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Ok, seriously you guys, I never thought something like that would ever happen to me. I am usually sooo good about this kind of stuff. I am talking about backing up my computer.
A few weeks ago, I decided to reformat my laptop hard drive, because it was starting to run real slow and there was a lot of stuff that just needed to be taken off the laptop. I backed everything up to my external hard drive (which pretty much holds all my files dating back to 2005) and I was already contemplating buying a second external hard drive for further backup. Then I started the reformatting.
Everything went smoothly until I tried to reconnect the external hard drive to transfer the settings and some stuff back to the laptop: the external hard drive wasn’t recognized.
I tried to stay calm, because I mean literally like 2 hours before it was working fine.
Isn’t this always how it happens?
I was pretty sure that it couldn’t really be that big of a problem, since I didn’t do anything to the hard drive between the backup and the reformatting, so I didn’t worry too much about it.
I was too busy with my travel plans to take care of it then, so when I got back last week, I decided I would send in the hard drive to a data recovery service for evaluation. I figured it would be a piece of cake to make it accessible again.
The good news is: I was told it can be fixed and all files will be recoverable.
The bad news is: They want $1200 from me.
$1200!
I mean, seriously? Is that what it costs to have your memories restored?
I am completely speechless.
I thought it would be a couple of hundred dollars. Maybe! It took me a day to get over it, but I had already made peace with the fact that I had to invest a little bit of money to get my files back. Looks like I have to invest a little bit more than that.
But $1200… that’s like another flight to Europe … or… a new laptop that I was planning to buy some time soon. Argh!
I am devastated. And I am not sure what to do.
Do you think it’s worth it?
Stephanie
June 7, 2010 at 10:46 pmEeeek! That’s a lot of money to fix it :/ I’m not sure what to tell you. On one hand it’d be nice to have all of your old stuff back. On the other hand you could get a new computer for less than that. I guess it’s really up to you…it depends how valuable everything on your computer is. Good luck!
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..Everything’s coming up roses =-.
Maribeth
June 8, 2010 at 1:00 amOkay, I would get a second opinion. I would try to find a reputable place to do the work much cheaper, then buy the new laptop with tons of space on it.
Having a lot of fun here. We are having a grill party tonight! I love that so much.
I had this dream. (you will laugh!)I dreamt that when I woke up I was listening to everyone speaking German and I understood everything! I learned to speak all German in my sleep! LOL! Then I woke (in real life)to find my German is not as good as Uschi’s 4 year old grandson, Anton! lol!
.-= Maribeth´s last blog ..Monday =-.
Irene
June 8, 2010 at 3:25 amI would also say go and get a second opinion, that’s a hell lot of money! But if you have a lot of valuable memories on it like pictures or saved emails I would probably get it done…pics are irreplaceable. I lost a whole lot of them (still old-fashioned printouts) together with all my letters from that year back in 1999 because I put them in a box and send them home to Germany after my au pair year. The box never made it here and all of them are lost now. I am still sad when I think about it!
I would offer my hubby to help if you weren’t at the other end of the world, he is pretty good at doing stuff like that, I could ask him if he has a good idea what to do…
Good Luck with it!
Irene
kim
June 8, 2010 at 3:35 amOMG! sh*t! i would DEFINITELY get a second opinion as well. maybe check craigslist or the like for someone who offers this kind of service? a neighbor? only after having checked into all the options out there would i even consider thinking about spending that kind of money. what about the manufacturer of the hard drive? didn’t you get a western digital as well? check with them to see what they might offer… maybe there’s even still some kind of warranty on the harddrive? either way, i am crossing fingers and toes for you to find another solution!!!
((hugs))
.-= kim´s last blog ..my beauty spring favorites =-.
Emily Jane
June 8, 2010 at 5:53 amThat is SUCH a lot of money… and scares me so much… I’m awful for not backing up my computer, too, and last year I thought I’d lost everything (when a metal BRACELET fell inside the tower and fried the motherboard…thankfully the hard drive was okay!!) If there are pictures on there you have no copies of that mean a lot… it may be a tough pill to swallow to get fixed… but if it’s mostly music and stuff that could be replaced, I’d get a new one? Maybe? I’m sorry this happened!!
.-= Emily Jane´s last blog ..2 Years. Or 7, depending on where you start =-.
Jen
June 8, 2010 at 7:28 amI’d suggest a second opinion. Can you take the hard drive to other places and get some quotes to compare prices? Shopping around often works for me.
.-= Jen´s last blog ..Weekend Update =-.
ute
June 8, 2010 at 9:43 amholy bananas. That is crazy. If that is the final price I would say “no”. Dear god in heaven!!! INSANE! Sorry love I hope you find a solution!!!
sizzle
June 8, 2010 at 10:03 amYou could spend that money on so much other stuff. I suppose it’s all about what you value, right? What you can’t get back on the hard drive. I agree with the others- get a second opinion.
Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks
June 8, 2010 at 11:12 amI put pretty much all my digital photos on my external drive. I would be devastated if I lost them. Personally, I’d shell out the cash. But, as others have suggested, I’d also seek out a second opinion and/or try to negotiate a lower price.
Marie
June 8, 2010 at 12:58 pmOh Noooo!!
But yeah this is the price..shocking huh?
We had the same problem beginning of this year & we decided to leave it this way..since it is soo expensive…but some day we will get our stuff back :((
Stefanie
June 9, 2010 at 6:20 amThat’s insane! I would say it all depends on what is on your external drive and how important those files are for you.
Maybe you have a geek friend who can help you out with recovering your files. Have you tried googling your issue? Maybe there is a self-help tutorial or a not-so-expensive software?
.-= Stefanie´s last blog ..I am a runner. =-.
Karen
June 9, 2010 at 10:37 amOh wow, that is so much money. I would also suggest to either find out if anyone you know could help you recover the files without having to pay as much, or getting a second opinion.
I had no idea this type of thing was so expensive but I hope I will never need to use a service like that because I always back up files (mostly pictures, they’re the most important to me) on my external hard drive and a DVD (I never rely on just one medium).
.-= Karen´s last blog ..Ask and I’ll answer =-.
LiLu
June 10, 2010 at 8:57 amI’m with the second opinion crowd. Or throwing-a-plea-out-on-Twitter. $1200 is RIDICULOUS.
.-= LiLu´s last blog ..I Might As Well Get Him A Love Fern =-.
terra
June 12, 2010 at 12:42 pmOh wow – that’s a tough dilemma. I’d absolutely get a second opinion. That just seems ridiculous! $1200 just seems CRAZY expensive!
.-= terra´s last blog ..On the fence, in the middle, and picked last for dodgeball too. =-.