Data recovery FAQ: answers to your questions
Find answers from our specialists to the most frequently asked questions about data recovery: hard drive failures, SSD, RAID, USB drives, pricing, turnaround times and process. SOS Data Recovery (Tesweb SA), Swiss specialist since 2006 with over 10,000 cases handled, answers your questions.
Why consult our data recovery FAQ?
Our technicians answer the most frequently asked questions about hard drive, SSD, RAID, NAS, USB drive and memory card failures. Each answer is based on over 10,000 cases handled since 2006 and regularly updated. If you cannot find the answer to your question, contact us — free diagnosis within 3 hours.
Are you available for emergencies outside of business hours?
Yes. Our emergency hotline is accessible 24/7 for critical cases (data loss on a production server, ransomware incident, damaged media following a disaster). Call our Swiss national number directly on 0840 440 840 and specify that it is an emergency: you will be put in contact with an on-call technician.
Do you offer an emergency service?
Yes. Our 24/7 emergency service is available upon request, particularly suited for critical situations: server failure paralyzing a business, legal or regulatory deadline, medical or scientific data. In emergency mode, processing is prioritized with an indicative turnaround time of 1 to 3 business days. Mention the urgency in the form or call us directly.
How long does data recovery take?
The diagnosis takes an average of 1 to 3 hours upon receipt of the media. Complete recovery varies from 1 to 3 days for a simple software failure, to 3 to 10 days for a complex physical failure or a multi-disk RAID system. A 24/7 emergency service is available upon request.
Is it possible to recover data from a smartphone that has been submerged or dropped in water?
Yes, data recovery from a wet smartphone is possible in most cases, provided you act quickly and correctly. Fresh water is less destructive than salt or chlorinated water, but in all cases, the intervention time is critical.
The first rule is to not turn on the phone after immersion — a short circuit can irreparably damage the memory chips (eMMC or UFS). Remove the battery if possible, do not plug in a charger, and bring the device to a specialized laboratory as soon as possible.
In the laboratory, our technicians completely disassemble the device, ultrasonically clean the components, and directly extract the data from the memory chip. The success rate exceeds 80% when the smartphone reaches us within 24 to 48 hours following the water damage.
What are your opening hours?
Our laboratory is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Outside of these hours, an appointment can be arranged upon request. Our 24/7 emergency phone service is available for critical situations.
What to do immediately after losing data on your phone?
The first few minutes are critical. Here's the procedure to follow in order:
- Stop using the phone — every action (taking a photo, installing an app) can overwrite the deleted data
- Switch to airplane mode — to stop automatic synchronizations that could potentially overwrite data
- Do not attempt data recovery yourself with consumer software if the phone is making abnormal noises or not starting correctly
- Check your backups — iCloud, Google One, Samsung Cloud — before any intervention
- Contact a specialized laboratory for a free diagnosis within 3 hours
What to do in case of an emergency (clicking hard drive, critical data)?
Immediately turn off the device to prevent further damage. Do not attempt data recovery software yourself. Contact us — our emergency service is available 24/7 with immediate support.