Seagate Premier Recovery Partner

Your data isn’t
gone.
Let’s get it back.

Get a detailed evaluation report within 3 to 5 business days. Know exactly what’s recoverable before you pay for recovery. Guaranteed pricing, no surprises.

Seagate Premier Recovery PartnerEncrypted & InsuredGuaranteed Pricing
How it works

Simple, Transparent Process

Three steps to your recovered data.

01

Order Your Evaluation

Purchase your report online. We’ll email you confirmation and shipping instructions.

02

Ship Your Drive

Pack your drive and send it to our lab. We’ll notify you when it arrives.

03

Get Your Data Back

Within 3 to 5 business days of your drive reaching our lab, you receive a detailed evaluation report with photos, diagnostics and a guaranteed quote. Approve it and we get to work. Your quote tells you how long recovery will take.

What you get

Evaluation & Recoverability Report

Comprehensive diagnostic of your drive: photos, issue breakdown, file-level recovery stats, and a guaranteed price quote.

  • Detailed report with photos and diagnostics
  • Firm price quote, guaranteed, no hidden fees
  • File-level recovery statistics before you commit
  • 3 to 5 business days after receipt of your device
$102.47

$102.47 USD (includes a 3.5% card processing fee). The processing fee is never refunded.

REQUIRED: How would you like your data returned?
Ensures that the data returned is compatible with the computer you will use to access the recovered data.

  • Windows: Windows PC, Laptop
  • MacOS: Macbook, iPad
  • Image: Gaming, DVR, Other

Return shipping: please read before you order

If no recovery is paid (you decline your quote, you decline our request to open a sealed drive, your drive is Unrecoverable, or your order is canceled after we receive it), return shipping is $25 USD within the United States or $90 USD outside the United States, including Canada. We email you an invoice, and your device ships once it is paid. If you approve a recovery quote, return shipping is a line on that quote at the same amount. We ship by USPS Priority Mail within the United States and by DHL Express everywhere else, insured by ATP. Inbound shipping to our lab is at your risk, so please use a tracked shipping service. Prefer not to get your device back? Choose secure destruction instead. There is nothing to pay, and we refund $25 of your evaluation fee. If your order is canceled, we refund your evaluation fee (the 3.5% US card processing fee is not refundable). If you want your device back, we email you an invoice for return shipping and ship once it is paid.

Full details: Shipping Policy

Order Your Evaluation Now

Secure checkout • Encrypted payment • Seagate Premier Recovery Partner

After purchase

What happens next?

A simple, transparent process from the moment you check out through your evaluation report.

1

Order your Evaluation and Recoverability Report

Place your order online. Seagate referral pricing is applied automatically. Your confirmation email includes shipping instructions for your drive.

2

Review your eval

Within 3 to 5 business days from receipt of your device, you’ll receive your detailed evaluation report and guaranteed price quote. Approve the quote to start recovery.

3

Approve your results

When recovery is complete, we email you a VeriScan link so you can review your recovered files and approve or decline the results.

4

Get your data back

After you approve, we ship your recovered data on your chosen return media. It is password protected, and we send the password with your shipping confirmation.

Seagate’s Premier Recovery Partner

Why ATP?

What sets us apart:

Superior Technology

We recover data from sealed helium drives that other labs can’t touch. Competitors send these orders to us.

The Most Detailed Report in the Industry

Photos, diagnostics, file-level stats, and a firm price. Take it to any competitor. We’re confident you’ll come back.

Customer Promise, Not Fine Print

We tell you exactly what we’ll recover, how long it’ll take, and what it costs. If we don’t deliver on recovery, you don’t pay for recovery.

All Seagate models

drives, SSDs, and external storage serviced

90%+

success rate on Seagate drives*

30+

years experienced

*On recoverable evaluations.

SEAGATE PREMIER RECOVERY PARTNER

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about our evaluation and data recovery.

Can’t find your answer? Contact us anytime.

General Information

How do I contact ATP Data?

ATP requires all communication with our customers via email. While we have a phone number, we do not allow our customer service team to discuss our service over the phone. We have an 8-business hour response time for all emails so you can be sure that if you have a question, weโ€™ll provide a quick response. Our support@atpdataservices.com email is monitored Monday to Friday, 8AM to 5PM CT.

What is Data Recovery?

Data Recovery is the process of obtaining usable data from inaccessible or corrupted storage media. ATP does not repair your damaged device. Our proprietary recovery process extracts data from the damaged device and copies your recovered files to new return media (per your quote), password-protected for secure return.

What is the ATP Customer Promise?

Included with our Evaluation and Recoverability Report is a quote for service. Our price quotes are firm and will not change during or after the recovery process. Weโ€™ll never surprise you with tricks or hidden fees and every quote includes our customer promise for date of completion and an honest assessment for the expectation of recovery of your data. We call this our customer promise and if we fail to meet our promise, we will issue a full refund of our recovery fees. Our VeriScan technology provides details regarding your recovery to support our Customer Promise.

ATP Recovery Process

How does the ATP Recovery service work?

Making the right decision starts with getting the best information. Our service uses an evaluate-and-quote model so you can decide the best course of action for your situation.

For a separate fee, you receive a customized Evaluation and Recoverability Report. We refund 25 USD of your evaluation fee when you choose secure destruction of your device after a declined quote, a declined request to open a sealed drive, an unsuccessful recovery, or declined or approved results, or when our evaluation finds your drive cannot be recovered. Experienced recovery engineers prepare the report. It covers the root cause of your data loss, recoverability (% chance of success), and our specific recovery plan. Reports are typically available 3 to 5 business days after we receive your media in our lab.

Included with the report is a firm Quote for Service. Quotes do not change during recovery, and we do not add hidden fees. Every quote includes our Customer Promise: an honest assessment of recovery and a completion date. If we fail to meet our Customer Promise, we issue a full refund of our recovery fees per the terms of your quote.

All Quotes for Service include a 10% discount on recovery fees for Seagate customers. The discount is applied automatically as a line item; you do not need a promo code. Discounts are not extended to replacement parts, return media, shipping, the Evaluation and Recoverability Report, or any upgrade offer.

After you approve the quote, we send a payment link for the full invoice amount. Recovery begins within 24 business hours of your paid invoice. When recovery is complete, we notify you and provide a VeriScan link to review results. After you approve your results, we ship your recovered data. Your recovered data is password protected; we send the password with your shipping confirmation.

How long will my recovery take?

Your Evaluation and Recoverability Report and Quote for Service include your Customer Promise completion date. Recovery begins within 24 business hours of your paid invoice. When recovery is complete, we email you a VeriScan link so you can review and approve or decline the results. After you approve, we ship your recovered data. Your recovered data is password protected; we send the password with your shipping confirmation.

I purchased an Evaluation and Recoverability Report, now what?

You will need to prepare your drive to be sent to our lab. Please send your device to the following address:

ATP DATA SERVICES

611 Hundred Oaks Drive Suite 140

Edmond, OK 73013

Pack your device well. We recommend an anti-static bag, plenty of firm cushioning (such as foam or air pillows) on every side, and a sturdy box. Please do not use loose paper or packing peanuts as the only padding, and do not ship a bare drive in an envelope.

Print and include a copy of the evaluation confirmation email you received after your purchase, and write your order number clearly on the outside of the box. Please use a tracked shipping service and keep your tracking number.

Ship the affected device only. If possible, remove the drive from the laptop, desktop or other device first. Please keep power adapters, cables and enclosures unless we ask for them. Full details: Shipping Policy.

What is the shipping address of the ATP lab?

ATP DATA SERVICES

611 Hundred Oaks Drive Suite 140

Edmond, OK 73013

Please print and include a copy of your evaluation confirmation email with your shipment, and write your order number clearly on the outside of the box. For packing tips, see our Shipping Policy.

Which shipping company should I use to send my device to ATP's Lab for recovery?

Our preferred shipping partner is USPS but you are free to use any carrier of your choice. We accept shipments from ALL carriers. Please use a tracked shipping service and keep your tracking number. You ship your device at your own cost and risk until it arrives at our lab.

THE EVALUATION PROCESS

What is included in my Evaluation and Recoverability Report?

Our customized Evaluation and Recoverability Reports are in-depth diagnostic reports are composed by experienced recovery engineers with decades of experience in recovering lost data on all brands and all formats of storage media.

We do not attempt to repair the drive or recover data at the evaluation stage. Our evaluation process includes a full diagnostic assessment of your device. These evaluations are necessary to determine the recovery strategy and resources required for a successful outcome in your order.

Our Evaluation and Recoverability Reports contain findings from a proprietary suite of tests that include VMI, Electrical (CPOT), Device Initialization and SMART Analysis. If during the evaluation process physical damage is observed or suspected, the drive will be moved to our cleanroom for a full internal examination of the heads and media. All findings in our evaluation process are documented and photographed as part of your Report.

Click the link below to view a sample Evaluation and Recoverability Report:

https://reports.atpdataservices.com/987654321abc/sampleeval.pdf

How long will it take to complete my Evaluation and Recoverability Report?

Within 24 business hours of receiving your drive in our lab our team will begin assessing the extent of the damage to your device and determine the best course of action for recovery of your data. We strive to have your Evaluation and Recoverability Report completed and delivered to you within 3-5 business days from receipt of your drive in our lab. We will contact you with our evaluation results and a firm Quote for Service.

Why do you ask for my approval before opening a sealed drive or sealed enclosure?

Some devices require an irreversible or enclosure-damaging step before we can continue evaluation or recovery. We never take that step without your clear permission.

Sealed / helium drives: Some modern drives, including helium-filled models, are sealed at the factory. To reach the parts that hold your data, our engineers may need to open that sealed enclosure in our cleanroom. Opening a sealed drive is like breaking the factory seal on a vacuum-sealed package. Once open, it canโ€™t be resealed the way it left the factory. We can close the drive afterward, but it will no longer be factory-sealed. This step canโ€™t be undone.

USB / plastic enclosures: Some devices arrive in an external plastic enclosure that must be removed to access the drive inside. Removing the enclosure often damages the plastic shell only, not the storage device itself or your data. We still ask first.

If we need your OK, weโ€™ll email you with Approve and Decline options (and you can reply APPROVE or DECLINE). If you approve, we proceed and continue your evaluation or recovery; your schedule picks up from the date of your approval. If you decline, we wonโ€™t take that step and canโ€™t continue that work. You then choose one of two options.

Return your device as-is. This is what we do by default. Return shipping is 25 USD within the United States or a flat 90 USD outside the United States, including Canada, invoiced after you decline and paid before we ship. We return devices by USPS Priority Mail within the United States and by DHL Express everywhere else.

Let us securely destroy it. You pay nothing, and we refund 25 USD of your evaluation fee. Please tell us before your order closes.

If we are waiting for your return shipping payment or your choice, the schedule in โ€œWhat happens if I donโ€™t respond about my order?โ€ applies: a reminder after 15 days, a written notice by email after 30 days and a final email after 37 days. No earlier than 60 days (3 months for customers in the United Kingdom who owe us money), if your return shipping is still unpaid, we may securely destroy the device and email you a certificate of destruction, and the 25 USD evaluation fee refund does not apply. We refund 25 USD of your evaluation fee when you choose secure destruction of your device after a declined quote, a declined request to open a sealed drive, an unsuccessful recovery, or declined or approved results, or when our evaluation finds your drive cannot be recovered.

Questions: support@atpdataservices.com

What happens if I donโ€™t respond about my order?

If we are waiting on you (for example, to answer a quote, approve opening a sealed drive, review your results, pay a return shipping invoice, or give us a correct address after a return could not be delivered), we email you a reminder after 15 days. After 30 days we email you a written notice that shows any amount you owe, your options, and the date after which we may dispose of your device. We send a final email after 37 days. Time we spend working on your order never counts toward these dates, and the count starts over whenever you reply.

If we still have not heard from you, no earlier than 60 days after we started waiting (3 months for customers in the United Kingdom who owe us money), we return your device. Returns ship by USPS within the United States and by DHL Express everywhere else, once return shipping is paid or already included in a quote you paid. If your return shipping is unpaid, we may instead securely destroy the device and email you a certificate of destruction. Return shipping unpaid means the return shipping fee (25 USD within the United States, 90 USD outside the United States) has not been paid. The evaluation fee you paid at checkout does not count. If the quote you paid already includes return shipping (after an unsuccessful recovery, or when you decline or approve your recovered results), your return shipping counts as paid and we send your device back. No 25 USD refund applies to abandoned orders. We pause all of these steps while a payment dispute is open.

Quotes remain good for 30 calendar days. Reply to our emails or contact support@atpdataservices.com at any time to continue your order or arrange the return of your device.

What if my return package comes back undelivered?

If it came back because of our mistake, for example we used the wrong address, we reship for free. If the address you gave us was wrong or incomplete, or the package was refused, unclaimed or held for unpaid customs charges, we invoice you for the second shipment.

If a return package comes back to us undelivered, we contact you for an updated address and arrange the reship. The schedule for orders where we are waiting on you starts again from the day the package is back at our lab: a reminder after 15 days, a written notice by email after 30 days (any amount owed, your options and the disposal date), and a final email after 37 days. We reship once we have a valid address and any reship charge is paid. If we cannot get a valid address from you, wherever you are, we treat the order as abandoned: after the full schedule, no earlier than 60 days after the package came back (3 months for UK customers who owe us money), we may securely destroy the device and send you a certificate of destruction. If your return shipping is unpaid, then no earlier than 60 days after the package came back (3 months for customers in the United Kingdom who owe us money) we may securely destroy the device, email you a certificate of destruction, and delete any recovered copy. No 25 USD refund applies.

RECOVERY & PRICING

How much does ATP data recovery cost?

Our recovery fees depend on the type of device and severity of the damage. Most HDD recovery fees are around $500 (including the Seagate discount), and typically fall between $300 and $1,000. Recovery fees are fully refundable if we are unsuccessful in recovering your data per the terms of the quote. If your recovery requires replacement parts, the cost of those parts is added as a separate line item. Parts costs are not refundable.

Tariffs, Taxes and Fees

You are responsible for all fees, tariffs and taxes associated with your shipment of your device to our lab. We will not be able to accept the shipment and complete the evaluation of your order until the invoice is paid. If the invoice remains unpaid for 48 business hours, we will ask the carrier to return to sender. Please let us know if you have questions.

How long do I have to decide on my price quote for service?

Your quote is good for 30 calendar days from the date of your report. If you decide to decline the quote; the evaluation report is yours to keep. For what happens if we do not hear from you about your order, see โ€œWhat happens if I donโ€™t respond about my order?โ€.

What happens if I decline my quote for service?

If you decline the quote, our evaluation finds your drive cannot be recovered, or your order is canceled, just let us know which of these two options you prefer.

Return your device. Return shipping is 25 USD within the United States or a flat 90 USD outside the United States, including Canada. We email you an invoice after you decline, and we ship your device as soon as it is paid: by USPS Priority Mail within the United States (within 24 to 48 business hours of payment) and by DHL Express everywhere else. We send tracking information as soon as your device ships.

Let us securely destroy it. You pay nothing, and we refund 25 USD of your evaluation fee. This applies to every declined quote and every evaluation that finds your drive cannot be recovered, inside or outside the United States. If your order was canceled, destruction is still free and we refund your evaluation fee ($102.47; the 3.5% card processing fee on US card payments is not refundable). Please tell us before your order closes.

If we are waiting for your return shipping payment or your choice, the schedule in โ€œWhat happens if I donโ€™t respond about my order?โ€ applies: a reminder after 15 days, a written notice by email after 30 days and a final email after 37 days. No earlier than 60 days (3 months for customers in the United Kingdom who owe us money), if your return shipping is still unpaid, we may securely destroy the device and email you a certificate of destruction, and the 25 USD evaluation fee refund does not apply.

Either way, the evaluation report is yours to keep. We refund 25 USD of your evaluation fee when you choose secure destruction of your device after a declined quote, a declined request to open a sealed drive, an unsuccessful recovery, or declined or approved results, or when our evaluation finds your drive cannot be recovered. Contact support@atpdataservices.com with questions.

What is the ATP Refund Policy?

If you are not satisfied with your recovery, you may request a full refund of your recovery fees within 30 days from the date your order is closed, per the terms of your quote. Return our equipment undamaged with your recovered files, and we will review the driveโ€™s data logs. If your files have not been copied or moved to another device, we will refund your recovery fees in full. We cannot issue a refund if recovered files have been copied or moved off our equipment, and items your approved quote marks as not refundable are not included.

Does ATP offer a payment plan?

We do offer financing options to help those on a tight budget. Shop pay as well as PayPalโ€™s โ€œBuy Now Pay Laterโ€ offers several term options for you to consider. Here is additional information regarding this service.โ€จโ€จhttps://www.paypal.com/us/digital-wallet/ways-to-pay/buy-now-pay-later

AFTER RECOVERY

How does ATP return my recovered data?

Your Quote for Service includes return media with a copy of your recovered files and return shipping. Capacity is based on the size of the original media. Upgrade options for return media and shipping priority are listed on your Evaluation and Recoverability Report and Quote for Service. Shipping details and tracking are sent when your package ships after you approve VeriScan results.

What happens to my original drive when ATP has finished with my order?

By default, ATP returns your original device to you. If you do not need it back, we securely destroy it free of charge instead. Just tell us in writing before your order closes. If you choose destruction after a declined quote, a declined request to open a sealed drive, an unsuccessful recovery, or declined or approved results, or when our evaluation finds your drive cannot be recovered, we also refund 25 USD of your evaluation fee. If you chose destruction but we ship your device back to you by mistake, you still get the 25 USD evaluation fee refund, and you do not need to send the device back. Once an order is closed, it cannot be reopened. If you have not chosen destruction by then, your original device is returned to you, and the 25 USD evaluation fee refund is no longer available. If we do not hear from you, we return your original device. If return shipping is not already included in a paid quote, we ship once the return shipping invoice (25 USD within the United States, 90 USD outside the United States) is paid.

What is VeriScan?

ATP uses proprietary software called VeriScan that allows our customers to review the results of their recovery. VeriScan provides statistical analysis of our recovery results. This tool provides verification of our results as outlined in the Customer Promise included in every Evaluation and Recoverability Report. VeriScan reports show โ€œGoodโ€ files and โ€œBadโ€ files in our recovery results in a browsable format like Windows Explorer or Mac Finder. The report highlights โ€œBadโ€ files in red and provides a total file count and other file statistics tracked in an easy-to-read format. VeriScan ensures you have a clear, honest understanding of the reliability of the results of our recovery.

Click the link below to view a sample VeriScan report:

sample VeriScan report

How do I interpret my VeriScan Report?

ATP provides a proprietary software solution that allows our customers to see the results of our recovery attempt. VeriScan provides verification of our recovery results to support the Customer Promise included in every Evaluation and Recoverability Report and quote for service. VeriScan reports show โ€œGoodโ€ files and โ€œBadโ€ files in our recovery results in a browsable format similar to Windows Explorer or Mac Finder. The VeriScan report shows files recovered with โ€œBadโ€ files marked in red with file count and size statistics tracked at the bottom.

With VeriScan, a file marked as โ€œBadโ€ means we detected read errors in that file during imaging. More specifically, this means that part of the file was stored in an area of the drive affected uncorrectable errors or was even physically damaged, preventing us from reading the original data completely. In some cases, the damage may be minor, and a file marked as โ€œBadโ€ may still open or appear mostly intact.

However, to provide the most accurate and transparent results, we use a strict good/bad methodology rather than relying on whether a file happens to open. A โ€œBadโ€ designation reflects confirmed read errors at the storage level and a โ€œGoodโ€ file is certified as being error free and fully recovered with no errors. VeriScan ensures you have a clear, honest understanding of the fileโ€™s reliability and the results of our recovery. VeriScan is simply another way ATP provides peace of mind by providing fully transparent results of the recovery of your data.

What should I expect once my recovery attempt is complete?

When recovery is complete, we email you a VeriScan link to review your results. VeriScan is listing-only: you approve or decline before we ship. If you approve, we ship your recovered data on password-protected return media within 24 to 48 business hours and send tracking when available; the password arrives in a separate email with the shipping confirmation. If you approve and do not need your original device back, tell us before your order closes: we securely destroy it free of charge and refund 25 USD of your evaluation fee. If you decline before we ship, we refund refundable items per your quote (we process within 48 business hours; the payment processor can take up to 10 business days) and ship your original device back to you. Return shipping is already included in your paid quote and is not refunded. If you prefer, we securely destroy your original device free of charge instead and refund 25 USD of your evaluation fee. Please tell us before your order closes. Items your approved quote marks as not refundable (such as replacement parts) are not included.

If you decline after we have already shipped our return drive with your recovered data, please return that drive to us undamaged so we can complete your refund. Do not copy or move files off the drive. Copying makes the refund unavailable under our Refund Policy. After we receive the drive, we review its data logs. If the recovered files have not been copied or moved to another device, we process your refund of refundable items per your quote within 48 business hours. It can take up to 10 business days for the payment processor to return the funds to your original payment method. We will email return instructions separately. Full details: see โ€œWhat is the ATP Refund Policy?โ€

SHIPPING & RETURNS

How much does return shipping cost?

Return shipping (25 USD in the US, 90 USD international) is billed in USD with your quote. Evaluations are charged in USD, EUR or GBP depending on your market. If the recovery is not successful, or you decline or approve the results, return shipping is already covered by your paid quote, so there is nothing more to pay, and it is not refunded. If you decline the quote, decline our request to open a sealed drive, our evaluation finds your drive cannot be recovered, or your order is canceled, return shipping is 25 USD within the United States or a flat 90 USD outside the United States, including Canada, invoiced and paid before we ship. In any of these cases, wherever you are, you can choose secure destruction instead and pay nothing. If you choose secure destruction after a declined quote, a declined request to open a sealed drive, or an evaluation that finds your drive cannot be recovered, we also refund 25 USD of your evaluation fee. If your order is canceled, we refund your evaluation fee (the 3.5% US card processing fee is not refundable). If you want your device back, we email you an invoice for return shipping and ship once it is paid. If we receive no payment or choice, we email you a reminder after 15 days, a written notice after 30 days and a final email after 37 days. If return shipping is still unpaid after that, no earlier than 60 days (3 months for customers in the United Kingdom who owe us money), we may securely destroy your device and email you a certificate of destruction, with no 25 USD evaluation fee refund.

Which carriers do you use, and is my return protected?

Within the United States we ship USPS Priority Mail with tracking and Signature Confirmation. International returns ship by DHL Express with tracking. Return shipments are insured by ATP, and if anything goes wrong in transit we recopy your data free within 30 days.

Will I have to pay customs or import fees?

If you are outside the United States, yes. We ship duties not prepaid (DAP/DDU), so any import duties, VAT, taxes, and customs fees in your country are your responsibility.

What if my package comes back undelivered?

If it comes back because of our mistake, for example we used the wrong address, we reship for free. If it comes back because the address you gave us was wrong or incomplete, or because it was refused, unclaimed, or held for unpaid customs fees, we will invoice you for a second shipment and reship once it is paid. This applies inside and outside the United States.

What if I need to send a drive back to you because of your mistake?

Within the United States, we email you a prepaid USPS label with Signature Confirmation. Outside the United States, we do not send a prepaid label. Please ship the drive to us yourself and keep your receipts. You pay the shipping and any customs charges up front, and we refund those costs once your service is complete.

How long do you keep my recovered data?

30 days after your order is closed, then we securely delete it. If your recovered data drive is lost in transit, we will recopy it for free within those 30 days. After that, a new copy needs a new recovery.

Do I have to get my old drive back?

No. You can choose free secure destruction of your original device instead. If you declined your quote, declined our request to open a sealed drive, declined or approved your results, your recovery was not successful, or our evaluation found your drive cannot be recovered, we also refund 25 USD of your evaluation fee. Please tell us before your order closes. If you do not tell us, we return it to you. If return shipping is not already included in a paid quote, we ship once the return shipping invoice (25 USD within the United States, 90 USD outside the United States) is paid. If you chose destruction but we ship your device back to you by mistake, you still get the 25 USD evaluation fee refund, and you do not need to send the device back.

Full details: Shipping Policy. Questions: support@atpdataservices.com.

DATA ACCESS & SECURITY

How do I enter my password to access my recovered data for MacOS and Windows?

Windows (BitLocker)

  1. Insert the drive into a USB port on your PC.
  2. Open the Start menu and search for Control Panel.
  3. Go to System and Security โ†’ BitLocker Drive Encryption.
  4. Select your drive and click Unlock drive.
  5. Enter your password and confirm.

Mac (FileVault)

  1. Insert the drive into a USB port on your Mac.
  2. Open Finder and locate the drive in the sidebar.
  3. Control-click the drive and select Decrypt.
  4. Enter your password and confirm.

Keep in mind the encryption is only compatible with the operating system you selected when you submitted your order (Windows or Apple).

Can ATP Recover encrypted data?

Yes, our customers have several options regarding encrypted data. 1) the customer may provide ATP with the password so that we may verify results at the end of the recovery process OR 2) ATP will recover the data in an encrypted format and the customer can access the recovered files using their password after we have returned the recovery to the address on file. Yet another we offer security for our customerโ€™s precious data.

I can't remember my password; can ATP still recover my data?

Yes, ATP can recover your data even if you donโ€™t have a password for your device. ATP will recover your data in an encrypted format and return the data to you. You can then decrypt the data when you are able to find the password. These types of recoveries are called โ€œImage Recoveriesโ€. Image recoveries are not eligible for a VeriScan Report, but ATP will still honor Refund terms per the Quote for Service.

Can ATP recover data from encrypted devices?

Yes, ATP can recover data and return it to you in an encrypted format. These recoveries are not eligible for a VeriScan Report, but ATP will honor Refund terms per the Quote for Service. You will be responsible for decrypting the data following recovery.

TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

Can ATP recover data from SSDs or NVMe drives?

Yes, ATP can recover data from ALL brands and formats of storage devices. We specialize in Seagate and Western Digital devices, but we are capable of recovering data from any type of device including phones, tablets, storage tape, zip drives, and many others.

Can ATP recover data from gaming consoles or DVRs?

Yes, ATP can recover data and return it to you in an encrypted format for gaming consoles and DVRs. These recoveries are not eligible for a VeriScan Report, but ATP will honor Refund terms per the Quote for Service. You will be responsible for decrypting the data following recovery.

What is an image recovery?

ATP will recover an image of your data and return the data to you. You can then decrypt the data when you are able to find the password or plug the device into DVR or console that holds the encryption key. These types of recoveries are called โ€œImage Recoveriesโ€. Image recoveries are not eligible for a VeriScan Report, but ATP will still honor Refund terms per the Quote for Service.

What is a RAW Recovery or RAW results?

Operating systems use a file system to store metadata and track which portion of the disk is used and which is empty. Windows defaults to the NTFS (New Technology File System) file system but also has FAT, ExFAT, and ReFS file systems. Apple defaults to APFS (Apple File System) currently but has created and used HFS+. Each file system handles data differently but uses the same core concepts. There is a file table that keeps and maintains all information about the file. This is the Master File Table on Windows and the Catalog on Mac. Information kept includes the files name, folder location, time stamps, permissions and most importantly the location of the data belonging to that file.

Data recovery primarily focuses on imaging data from a broken or malfunctioning device to a new device. In some cases, unreadable sectors are encountered during the recovery process. We attempt to reread them in different modes but sometimes read errors can be located where the filesystem is stored. Every error in the file system leads to between 1 and 4 files losing their attribute(s) and location information. Many read errors in the file system leads to not only many files not being listed and located but it breaks the folder structure too. Part of a folder chain can be orphaned from the root directory, so the file system no longer know where it belongs. Some recoveries have most, or all of the file system stored on that damaged surface meaning most or all of the file structure and file names are now lost.

Recoveries including raw files are not ideal but are the only way to recover these orphaned files. We do our best to organize these files to make them easier to locate and browse. Fully orphaned files with no reference in the file table are sorted by file type. This structure would for example be โ€œExtra Found Files\Graphics and Pictures\JPEG Digital Camera\0000023.jpgโ€ The top level or root folder โ€œExtra Found Filesโ€ refers to the contents being made up of fully orphaned files with no reference in the file system on the drive. Graphics and Pictures organizes these orphaned files into categories. Other categories include Archive, Documents, Spreadsheets, Audio, and Video. Within those category folders you find folders for each extension under that category. The folder โ€œJPEG Digital Cameraโ€ has all jpg files that have camera metadata in the file. This is the most useful way we can find to organize these files to make them easier to browse and digest.

In other cases, there is partial folder structure information, and the file metadata is preserved. This is ideal because the file location is known and its name. These will also appear under Extra Found Files. Since the folder chain is disconnected from the root or base folder, it is placed under Extra Found Files but in its own folder chain instead of a file category. These can also be challenging because it is hard to know where the file came from. This is the best result in the circumstances because it will be a complete file due to the full location on the disk being known. It is easier to sort because the names, dates, and other attributes were preserved. The combination of orphaned files and broken folder structure is expected for a recovery with a high amount of read errors. We avoid raw results, when possible, but it is critical to present all of the data recovered and let you decide what data you wish to keep.

Why was my data recovery unsuccessful?

Hard disk drives (HDDs) store data on spinning platters. Mechanical failures such as scratches, corrosion, or physical damage to these platters can render the data unrecoverable. If the damage is severe enough, it may not be possible to read the data from anywhere on the platter. In addition, a head crash occurs when the read/write heads of an HDD make physical contact with the platters. This can lead to damage to both the heads and the platters, making data recovery impossible. The severity of the head crash influences the chances of successful recovery.
While mechanical failures in storage devices are common reasons for data loss, non-mechanical issues can also pose challenges to successful data recovery. There are numerous non-mechanical reasons why data recovery might not be successful:

If new data has been written to a storage device after it has been deleted or made inaccessible, it can overwrite the sectors containing the lost data.
If data loss resulted from file corruption rather than deletion, this also means certain sections of the data were overwritten by incorrect data. Data corruption can occur due to software issues, power outages, unstable write heads, or another non-mechanical factor.
Encrypted data adds an extra layer of complexity to the recovery process. If the data is encrypted, the recovery service needs access to the correct encryption keys to decrypt and recover the files. Here too, corruption might damage certain areas on the device needed to correctly decrypt data.
Damage to the file system structure, for example, the master file table (MFT) on NTFS file systems, can make it difficult or impossible to locate and recover files. This is especially true for heavily fragmented files.
Problems with the firmware of a storage device can impede the data recovery process. Firmware issues may prevent the drive from functioning correctly or cause it to misinterpret the data, leading to difficulties in accessing and recovering the lost files.
For flash-based storage devices such as solid-state drives (SSDs), SD cards, or portable USB drives, physical damage to the storage chips such as cracked or severely overheated chips will sever its extremely small, internal connections. After the manufacturing process, it is no longer possible to access these electrical connections, making the data unrecoverable.

What if recovery is unsuccessful?

If recovery is unsuccessful, we refund refundable items per your quote. We process that refund within 48 business hours. It can take up to 10 business days for the payment processor to return the funds to your original payment method. Items your approved quote marks as not refundable (such as replacement parts) are not included.

Your original media will be shipped back within 24 to 48 business hours. Return shipping is already included in your paid quote and is not refunded. We will send tracking information as soon as it is available. If you prefer, we securely destroy your media free of charge instead of returning it, and we refund 25 USD of your evaluation fee. Please tell us before your order closes.

For why a recovery can fail, see โ€œWhy was my data recovery unsuccessful?โ€ Questions: email support@atpdataservices.com.

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ATP Data Services • Seagate Premier Recovery Partner • Labs in the USA, EU and China. Your drive is evaluated and recovered at our US lab.
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