If you’ve dropped your external hard drive and are worried the damage is irreversible, there are a few things you should try before you write that data off for good. Either way, always try to keep more than one copy of everything just in case something does go wrong. Here are some hard drive data recovery options available to you.
Software
It might be that your computer is still able to recognise the device, but that some or all of the data you know is on there is missing. In these cases, try looking online for data recovery software – there are plenty of options, some of which are free. If you can’t pay for data recovery software, look for one that is ‘open source’ rather than ‘freeware’, ad-funded or a promotional free trial.
Hardware
If the problem is deeper than that, you’ll want to look online for ways to fix the hardware yourself. It may be as simple as needing to clean the discs, or you might end up needing to manipulate the casing a little if that has become damaged. Either way, be very careful while you’re doing this; the last thing you want is to cause further damage to the disk.
Technicians
If non of the above approaches work and the data on the disc is extremely valuable to you, almost anything can be recovered by professional technicians. You will want to think about this very carefully before you decide to go for it, the process can become quite expensive if the damage is extensive.
Sophia Levin
