Hard Drive Redux - Part 2

Once lost, now found. My data returned, on external storage drive from ADR Recovery Services. Motto: "Saving data - and businesses - every day". Gave daily updates. Legal commitment: won't share data with third-party, remove from server after 30 days - and I had to ensure ownership/rights to have data extracted. Got old drive back (pic - with external and new hard drives.) Very professional.

Disconnect between excellent Dell Gold service techs and manufacturing that ships. Replacement hard drive arrived after left hotel (then 8 days hotel to me). Dell sends current utility/driver files knowing won't work with "older" (i.e., 1 year old) laptop. My opinion: better to send no files than wrong files; or Dell should download correct files from own site and send vs user needing to download. [Separately, when Dell Gold can access laptop remotely, saves tons of time/frustration - great service.]

Notable extras:
1. My usual tech couldn't believe didn't ask him to try to recover files - said would have tried to extract data from dead hard drive with external hard drive.
2. Dell techs and usual tech said freezing hard drive frequently works. Often works with dead batteries too.
3. Didn't check with Geek Squad. Several recommended ADR, where already sent. FYI - both also have service to recover accidentally deleted files from working hard drives.
4. Only transferred 20 recovered files onto new hard drive. Others live on new external home. Tons need deleting.

Remember to back up files daily - onto server, device, CD, via service, etc. And routinely delete files you really don't need.
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