F.A.Q. - Frequently asked questions

  » Why does Attingo not have fixed prices?
  » What is a headcrash?
  » How does a write-readhead function?
  » How does a write-readhead save data?
  » How does the storage space of the hard disk function?
  » How can I diagnose a headcrash?
  » What kinds of loss of data are there?
  » How can I diagnose a hardware fault?
  » What risk do I take when I am going to check myself what is wrong?
  » How can I know what is the risk when I am going to check myself what is wrong?
  » How do I send a hard disk for repair?
  » What are the symptoms of loss of data?
  » I have a Raid-system designed for my personal needs, could you still rescue my data?
  » Can Attingo reconstruct data that are being locked up or comprised?
  » I have damaged the hard disk's platine or plug, are my data lost?
  » How much time does it take to rescue data?
  » Why is it so important to replace the correct spare part? Why should I not change any spare parts by myself?
 

Why does Attingo Data Rescue not have fixed prices?

From more than ten years of experience we know that every individual case demands a different effort. For that reason Attingo Data Rescue makes in „Business Service“ an estimation of the costs only after the data rescue. This estimation is binding and will not change anymore. We are confronted with many cases in which other data rescue companies working with fixed prices, have announced to their customer that his data cannot be rescued anymore. This may well be due to the fact that for this company the real costs of the operation could not be covered by the fixed price they had set. We will not disappoint you in this way. If your data is still there, we will rescue them.

In those rare cases in which the result of the operation is not clear on beforehand, Attingo will offer you a so-called "prolonged diagnosis“. Because generally these will take three to four weeks of work, we do count fixed prices for them after consulting you first.

The fixed price for private persons in our Economy Service, is a very customer friendly one, as it is based on our experience of years.

 

What is a headcrash?

One speaks about a headcrash when the write-readheads of the hard disk hit the surface of the data medium. This may trigger off a series of damages to the very sensitive magnetic layer which holds the data.

In the most simple case one speaks about a „spot“ on the surface. In common this is a minor damage, but the impact depends on the location of the spot. In rare cases spots may lead to considerable loss of data. 

A more serious case is a groove on the surface. These may leave concentric circle-like damages and erase part of the layer.

In the worst case bigger parts of the magnetic layer are being destroyed. The prognoses in these cases are bad, but Attingo may still be able to rescue parts of the data.

 

How does a write-readhead function?

The write-readhead (head) makes it able to write and read on the magnetic layer of the hard disk. In common, modern hard disks have two to eight heads: exactly two per magnetic disk. Normally the heads fly on a thin layer of air above the magnetic surface that originates in the rotation of the disk. If the head touches the magnetic layer, one speaks about a headcrash. Even a piece of dust of only a few nanometers may reach enough to cause a headcrash. Opening of the hard disk by non-experts may cause considerable damage.

In modern disks the heads can position themselves within one or two milliseconds.

 

How does a write-readhead save data?

The head magnetizes the particles on the surface of the hard disk. Saved are not the individual bits (0-1) but a golf function which is recalculated into bits by a superprocessor in the disk's electronics.

 

How does the storage space of the hard disk function?

The storage space of a hard disk is a very complex construction. The magnetic disks rotate on a liquid film which allows up to 15.000 rotations per minute (250 rotations per second).

 

How can I diagnose a headcrash?

On many occasions the headcrash makes itself known by irregular sounds from the hard disk: cracking, rattling. snoring. It is also possible that there is no sound at all anymore to be heard from the disk. But the sounds mentioned may also stem from other damages. And the symptoms of a head crash may differ, depending on the manufacturer. 

A headcrash diagnosis can only be done by opening the hard disk in a clean room laboratory by a trained specialist.

 

What kinds of loss of data are there?

• Hardware damage
  Damage at the surface, in the write-readheads, in the storage space, a defect spindle, damage in electronic components, processors, storage modules.
• Fysical damage by fire or water
• Software damage
  Loss of data as a consequence of erasing, formatting, partly or total overwriting, the use of a Recovery CD, re-initialisation, virusses, the application of Scandisk, FSCK or Checkdisc can increase the damage considerably.
• Sabotage or deliberate data destruction

On many occasions a defect in the hardware will cause one in the software. The first symptoms may show in the software but the fault is in the hardware

Efforts to rescue data by the user himself may all too often produce only a worse prognosis. In particular the application of programs like Scandisk, Checkdisk or fsck may cause very negative results.

In practically all cases a specialist is able to rescue data, the prognosis varying from case to case.

 

How can I diagnose a hardware fault?

Alarming signals are:

• Abnormal sounds
• Smells
• Error messages like
     „Error at Smartstatus“
     „Loss of data while writing“
     „Error while reading“
     „Disk not recognised in Bios“
  

 

What risk do I take when I am going to check myself what is wrong?

There is the serious danger that any effort to check what is wrong yourself will only increase the damage. In general, a failing effort by yourself will increase the damage manyfold.

This danger occurs particularly when:

• copying although the disk produces abnormal sounds
• applying Scandisk, Checkdisk or FSCK
• changing electronics without exactly knowing what you are doing
• opening the disk outside a clean room laboratory
• cooling off the disk in a refrigerator (a catastrophic advice regularly launched in the internet)
• applying software or re-starting the system

 

How can I know what is the risk when I am going to check myself what is wrong?

Without a proper diagnosis the risk is massive. Already in the phone the technicians of Attingo are able to disclude certain defects. However a proper prognosis can only be made in our laboratory.

 

How do I send a hard disk for repair?

For more information on this theme, please read Transportation.
The most important tips:

• The hard disk should only be opened by experts. Attingo is looking forward to give you advice.
• In case there are several disks, these have to be properly numbered and described. There must be clear information of which disk was placed where.
• The hard disk should be packed in antistatic folio. This package material can be purchased in IT-shops. If you wish so, the package materials can be obtained from Attingo. 
• Next the disk should be packed in preferably two boxes filled with foam rubber.
• You can never pack your precious data too carefully!

 

What are the symptoms of loss of data?

• Abnormal sounds like clicking, scratching or snouring
• Smells
• The disk starts and stops out on its own
• The system is working slower
• Bluescreen
• Ongoing closedown
• Typical error messages like „Error at Smartstatus“, „Loss of data while writing“, „Error while reading“ or „Disk not recognised in Bios“
• Data can't be opened
• Scandisk, ChkDisk or fsck are being applied automatically
• Data or files disappear
• Emerging of cryptic signs like eg. exotic signs in data names)

 

I have a Raid-system designed for my personal needs, could you still rescue my data?

Yes! Attingo Data Rescue has checked all the market's controllers by way of reverse-engeneering-technology, analysed the algorythms and implemented them in software of our own. On the basis of our years of expertise with precisely Raid-systems we can rescue data from practically all Raid-systems.

 

Can Attingo reconstruct data that are being locked up or comprised?

It does not matter whether the password is known or not: Attingo is in most cases able to rescue data from locked up (eg. SafeGuard Easy) or comprised (eg. ZIP, GZ, Tar-Archiv), also in case of hardware defects.

 

I have damaged the hard disk's platine or plug, is my data lost?

No. Attingo has over 10.000 spare parts in it's own storage. Normally, those spare parts we need to repair your data medium are ready at hand, if not, then  we order them. 


 

How much time does it take to rescue data?

This depends on two matters:

• the consumer's hurry

In case of Priority Service Attingo works 24 hours, seven days a week on solving your problem. Business Service and Economy Service take some more time, but are therefore less expensive. When it comes to quality however there are no differences between these various services! Attingo takes good care in any case.

• the case's complexity

In rare cases it may occur that Attingo has no spare part ready at hand, although we have our own storage of over 10.000 spare parts. In this case the duration of the data rescue will come to depend also on the delivery time of this spare part.

 

Why is it so important to replace the correct spare part? Why should I not change any spare parts by myself?

Regrettably, there may be existing several hard disk submodels under one and the same model number. In order to recognise these, one needs experience, professional know-how and extensive research. To make matters worse, this kind of information is often unknown even to the manufacturer. A successful change however demands that all parts do suit the faulty model's construction. The wrong part in the wrong model may bring further harm to your data medium, or considerably increase the existing damage.
Exchanging parts of the electronic system may result in eg. a loss of the so-called adaptive parameters on both data media. It will make both data media unreachable. An individual disk's adaptive parameters do contain values written on them at the producton of the disk (eg. parameters of type write-readheads), without whom a data medium cannot be started up.
Please, put your trust in the experts and know-how of the technicians at Attingo Data Rescue.