The lab · how cases run
How an Exeter case runs. Seven stages, none of them sprung on you.
Our process for Exeter cases is designed to follow an identical "open" path with every single case we handle: it begins at your initial telephone call and concludes when you have personally authorised a return, exactly the way we would like to see our own drive handled. Below are all the steps involved, including the two times when only you get to make decisions.
Talk it over with an engineer
0800 6890668
The seven stages of an Exeter case, walked through.
Ring or write
Call us and describe what happened with your item and the key information you need from the damaged unit. If you prefer, complete the quote request form to provide details about the failure you are experiencing along with which data is most critical. We will then be able to offer an objective first impression as well as simple instructions prior to engaging further.
Get a quote first, then post or drop off the device
Once you have your quote, send your device by tracked and insured carriage to our secure intake lab in Bristol, with the shipping form printed and packed in the box, or drop it off at the lab Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm, with no appointment needed. Please call before sending anything bulky or delicate, as we will advise on a better course of action (we don't collect).
Booked in, assessed for nothing Free
When we receive your unit, it is given a unique case reference number and undergoes a thorough examination of all failures, including an honest assessment of the probability of successful recovery and of what it will actually take to complete this process.
You decide
After examining the unit, we will present one written, fixed-cost quote. Once we have received your acceptance to proceed with the recovery of your unit, we can begin; if you decline, we will arrange to have your device returned to you, along with our findings, at no additional charge. Either decision leaves the diagnosis free.
The recovery itself
The first thing, always, is to have a complete image of the drive. After that, whatever the problem requires (rebuilds, decrypting, firmware repair, donor parts) will be done on the image without touching your original drive.
Verify what came back
You pay us for services once you've reviewed and approved a full list of the recovered files, checked against the folders you indicated before sending your device in.
The journey home
We'll send your recovered data back to you on new media, with the postage paid by us. We securely destroy the working copies of the recovery process thirty days after its return. The case ends when you say it does.
Honest turnaround times.
| The case | What's involved | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Corruption, formats and deleted files — logical faults | File system recovery, run from a copy of the file system | 2–3 working days |
| Dead, dropped or clicking drives — mechanical faults | Donor parts fitted, images taken patiently | 3–5 working days |
| Servers, NAS units and RAID 5 arrays | Create an image of each member disk and then virtually reassemble them | 3–4 working days |
| Forensic work and encrypted media | Each job is scoped separately; the timing is determined right from the beginning | Quoted per case |
| Genuine emergencies | Businesses that have come to a halt or have an immediate (hard) deadline are given continuous priority | Say so on the phone |
Packing the box: what to include.
Straight answers to the questions we hear most.
Do you keep me posted while the job runs?
Yes. We'll contact you after each step described above has completed. In addition, please feel free to call our lab between updates if you have questions about your case's status. There are no portals to log into and no tickets vanishing into a queue.
What if nothing can be recovered?
In most cases you only pay if we recover your data. We will also give you an honest opinion as to whether another laboratory may have a better chance of recovering your data (including if no one has).
Who exactly will be handling my device?
All of the engineering work is done in-house by our own employees, with no third parties involved. Your unit will never be out of the country and will retain the same case reference from the time it arrives at our facility to the time it leaves.
What happens to the working copies you keep?
When your data goes home, the working images are stored safely with us for thirty days in case we need to review them again. After this period, the working images are securely destroyed.
Begin when you're ready.
It begins with either one phone call or one data recovery form. It is free of cost to start your data recovery process and there are no commitments to be made.