Is it possible to recover data from a hard drive today?

Question

Hard disks

The story was like this, there was an external hard drive, it was dropped on the floor (in the off state).
Took it to one service first. They, after some time, said that they could not do anything. I brought a donor disk to them (I bought it myself), they didn’t take money for diagnostics.
Then I drove to XXX. At first they said that they would restore with a probability of 90%. I paid 1300 rubles for diagnostics. Two days later they sent a piece of paper with recovery options, chose the option of 7 days for recovery, full recovery. But a donor was needed. It was written that the donor costs 6,000 rubles. Yes, it's very expensive, but I paid for that too.
There was no news from them for a week, in the end I called myself.
On the same day, they sent the folders that were on the disk, see the screenshot (yes, these are my folders), asked which ones to restore first, they said that the restoration could take a very long time.
The next day they called, they said that it was impossible to restore the data, because the disk was damaged. They asked what to do with it - either the fires will dispose of it, or they will give it to me and in 2-3 years it will be possible to try to restore the data.
When I took the disc, it was noticeably warm, but I did not attach much importance to this, but more on that later. Also, I was told the following, a quote: “Do not even try to contact other companies, they will definitely not help you there”
But I still decided to go to another company. I handed over the disk while filling the papers, the specialist opened the disk. He said that with such damage, the folder structure cannot be obtained, it is also impossible to obtain data from the disk.
On the disk were photos of children from the moment of birth, relations with his wife before the wedding, and a lot of other personal information.
Are there any methods of recovery today?

Answer 1

Restoring data from disk is time consuming and expensive. And few people know how. Besides, you opened it up for nothing. After that, I don't think they can help you.

Answer 2

There was a similar situation in the photo of a friend, though he fell in the on state, he gave it to me, I went to Moscow time and gave them
https://storelab-rc.ru We
restored most of the data, paid about 25 thousand, taking into account the portable disk on which they recovered data

Answer 3

Dear Sergey Alexandrovich!
I, the head of the Paradise-R Laboratory Nikolay Vladimirovich Kazeykin, read your review about our company and was unpleasantly surprised that you did not personally contact me with a claim for the work of specialists, but immediately wrote a negative review about the work of Paradise-R. My surprise was also caused by the fact that you signed the act, which states that there are no claims from you, and also did not tell us anything about your feelings about your disk and about the work of specialists.
Immediately after reading your review, I decided to personally look into the situation. Gathered a meeting at which a specialist working with your disk reported on the work done. He provided you with a signed act and records of telephone conversations with you (from 03.10.2018 242 sec., the beginning of the conversation 13 hours 09 minutes and from 04.10.2018 207 seconds, the beginning of the conversation 13 hours 28 minutes. ) I studied all this carefully.
In the records of telephone conversations, the specialist clearly and specifically informed you about the work he did:
I subtracted the software from the plates and saw the structure, not all, but partially: documents, notes, photoshop, photographs, videos, audio recordings, etc. He said that we would try to subtract a little by structure. I noticed that the disk is read very slowly and it has to be restarted every time. I also explained why you were not helped in the previous place where you first applied, because the disk has damage in the Software, as well as damage on the plates. You answered that you understand everything. The specialist outlined all the options for you:
1-in perfect condition, 90% of the disk is subtracted and we get all the data.
2-the worst option, if the disk stumbles upon one of the damages, its heads will break, plus additional damage may occur when touched, then that's it - we won't get anything.
3-intermediate option. We subtract, but not the entire disk. We get only part of the data. You will look at the results - you need this information or not.
You said you understood.
The specialist also informed you that it is very difficult to decide on the terms of work, since the disc can be read for a very long time: 1-2 weeks (it reads slowly). And it may be that tomorrow or the day after tomorrow it will break.
Now a week has gone to read, if there is any unforeseen situation, then he (the specialist) will call you. It can also send you a screenshot by e-mail so that it can be visually seen in advance, and you will choose by priority where to go further in the structure. You said good, I understand. The screen was sent to you, and you saw everything.
In the second telephone conversation, the specialist informed you that the disk, unfortunately, broke down. The chance is not very big that we will change the mechanics and subtract the disc. There are two options here: either we stop and do nothing, or we put the disc on the shelf and return to it in 2-3 years. You have taken an interest, and that can change in 2 3 years. The specialist explained to you that every year new technologies for data recovery appear, which may allow you to subtract information from your disk. And now either accept that you can’t get anything and don’t try, where to either go, or put it on the shelf. You said you understood everything. All right. Thank you. I'll come and pick up the disk. The specialist once again reminded you that think it over well and come and pick it up or you can write an e-mail, and we will dispose of it with your consent. You answered that you understood and you will come and pick up the disc.
Now, I want to clarify that we usually do not take on work when clients come to us with opened disks, since there is very little chance of data recovery. But since you came to us after a well-known company in St. Petersburg, where there is a laboratory and experts we respect work there, we decided to help you. In total, there are two strong Data Recovery Laboratories in our city today. The rest are service centers that do not have laboratories. Therefore, the manager told you that they will not help you in other places. They don't have laboratories. And it is important to understand this when you give your valuable information to service centers. We even managed to see the folder structure and what is there, we sent you a screen. But, unfortunately, it happens that the disk breaks. You have been specifically informed, are familiar with various options for further events in working with your disk, and consciously agreed to work with it. Our specialists, of course, had faith in a good outcome of events, since we have a very powerful modern Data Recovery Laboratory, which has the latest modern equipment from German, Serbian, Chinese and Russian manufacturers. There is a laminar box in which the most complex work is carried out in clean conditions. And all this allows us to recover lost information from any drives. To date, over the eleven years of our Laboratory's operation, we have restored 80% of orders from customers from St. Petersburg, the region and other regions of Russia. They even send us parcels with CDs from abroad. Our specialists, of course, had faith in a good outcome of events, since we have a very powerful modern Data Recovery Laboratory, which has the latest modern equipment from German, Serbian, Chinese and Russian manufacturers. There is a laminar box in which the most complex work is carried out in clean conditions. And all this allows us to recover lost information from any drives. To date, over the eleven years of our Laboratory's operation, we have restored 80% of orders from customers from St. Petersburg, the region and other regions of Russia. They even send us parcels with CDs from abroad. Our specialists, of course, had faith in a good outcome of events, since we have a very powerful modern Data Recovery Laboratory, which has the latest modern equipment from German, Serbian, Chinese and Russian manufacturers. There is a laminar box in which the most complex work is carried out in clean conditions. And all this allows us to recover lost information from any drives. To date, over the eleven years of our Laboratory's operation, we have restored 80% of orders from customers from St. Petersburg, the region and other regions of Russia. They even send us parcels with CDs from abroad. Chinese and Russian manufacturers. There is a laminar box in which the most complex work is carried out in clean conditions. And all this allows us to recover lost information from any drives. To date, over the eleven years of our Laboratory's operation, we have restored 80% of orders from customers from St. Petersburg, the region and other regions of Russia. They even send us parcels with CDs from abroad. Chinese and Russian manufacturers. There is a laminar box in which the most complex work is carried out in clean conditions. And all this allows us to recover lost information from any drives. To date, over the eleven years of our Laboratory's operation, we have restored 80% of orders from customers from St. Petersburg, the region and other regions of Russia. They even send us parcels with CDs from abroad.
We always try to help all customers who find themselves in a difficult situation with their drives. And we will always be glad to see everyone who comes to us for help in our Paradise-R Data Recovery Lab.
Sincerely, Kazeikin N.V.

Answer 4

Ehhh... A very unfortunate, of course, development of the situation :( Is it possible to do something now - the question is complex and not for remote guessing.
Just in case, information for those who will read this question in the future:
If the hard drive was dropped, then the most correct option would be to immediately go to a trusted specialized company that deals only with data recovery and nothing else.In normal places, diagnostics are free.Do
not go to a service center, radio market, computer repair, etc. - this is all a search for a complex operation on the brain in the district trauma center.
Ideally, the disk does not even turn on. Few people do this, because. there is hope for "maybe". It is extremely rarely justified, but it is possible to cut the disc harder with a good probability, because. your OS "doesn't know" about mechanical problems and will try to treat the drive as though it were alive.
The first recovery attempt is always the most successful. Subsequent ones will be more complicated, more expensive, longer and with less output data - modern disks have become too complex and delicate devices.
Also, you don't have to open the disc at home to look at or take a picture of the platters - the dust in the HDA does not contribute to the normal operation of the disc mechanics from the word "absolutely".
Well, in the end, here is a memo on how to choose a data recovery service .
Reading for five minutes, and the money and information will remain with you.