Old external and FireWire drive recovery

The external drives of the 2000s: USB 2.0, FireWire 400 and 800, and mains-powered desktop units.

Ask about data recovery Call 020 7237 6805

About these devices

Early external drives were an ordinary desktop or laptop hard drive in a case with a bridge board and, usually, a separate power supply. When one stops working, the fault is as likely to be the case electronics or the power adapter as the drive.

Some larger models were not what they seemed. Several "big" drives of the period contained two hard drives joined together as one, which doubles the chance of failure and means both are needed for recovery.

Typical faults

Dead power supply

The drive does nothing. The hard drive inside is often healthy.

Failed bridge board

The light comes on but the computer sees nothing, or sees an unknown device.

Two drives in one case

One of the pair has failed and the volume has vanished. Both drives are copied and joined.

Aged hard drive

The drive inside has the same wear as any drive of its age.

Hardware encryption

Some models encrypt in the case electronics, so the original board is needed.

Never try a different power adapter because the plug fits. The wrong voltage destroys the drive's electronics instantly, and it is one of the most common causes of damage we see on old external drives.

Sending older storage

Do not power it up "to see if it still works". Old drives often have one start left in them.
Send any cables, power supplies, enclosures or cartridges that belong with it.
Tell us what computer and system it was used with: Windows 98, Mac OS 9, a server, a camera.
If there are several disks or drives, number them and keep them in order.

Recovery starts with a professional evaluation, charged at £94.80. It tells you what has failed and what can be recovered, and you then receive a fixed price for the recovery itself.

We collect drives and devices by insured courier from anywhere in the UK, or you can post yours tracked and insured, or bring it to the workshop in London SE1. See how to send a drive safely.

Common questions

I used the wrong power supply and the drive smoked. Is the data recoverable?

Usually. The damage is normally confined to protection components and the circuit board, which can be repaired. The platters are unaffected.

My Mac no longer has a FireWire port. Can the drive still be read?

Yes. The drive inside is removed from its case and read directly.

Get a price from a technician

Tell us the make, the model and what has gone wrong. A technician replies with a price and the quickest way to get your laptop to us – normally the same working day.

020 7237 6805

Creative IT workshop
Unit 1, 80 Willow Walk, London SE1 5SY
Monday to Saturday, 9am–6pm