Problems we can help with
- Accidental deletion and missing folders
- Files on a computer that will not boot
- Readable but logically damaged drives
- Photo and document recovery attempts
- Moving recovered files to healthy storage
DATA RECOVERY / FIRST RESPONSE
Missing files? Stop first. Recover second.
When family photos, business records, or project files disappear, the next few actions matter. Continued use can overwrite recoverable data. Turn the computer or drive off, avoid one more recovery app, and call before changing anything else.
Find out what can be attempted before you pay. Diagnosis is free, and an unsuccessful in-house recovery attempt costs nothing. Specialist lab work is quoted separately.
Diagnosis is free. In-house logical recovery uses the $149 drop-off labor price; destination media or specialist lab work is quoted separately.
Work with Bryan Leasure. 30 years in IT. Based in Columbia, serving Missouri.
DATA RECOVERY / FIRST RESPONSEHOW WE CHECK
What disappeared, and what happened just before it?
A deleted folder, a Windows failure, and a clicking drive need different first steps. Turn the device off and describe exactly what you last saw or heard.
- Files or folders disappeared
- Photos, documents, desktop folders, or project work are missing after a deletion, move, update, or sign-in change.
- A drive was erased or formatted
- The wrong drive, card, or partition was selected and the files are no longer visible.
- The computer will not start
- The files may still be present even though Windows no longer reaches the desktop.
- An external drive is failing
- The drive disconnects, asks to be formatted, becomes extremely slow, clicks, or no longer appears.
- A recovery tool made things worse
- A scan found unnamed fragments, recovered damaged files, or wrote new data onto the same drive.
Protect the original. Recover to somewhere else.
Deleted files, a broken Windows installation, and a physically failing drive can look similar from the outside. Recovery begins by separating them without creating more damage.
- CHECK 1
Stop new writes
We first protect the remaining evidence. Continued use, reinstalls, and saving recovered files back to the same drive can overwrite what is missing.
- CHECK 2
Identify the failure
Deleted data, a broken Windows install, a logically damaged drive, and a physically failing drive require different plans.
- CHECK 3
Recover to a separate place
Recoverable files are copied to another healthy drive so the original is not changed more than necessary.
- CHECK 4
Escalate physical failures
Clicking, severe mechanical damage, or valuable data on a failed drive may require a specialist recovery lab. BrainRoad will say that before risking it.
Sometimes the safest answer is: stop.
BrainRoad handles logical recovery when the device can be examined safely. Clicking, severe physical damage, or a mechanically failed drive may need a clean-room laboratory instead.
Computer will not start but the files are not the main concern? See repair helpWhen the plan changes
- Clicking drives may need a clean-room lab
- Overwritten data may be unrecoverable
- Encrypted data needs the correct key or account
- No recovery percentage is promised before assessment
- A separate destination drive may be required
Start with what stopped working.
Tell Bryan what you were trying to do, what happened instead, and what you already tried. The first conversation is free. He will explain the next step and whether the work needs remote access or a visit.
Before paid work begins, you know what is being attempted and the price. You approve the work and any required access.
Questions before you call
- What should I do first when files disappear?
- Stop using the computer or drive. Do not install recovery software, reinstall Windows, format the drive, or save anything new to it. Turn it off and call for a free assessment.
- Can every deleted file be recovered?
- No. Recovery depends on what failed, how much the device was used afterward, encryption, and whether the missing data has been overwritten. The free diagnosis separates plausible recovery from false hope.
- Will recovered files keep their original names and folders?
- Sometimes. A healthy file system may preserve names and folders; a damaged or overwritten one may leave only file fragments or generic names. BrainRoad will explain what the recovery shows instead of promising a perfect reconstruction.
- How much does data recovery cost?
- Initial diagnosis is free. Straightforward logical recovery handled in-house uses the $149 drop-off labor price; an unsuccessful in-house recovery attempt costs nothing. A destination drive or specialist lab work is separate and must be approved before anything is purchased or sent out.
- Do you open damaged hard drives?
- No. A clicking or mechanically failed drive may need clean-room equipment and a specialist laboratory. BrainRoad does not open sealed drives and will recommend escalation when that gives the data its best chance.
Before another scan or restart, call.
Describe what disappeared and what happened just before it. The assessment is free, and BrainRoad will tell you whether to bring in the computer, the drive, or both.