Lost files, or a drive that won't show up

When files go missing, what you do next matters. The most important rule: stop using the drive, so nothing new overwrites what you lost.

Check the easy places first

• The Recycle Bin (or Trash on a Mac)
• OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox: they each have their own recycle bin and earlier versions of files
• Search the whole computer for the file name: it may simply have been saved somewhere unexpected

If the drive itself is the problem

• Clicking, grinding or beeping: turn it off and leave it off. Every minute it runs can make recovery harder
• Asked to format a drive or USB stick: say no. Formatting makes recovery harder
• Don't install recovery software onto the drive you're trying to recover from

What we do

We recover what can be recovered from failed or deleted drives, memory cards and USB sticks, and tell you honestly what we can and can't get back. Then we set up automatic backups with an off-site copy and test restores, so it doesn't happen again.

Other common problems

• Phone or tablet won't charge
• Computer is hot, loud, or shuts itself off
• Blue screen, or the computer keeps restarting
• Your e-mails are landing in customers' spam
• All common problems