesh).

[Skipper]

I think you've nailed it as a physical problem. Unless you're into making electronic repairs and know what you're doing, be careful with that. I'll ask who we use for data recovery at work, but I'm assuming when it comes to flash based devices they are all similar.

[Charles]

For the future, with a small drive like that, you should set it up to auto-copy to your desktop every time it's plugged in.

[dtolman]

I'm actually looking into software that autosynchs only certain folders when I plug it into my home machine, but without using the autoexec.bat. Doing only the delta of modified files would be even better.

though I may just end up coding my own solution in the end... I'll have to see whats in the market.

[markbevi]

i don't think one exists, get carbonite or something

[dtolman]

Just in case anyone is curious on what happened here, I sent my drive out last Thursday to FlashDrivePros.com, they received it on Friday, and started working on it on Tuesday.

Still waiting to hear if my l'il drive is willing and able to cough up its data.

[Jazar]

Keep us posted.

[dtolman]

A month later, and they finally got around to working on my drive. And of course, they got diddly-squat off of it.

So cross FlashDrivePros off your list, unless its a simple hw problem I guess.

So that still leaves me with my original question - does anyone know a good usb flashdrive recovery specialist? I guess the only other high profile alternative is eProvided... who seem a bit sketchy. Sigh.

[Lorini]

Hey RyanMichael and Skipper! Here's a business opportunity falling right in your lap! I'm sure the two of you could do better than taking a month to tell dtolman that you couldn't help him, jeezus. And because we'd provide excellent word of mouth for the two of you, you wouldn't even need to spam boards.

Dtolman I wish I could help you. All I can suggest is the Geek Squad.

[dtolman]

Alas, the place I tried was much better than Geeksquad. I need a place with specialty equipment to read the memory chip directly. Looks like eProvided is my final hope...

[RyanMichael]

Unfortunately, this is a whole other business than the one I already run. Short of hiring a couple flash recovery specialists and buying the equipment, the only way I'd be able to offer flash drive recovery service is to vet a couple companies and then use one to outsource those jobs to.

I hope dtolman finds someone who can get this work done. A month to find out they can't do the job is bull, and I would encourage you to spread your disappointment about that company by rating them on Google maps, Yahoo, Yelp, etc. They've earned a bad rating.

[Lorini]

I know RyanMichael. But it's so frustrating to consumers like dtolman and myself when there's an obvious need, and the industry does such a shitty job at satisfying it.

[dtolman]

My epic story continues.

Data Recovery House #2 - eprovided.com, now has the card. They report the last company may not have read the chip directly as they claimed, as the NAND chip did not appear to have been dismounted (or they were using a different method that doesn't require it), but that based off the description of the data corruption (some damaged sectors, some good sectors), they believe most of the data should be recoverable... at a price.

150$ non-refundable lab fee and another optional ~500$ if I want the data they do recover - after they do a sector-by-sector recovery on the NAND chip directly. Mental calculus time. ~60 hours of work on that card. Was my time worth more than 10$/hour, even if 20 of it was research for my fantasy baseball team? Sigh... guess I do value my time more than that.

I'll update the thread with final results (or my continued saga with potential recovery house #3), when I have 'em. For completeness sake.

[dtolman]

Data recovered - they'll be sending me a link shortly! If you got the $$$, seems like eProvided is the real deal, for anyone who ever needs to search qt3 for flashcard recovery advice.

[Jazar]

Good to know. Glad you got your data back.