Data Recovery in Rochester, MN

When You Need Data Recovery

Data loss can happen to anyone, and it often comes without warning. One moment you're working normally, and the next your files are gone, your drive is clicking, or your computer simply won't turn on. Whether it's personal photos you can't replace or business documents you need to keep operating, losing data is stressful.

Here are the most common scenarios where our Rochester customers need data recovery:

Hard Drive Failure

Traditional spinning hard drives (HDDs) have mechanical components that wear out over time. Warning signs include clicking, grinding, or whirring noises; increasingly slow performance; corrupted or inaccessible files; and frequent crashes or blue screen errors.

If your drive is making unusual noises, stop using it immediately. Continued use can cause additional damage. Bring it to us for evaluation as soon as you can.

SSD Failure

Solid-state drives (SSDs) don't have moving parts, but they can still fail — often more suddenly than HDDs. You may see boot errors, the drive not being recognized, or files becoming corrupted without warning.

Accidental Deletion

Emptied the Recycle Bin or formatted the wrong drive? In many cases, the data is still physically present — it just needs professional tools to retrieve it.

Important: Stop writing new data to the drive immediately for the best chance of recovery.

Corrupted Files or Partitions

Sometimes the drive appears empty, unformatted, or inaccessible after power loss, failed updates, malware, or unsafe removal of an external drive.

Water or Physical Damage

Spilled liquid on a laptop or dropped an external drive? Physical damage doesn’t always mean the data is gone. Depending on severity, recovery is possible.

Ransomware and Malware

Some malware encrypts files and demands payment. We advise against paying. Options depend on the variant and any backups available — we’ll assess and advise.

Our Data Recovery Process

Step 1: Free Evaluation

Bring your device to our Rochester office or describe the situation by phone. We'll perform an initial assessment and estimate the likelihood of success. This evaluation is free and there's no obligation.

Step 2: Diagnostic & Quote

If recovery appears feasible, we provide a clear quote based on complexity. We'll explain what we expect to recover, the timeline, and pricing before any work begins.

Step 3: Recovery

We create a recovery image first (a complete copy) to prevent further loss, then extract files using professional-grade tools. If anything changes, we contact you before proceeding.

Step 4: Verification & Delivery

We verify file integrity and deliver your recovered data to a new drive, USB, or cloud storage of your choice. We’ll walk you through what was recovered.

Backup Solutions: Prevent the Next Emergency

The best data recovery strategy is one you never have to use — because you have reliable backups in place. After recovery, we recommend an automated backup system.

For Individuals and Home Users

Automated external drive backups or cloud backups. Typical setup: $50–$100 + the cost of the drive/subscription.

For Businesses

We implement comprehensive backup strategies:

• Local backup: Automated daily backups to an on-site drive or NAS.
• Cloud backup: Off-site secure backup for disaster protection.
• Hybrid backup: Local + cloud for maximum protection and fast restore.

We can also help create a disaster recovery plan — a documented process for getting back online quickly if something goes wrong.

Learn about our Managed IT Services →