Based in Hailey · Serving Idaho statewide

Lost Data?
Here’s What to Do First.

Deleted files, failed hard drive, phone won’t boot, or water damage? This page gives you the safest next steps — and honest help when DIY stops making sense.

call Call (208) 366-6111 sms Text for Help
schedule Response usually under 2 hours
deleteDeleted files sd_cardSD cards hard_driveHard drives smartphonePhones water_dropWater damage cloud_offNo backup
Immediate action

The First 10 Minutes

What you do right now matters more than what you do later. These steps protect your data from getting worse.

warning Stop. Read this before trying anything.
  1. 1
    Stop using the device. Every write operation — saving, installing, rebooting — can overwrite data you want back.
  2. 2
    Power it off if it still works. A running drive can make things worse, especially if it’s failing.
  3. 3
    Do not charge water-damaged devices. Electricity + moisture = corrosion and shorted components.
  4. 4
    Do not install recovery software on the affected drive. Install it on a different computer or drive.
  5. 5
    Do not keep rebooting a clicking or disappearing drive. That’s usually physical failure. Power cycles make it worse.
  6. 6
    Do not open the drive or “fix” it yourself. Hard drives need a cleanroom. DIY opening destroys recoverable data.
  7. 7
    Check whether backups already exist. iCloud, Google Photos, OneDrive, Time Machine — check before you panic.
  8. 8
    If the data matters, contact us before trying more. We’ll tell you the safest next step. No charge for the conversation.
Self-recovery

Recover It Yourself — By Scenario

These are the safest paths for each situation. If these don’t work, or if you’re not sure, stop and text me.

delete
Deleted Files / Formatted Drive
  • Check Trash / Recycle Bin first
  • Check cloud sync (OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive)
  • Check backup history if you use Time Machine or File History
  • If the drive is healthy, use recovery tools from a different device
  • Do not save new files to the affected drive
photo_library
Phone Photos / Messages Missing
  • Check iCloud Photos or Google Photos
  • Check Recently Deleted (30-day window)
  • Check if the phone ever backed up to iTunes/Finder or Google
  • Do not factory reset unless you already know the backup path
  • Do not trust random “recovery” apps from the App Store
sd_card
External Drive / SD Card Not Mounting
  • Try one different cable, port, or computer
  • If it clicks, disconnects, or disappears — stop
  • Do not keep power-cycling a clicking drive
  • Do not run random “repair” utilities on a suspicious drive
  • Check Disk Management (Windows) or Disk Utility (Mac) to see if it’s recognized
hard_drive
Laptop / Desktop Drive Failure
  • If it’s slow, noisy, invisible, or freezing — stop using it
  • Do not run CHKDSK, First Aid, or heavy repair tools first
  • Preserve the drive state for professional recovery
  • If the computer still boots, back up what you can immediately
  • Clicking sounds mean physical failure — power off now
water_drop
Water Damage / Physical Damage
  • Power off immediately — do not wait to see if it still works
  • Do not charge it
  • Do not heat it with a hair dryer or oven
  • Do not shake it
  • Do not put it in rice — it doesn’t help and can introduce dust
  • Get professional help fast — corrosion starts within hours
Protect your data

What Not to Do

These are the mistakes that turn recoverable data into permanently lost data. Most are well-meaning. All are risky.

dangerous Common mistakes that make recovery harder
  • Rice bag “trick” for wet devices
  • Freezer “fix” for hard drives
  • Repeated restart loops on failing drives
  • Installing recovery apps on the failing device
  • Running CHKDSK / First Aid on a clicking drive
  • Opening hard drives at home
  • Using magnetized tools near drives
  • Ignoring a swollen battery near storage
  • Formatting to “fix” an unreadable drive
  • Trusting “100% recovery guaranteed” software ads
Official resources

Start Here If You Want to DIY

These are the official first places to check. No sketchy software. No upsells. Just the built-in tools you already have access to.

appleApple Users
googleGoogle Users
windowMicrosoft Users
terminalAdvanced Tools
Only use these if you’re technical. Run them from a second device, never on the failing drive itself.
Know when to call

When to Stop DIY and Call Us

These are the signals that self-recovery is too risky. The sooner you stop experimenting, the better the odds.

Professional help

How Hailey Device Repair Helps

If DIY isn’t safe or hasn’t worked, here’s what honest, local data recovery help looks like.

What you get when you contact us
chat
Honest evaluationWe’ll tell you if recovery is realistic before you spend anything.
lock
Privacy-first handlingYour data stays local. No third-party cloud uploads.
local_shipping
Statewide mail-inNot near Hailey? Mail it in. We’ll evaluate it the day it arrives.
thumb_down
We say no when appropriateIf recovery isn’t realistic, we’ll tell you early and suggest alternatives.
Text us these details for the fastest answer:
  • Device model and capacity
  • What happened (spill, drop, deletion, etc.)
  • What you already tried
  • Whether it still powers on
  • Photos of visible damage
  • Whether a backup exists
  • How urgent the data is
  • Your town / city
Common questions

Data Recovery FAQ

Often yes — if the space hasn’t been overwritten by new data. The sooner you stop using the drive, the better the odds. If you’ve been using the device heavily since deletion, the chances drop. We can evaluate this quickly.
Sometimes. A quick format usually leaves data intact — it just removes the file table. A full format or continued use after formatting makes recovery much harder. Stop using the drive and contact us.
Yes, if the storage chip is intact. A phone that won’t turn on often has a working motherboard and storage — it’s the screen, battery, or power circuit that failed. We can often extract data even from phones that seem completely dead.
It depends on how quickly you act and whether the storage chip got wet. If the water never reached the NAND chip, recovery is often possible. Corrosion is the real enemy — the sooner you power off and get help, the better.
Only if the drive is healthy and you install the software on a different device. Never install recovery software on the failing drive itself — it can overwrite the very data you’re trying to save. If the drive is clicking, slow, or not recognized, skip the software and call us.
Logical recovery (deleted files, formatted drives) is often same-day if the drive is healthy. Physical recovery (clicking drives, water damage, chip-level work) can take 2–7 days depending on damage and parts needed. We’ll give you an honest timeline upfront.
Yes — we serve all of Idaho via mail-in service. Ship us the device, we evaluate it the day it arrives, and ship it back when done. We’ve helped customers from Boise to Idaho Falls to Coeur d’Alene.
We’ll tell you honestly and early. If the storage chip is physically destroyed or overwritten, recovery may not be feasible. In those cases, we’ll help you set up a backup system so it never happens again — and we won’t charge you for a failed evaluation.

If the data matters, stop experimenting.

Text or call — describe what happened and what the device is doing now. I’ll tell you the safest next step and whether recovery is realistic. No charge for the conversation.

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Hailey, Idaho · Mail-in service statewide