Laptop Data Recovery
Professional laptop data recovery service in London. Recover data from failed drives, liquid-damaged laptops, physically damaged devices, and encrypted systems.
Priority focus on data, not device repair. Specialist equipment and methods for all storage types.
**Note:** Recovery success depends on drive condition. Free diagnostic assessment included.
Service Details
Professional laptop data recovery service in London for failed drives, liquid-damaged laptops, physically damaged devices, and encrypted systems. When your laptop has failed but your data is the priority – not device repair – Fixfactor’s data recovery service uses specialist equipment and advanced techniques to recover your irreplaceable files.
When You Need Laptop Data Recovery:
Data recovery is for situations where retrieving your data is the primary goal, regardless of whether the laptop itself can be repaired. This is different from standard laptop repair where fixing the device is the objective.
- Drive failure: Laptop won’t boot, “no operating system found” error, clicking or grinding noises from drive, drive not detected in BIOS
- Liquid damage: Laptop exposed to water, coffee, or other liquids – device may not power on but data storage may be intact
- Physical damage: Laptop dropped, crushed, or severely damaged – device destroyed but data recovery may be possible
- Malware or system corruption: Severe infection or system corruption prevents accessing files, but data physically intact on drive
- Accidental deletion or formatting: Important files deleted, drive accidentally formatted, partition lost
- Failed system upgrade or update: Windows update or laptop upgrade corrupted data or made files inaccessible
Important distinction: If you want your laptop repaired and working again, that’s a laptop repair service. If you only care about getting your data back and the laptop itself doesn’t matter, that’s data recovery. Data recovery focuses exclusively on extracting your files – photos, documents, videos, business data – regardless of device condition.
Laptop Storage Types and Recovery Methods:
Recovery approach depends on whether your laptop’s storage is removable or soldered (permanently attached to motherboard).
Removable Storage (Traditional Laptops):
Most laptops from 2010-2020 and many current budget/business models use removable storage drives – either 2.5-inch SATA drives (HDD or SSD) or M.2 NVMe drives that connect via sockets. These can be removed from the laptop and connected to specialist recovery equipment.
Recovery process for removable storage: We open the laptop, extract the storage drive, and connect it externally using professional data recovery tools (PC3000, DeepSpar, Stabilizer, and others). This allows us to bypass failed laptop components (motherboard, power system, display) and access the drive directly. Even if the laptop is completely dead or liquid-damaged, the storage drive itself may be intact and recoverable. This is the most straightforward data recovery scenario.
Soldered Storage (Modern Ultra-Thin Laptops):
Many modern ultra-thin laptops (MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 2016+, Dell XPS 13, HP Spectre, some Surface models) have storage chips soldered directly to the motherboard. These cannot be simply removed and connected externally.
Recovery process for soldered storage – Two approaches:
Approach 1 – Motherboard Repair (Primary Method): If storage is soldered, we first attempt to repair the motherboard to the point where it can boot and allow data access. We fix power supply circuits, replace damaged components, bypass liquid damage corrosion – whatever is necessary to get the motherboard functional enough to read the storage. If successful, we boot the laptop (or at least power the motherboard sufficiently) and transfer data to external drive. This is typically more cost-effective than desoldering and often the only option when BitLocker encryption is involved (explained below).
Approach 2 – Storage Desoldering (Advanced Method): If motherboard repair is impossible or unsuccessful, we can desolder the storage chip from the motherboard and read it externally using specialist equipment. This is a highly technical procedure requiring precision soldering skills and specialized reading adapters. Desoldering is time-consuming, carries risk of damaging the storage chip, and is expensive (£500-1200 depending on chip type and complexity). We only recommend this when motherboard repair has failed and data is critically important.
BitLocker Encryption – Critical Consideration:
Many Windows laptops (especially business models and modern consumer laptops) automatically encrypt data using BitLocker. BitLocker encryption ties data access to the specific motherboard’s security chip (TPM). This creates significant data recovery complications.
How BitLocker affects recovery:
If your laptop has BitLocker enabled and you don’t have the recovery key, we cannot simply remove the drive and read it externally – the data is encrypted and inaccessible. Even if we desolder storage from a soldered laptop, we still cannot decrypt the data without the BitLocker recovery key or access to the original motherboard’s TPM chip.
Recovery options with BitLocker:
If you have the BitLocker recovery key: Data recovery is straightforward. We can remove the drive (or desolder storage), decrypt it using your recovery key, and extract all data. Always save your BitLocker recovery key when initially encrypting a drive – it’s usually saved to your Microsoft account or can be printed/saved as a text file.
If you don’t have the BitLocker recovery key: Motherboard repair becomes the priority and often the only option. We must get the original motherboard working (at least partially) so the TPM chip can decrypt the data automatically when the system boots. This makes data recovery more challenging and expensive, as we’re constrained to repairing the specific damaged motherboard rather than bypassing it entirely. If motherboard is beyond repair and you lack the recovery key, data may be permanently inaccessible.
Check for BitLocker before failure: If your laptop is currently working, check whether BitLocker is enabled (Windows Settings → Privacy & Security → Device Encryption or BitLocker). If enabled, save your recovery key immediately to your Microsoft account, USB drive, or print it. This preparation makes data recovery much simpler and less expensive if failure occurs later.
Our Data Recovery Process:
Step 1: Initial Assessment & Consultation (30-60 minutes)
We discuss what happened to your laptop (failure symptoms, how it occurred, when it started), what data you need recovered (all files, or specific critical documents/photos), whether you have backups of any data already, and whether you know if BitLocker encryption is enabled. We inspect the laptop physically – check for liquid damage signs, physical impact damage, listen for drive sounds (clicking, grinding). We identify laptop model and storage type (removable HDD/SSD, removable NVMe, soldered storage).
Step 2: Diagnostic Testing (1-2 hours)
We attempt to power on the laptop and assess what’s functioning. We check if drive is detected in BIOS (indicates drive has power and basic function). For removable storage, we extract the drive and connect it to diagnostic equipment to assess: drive physical condition (mechanical damage, electrical failure, read/write head condition for HDDs), logical condition (file system intact, partition table readable), encryption status (BitLocker, FileVault, other encryption). For soldered storage, we test motherboard functionality and identify what components need repair for data access.
Step 3: Present Recovery Options & Quote
Based on diagnostics, we explain: likelihood of successful recovery (high, moderate, or low based on damage severity), recommended recovery method (external connection, motherboard repair, or desoldering), estimated time required (5-7 days standard, or expedited if you choose priority service), and cost estimate before starting work. We’re honest about recovery prospects – if damage is too severe or encryption prevents access, we’ll tell you before you spend money on unsuccessful attempts.
Step 4: Data Recovery Execution
We proceed with agreed recovery method using appropriate specialist equipment (PC3000 for HDDs with mechanical issues, DeepSpar Disk Imager for drives with bad sectors, soldering station and chip readers for desoldering, motherboard repair equipment and replacement components). Recovery work is performed in our London lab. Complex cases may require multiple attempts or technique combinations.
Step 5: Data Verification & Transfer
Once data is recovered, we verify file integrity – check that files open correctly, compare recovered file count to expected amount, test sample files from different folders. We transfer recovered data to your chosen destination: external hard drive you provide, new external drive we supply (added to service cost), USB flash drive (for smaller data amounts), or network transfer if you prefer. We provide list of recovered files and folders so you can verify everything important was retrieved.
Recovery Timeline and Priority Levels:
Data recovery time varies significantly based on damage severity, storage type, and chosen priority level.
Standard Priority (5-7 working days): Normal processing timeline for most recovery cases. We work on your recovery alongside other jobs in our queue. This timeframe allows us to be thorough, attempt multiple recovery methods if needed, and handle complex cases properly. Standard priority provides good success rates as we’re not rushed.
High Priority (3-5 working days): Your recovery moves ahead in queue and receives dedicated attention. Useful when you need data quickly but can wait a few days. Additional fee applies for priority placement.
Urgent Priority (1-2 working days): Maximum priority – we focus on your recovery immediately and work extended hours if necessary. For critical business data or emergency situations. Significantly higher cost due to immediate resource allocation and potential overtime work.
Complex Cases (up to 3 weeks): Severe physical damage, advanced motherboard repair required, multiple failed recovery attempts, or desoldering procedures can take longer. We’ll provide realistic timeframe estimate after diagnostics. Additional time isn’t just delay – complex recoveries benefit from patient, methodical approaches. Rushing severely damaged drives can worsen damage and reduce recovery chances.
Important note about time and success rate: More time often means higher recovery success rate. When drives have physical damage or complex failures, multiple recovery attempts with different techniques yield better results than rushing through one attempt. If your data is extremely valuable, choosing standard timeline and allowing us adequate time to be thorough increases chances of recovering everything.
What Data Can Be Recovered:
Recovery success depends on physical drive condition and damage type.
High success rate scenarios:
- Logical failures: Accidental deletion, formatting, partition loss, file system corruption, malware damage – physical drive intact but data logically inaccessible (85-95% success rate typically)
- Laptop liquid damage (storage unaffected): Liquid damaged motherboard but storage drive itself not exposed to liquid – drive is intact, just laptop won’t boot (90-95% success for removable storage)
- Failed laptop components (storage working): Motherboard failure, power supply failure, screen damage – storage drive is fine but laptop doesn’t function (95%+ success)
- Minor drive mechanical issues: HDD with early-stage failure, some bad sectors but still partially functional (70-85% success depending on severity)
Moderate success rate scenarios:
- Drive clicking or grinding: HDD mechanical failure (read/write head damage, spindle issues) – drive makes clicking sounds and won’t mount (40-70% success – highly variable based on specific failure)
- Liquid damage to storage: Drive directly exposed to liquid causing corrosion on drive electronics or inside sealed HDD (30-60% success depending on liquid type and exposure duration)
- Soldered storage with motherboard damage: Storage chip intact but motherboard severely damaged requiring complex repair (50-75% success depending on repair feasibility)
Low success rate scenarios:
- Severe physical damage: Drive crushed, platters damaged (HDD), NAND flash physically destroyed (SSD) – storage media itself structurally compromised (0-30% success, often zero)
- Fire or extreme heat exposure: Storage components melted or thermally damaged beyond function (5-15% success, usually nothing recoverable)
- BitLocker encrypted without recovery key and unrepairable motherboard: Cannot decrypt data and cannot repair board to access TPM (0% success – encryption is unbreakable)
- Long-term exposure to elements: Laptops left in water, buried, exposed to weather for weeks/months – extreme corrosion (10-25% success)
We’re honest about recovery prospects after diagnostics. If chances are very low, we’ll tell you before you commit to expensive recovery attempts.
Pricing Structure:
Data recovery pricing varies significantly based on damage type, storage configuration, and complexity.
Assessment fee: Initial diagnostics and recovery feasibility assessment – this fee applies whether recovery succeeds or fails. If we proceed with recovery, assessment fee is credited toward total cost.
Standard recovery (removable storage): Straightforward cases where drive can be removed and read externally – logical failures, laptop component failures, minor drive issues. Pricing depends on drive capacity and damage severity.
Advanced recovery (motherboard repair): Soldered storage requiring motherboard repair to access data. Price varies based on repair complexity (simple component replacement vs extensive board reconstruction). BitLocker encryption cases fall into this category if no recovery key available.
Specialist recovery (desoldering): Soldered storage requiring chip removal and external reading – £500-1200 depending on chip type, number of chips, and board complexity. This is most expensive recovery method due to precision work and specialized equipment required.
Priority fees: Additional charges for high priority (3-5 days) or urgent priority (1-2 days) processing.
No data, no fee policy: If we’re unable to recover any usable data, you only pay the initial assessment fee – not the full recovery cost. However, assessment fee is non-refundable as we’ve performed diagnostic work even if recovery was unsuccessful.
Contact Fixfactor at our London locations or call 020 8543 7088 for specific pricing based on your laptop model and failure type. After assessment we provide fixed quote before starting recovery work.
Supported Laptop Brands and Models:
- Windows Laptops: Dell (Inspiron, XPS, Latitude, Precision), HP (Pavilion, Envy, Spectre, EliteBook), Lenovo (ThinkPad, IdeaPad, Yoga), Asus (ZenBook, VivoBook, ROG), Acer, MSI, Razer, Samsung, LG, Toshiba, Fujitsu – all models
- Apple MacBooks: MacBook Air (all years), MacBook Pro (all years including Retina and M1/M2 models) – note that 2016+ models have soldered storage
- Microsoft Surface: Surface Laptop, Surface Book, Surface Pro – note that most have soldered storage
- Gaming Laptops: Alienware, Asus ROG, MSI Gaming, Razer Blade – all models
Storage Types We Recover:
- Traditional HDDs: 2.5-inch SATA mechanical hard drives (any capacity, any brand)
- SATA SSDs: 2.5-inch solid state drives (Samsung, Crucial, WD, Kingston, all brands)
- M.2 NVMe SSDs: Modern fast SSDs in M.2 form factor (Samsung, WD, Kingston, Intel, all brands)
- M.2 SATA SSDs: Older M.2 drives using SATA interface
- Soldered eMMC: Embedded storage in budget laptops and tablets
- Soldered NVMe: Storage chips soldered to motherboard in ultra-thin laptops
- Proprietary Apple storage: Apple’s custom SSD modules in MacBooks (requires specialized adapters)
Common Questions:
Q: What’s the success rate for laptop data recovery?
A: Success rate varies by damage type: Logical failures (deleted files, formatting, corruption): 85-95% success. Laptop component failure (storage intact): 90-95% success. Minor drive mechanical issues: 70-85% success. Drive clicking/grinding (HDD head failure): 40-70% success depending on severity. Severe physical damage (crushed, fire, flood): 0-30% success. After diagnostics we’ll give you honest assessment of recovery likelihood for your specific case.
Q: How long does laptop data recovery take?
A: Standard priority: 5-7 working days for most cases. High priority: 3-5 working days (additional fee). Urgent priority: 1-2 working days (significantly higher fee). Complex cases (severe damage, desoldering required): up to 3 weeks. Timeline estimate provided after initial assessment based on your specific damage type and chosen priority level.
Q: Can you recover data from water-damaged laptops?
A: Yes, often successfully. If liquid damaged the laptop motherboard but the storage drive itself wasn’t directly exposed to liquid, recovery success rate is very high (90%+) for removable storage – we simply extract the drive and read it externally. If the storage drive itself was liquid-damaged (corrosion on drive electronics), success rate drops to 30-60% depending on liquid type and how long exposure lasted. We’ll assess after opening laptop and inspecting actual drive condition.
Q: My laptop has BitLocker encryption – can you still recover data?
A: If you have the BitLocker recovery key: Yes, straightforward recovery. We decrypt the drive using your key and extract all data. If you don’t have the recovery key: We must repair the laptop motherboard so the TPM chip can automatically decrypt data when system boots. This makes recovery more complex and expensive, as we’re limited to repairing the specific damaged board. If motherboard is beyond repair and you lack the key, data is permanently inaccessible – BitLocker encryption is unbreakable without the key or working TPM.
Q: What if my laptop storage is soldered to the motherboard?
A: We have two approaches: First, we attempt motherboard repair to get it functional enough to boot and access data – this is usually more cost-effective. Second, if motherboard repair fails, we can desolder the storage chip and read it externally using specialist equipment – this costs £500-1200 and is time-consuming but may be the only option for severely damaged boards. We’ll recommend the best approach after assessing your specific laptop damage.
Q: Do I need to provide an external drive for recovered data?
A: You can provide your own external hard drive or USB drive (must have sufficient capacity for your data), or we can supply a new external drive (added to service cost). For large data amounts (500GB+), external HDD is most cost-effective. For smaller amounts (under 100GB), USB flash drive works fine. We’ll advise on appropriate storage capacity after assessment when we know how much data needs recovery.
Q: Can you recover permanently deleted files?
A: Sometimes yes, depending on how long ago deletion occurred and how much the drive has been used since. When files are deleted, the data often remains on the drive until overwritten by new data. If deletion was recent and laptop hasn’t been used much since, recovery chances are good. If deletion was months ago and laptop has been heavily used since (installing programs, saving files, Windows updates), deleted data has likely been overwritten – recovery success rate drops significantly. Bring the laptop as soon as possible after realizing important files were deleted.
Q: What’s the difference between laptop repair and data recovery?
A: Laptop repair focuses on fixing the device so it works properly again – repairing motherboard, replacing broken screen, fixing keyboard, etc. Data recovery focuses exclusively on extracting your files from a failed laptop, regardless of whether the laptop itself can be or will be repaired. Choose data recovery when: data is the priority and device replacement doesn’t matter, laptop is too severely damaged to economically repair, or device is old but data is valuable. Choose laptop repair when you want the device working again and data is backed up or not critical.
Q: Can you recover data from laptops with completely dead batteries or power supplies?
A: Yes, easily. Dead battery or failed power supply doesn’t affect data storage. For removable storage, we extract the drive and read it externally (no laptop power needed). For soldered storage, we can provide external power directly to the motherboard, bypassing failed power components. Dead battery/power supply is one of the simplest data recovery scenarios.
Q: What if I accidentally formatted my laptop drive?
A: Accidental formatting is often recoverable, especially if you stopped using the laptop immediately after realizing the mistake. Formatting removes the file system structure but doesn’t necessarily erase data itself – it just makes files “invisible” to the operating system. If you haven’t saved new files, installed programs, or used the laptop much after formatting, we can often recover most or all data. If you’ve already reinstalled Windows or used the laptop extensively after formatting, some or all data may have been overwritten – recovery success drops significantly.
Q: How secure is my data during recovery?
A: Data recovery work is performed at our London lab with strict data confidentiality practices. Your drive and recovered data are handled only by our data recovery technician, not passed through multiple people. We don’t browse, read, or copy your personal files beyond what’s necessary to verify recovery success (testing that files open correctly). After data is transferred to your destination drive, we securely erase any temporary copies from our equipment. If you have extremely sensitive business or personal data, we can discuss additional security measures.
Q: What happens to my laptop after data recovery?
A: After we recover your data, the laptop is returned to you in its current condition (we don’t repair it unless you specifically request and pay for laptop repair services separately). You can: keep the laptop for parts, attempt repair yourself, bring it back for separate laptop repair service if you want device working again, or dispose of it (we offer secure e-waste disposal if needed). The data recovery service only focuses on extracting your files, not on repairing the device.
Q: Can you recover data from laptops with broken screens?
A: Broken screen doesn’t affect data at all – storage drive is completely separate from display. If the laptop powers on and storage is intact, recovery is straightforward. We connect the laptop to external monitor to see what we’re doing, or simply extract the storage drive and read it externally. Broken screen is one of the easiest data recovery scenarios – nearly 100% success rate as long as the drive itself isn’t damaged.
Data Backup Recommendations:
Data recovery is expensive and stressful compared to having backups. After recovering your data this time, we strongly recommend implementing backup routine to prevent future data loss:
3-2-1 backup rule: Keep 3 copies of important data (original + 2 backups), on 2 different media types (internal drive + external drive, or internal + cloud), with 1 copy off-site (cloud storage, or external drive kept at different location). This protects against drive failure, theft, fire, and accidental deletion.
Automated cloud backup: Services like OneDrive, Google Drive, Backblaze, or Carbonite automatically back up files as you work. If laptop fails, data is safe in cloud. Monthly subscription cost is far less than data recovery fees.
External drive backup: Regular manual backups to external HDD or SSD. Schedule weekly or monthly backups of important folders (documents, photos, videos). Keep external drive disconnected when not backing up (protects from malware and electrical damage).
For business data: Implement business-grade backup solutions with daily automated backups, version history (recover older file versions if needed), and verified backup testing (ensure backups actually work before disaster strikes).
Important: Data Recovery Limitations and Risks
Data recovery isn’t always successful, and attempting recovery carries some risks:
- Success not guaranteed: Severe physical damage, certain failures, or encryption without keys may make recovery impossible. We assess likelihood before starting but cannot promise success.
- Partial recovery possible: Sometimes we recover most but not all data – some files may be corrupted or unrecoverable due to physical damage location on drive.
- Recovery attempts can worsen damage: For drives with mechanical failure (clicking HDDs), attempting to read them can cause additional damage. We use specialized equipment to minimize this risk, but it exists.
- Time-sensitive for physical damage: Drives with mechanical issues or liquid damage can degrade further over time. Prompt service increases success chances.
- Cost before knowing outcome: Assessment fee applies even if recovery fails. Full recovery cost applies if we successfully recover data, even if it’s not 100% of files.
To maximize recovery success:
- Stop using laptop immediately: Don’t attempt to boot repeatedly, don’t install software, don’t save new files – any activity can overwrite recoverable data
- Don’t attempt DIY recovery on physically damaged drives: Opening HDDs outside cleanroom environment, forcing drives to spin, or repeated read attempts can cause irreversible damage
- Bring laptop quickly: Especially for liquid damage – corrosion worsens over time, reducing recovery chances
- Provide all available information: BitLocker keys, Microsoft account passwords, information about what happened – helps us choose best recovery approach
Booking Your Laptop Data Recovery:
Data recovery requires in-person assessment at our London locations (we need to physically inspect the laptop and storage). Visit fixfactor.co.uk/booking to book an appointment, or call us on 020 8543 7088 for urgent data recovery needs. When calling, briefly explain what happened to your laptop and what data you need recovered – this helps us prepare appropriate equipment and schedule sufficient assessment time.