Laptop or PC won’t start up, doesn’t boot, you’ve dropped it or accidentally deleted some of your files? We can help you retrieve data from all types of Windows PC (laptops/desktops) made by Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS etc. The fact that your PC isn’t turning on, or it will but just go black right away, or it boots to an error message screen and then goes black again is generally NOT the reason we’re going to have trouble recovering your files.
If your laptop or PC will not turn on, keeps showing the blue screen of death (BSOD), or continuously restarts before loading into Windows then stop trying to boot it. The hard drive inside is likely failing further with each attempt at bootup. Furthermore, running Windows repair tools can overwrite your very files that we need to recover. Also, avoid resetting the laptop or PC, reinstalling Windows or running chkdsk as this may further damage the data you want us to recover. Simply power down the laptop or PC, remove the hard drive and ship it to us. Many newer machines are encrypted using BitLocker. Please note any recovery keys you have saved within your Microsoft account as these will be needed for recovery.
Startup, physical, logical & encrypted are some of the common failures we recover from in relation to laptops and computers which include those which: won’t turn on / won’t boot up / BSOD loop / automatic repair loop / no bootable device etc.
We are able to recover files from almost any make/model of laptop/PC including Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, etc., gaming rigs, ultrabooks and even custom build systems. Virtually all machines have a removable storage device that we can recover files from without having to dismantle your entire system.
Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, Acer, MSI and Microsoft Surface · gaming PCs, ultrabooks, all-in-ones and custom desktops · SATA and NVMe SSDs and 2.5 inch hard drives · NTFS and BitLocker. Most laptops and PCs have a removable drive we work on directly — we'll tell you if yours has soldered storage.
Laptop & desktop recovery ultimately boils down to the individual drive. We take the drive out of your laptop/desktop, create a read-only image of the contents without modifying anything (including writing anything new), and then use that copy to restore your original files. And before attempting to rebuild your files, we will also attempt to repair the physical failure(s) if necessary.
What laptop or PC did the problem happen on? What was the issue (e.g. won’t turn on, won’t boot, dropped, deleted files etc.)? We diagnose it and send a written quote usually within 48 hours.
Can you remove your drive from your laptop/PC and send that to us (SATA or NVMe) so we can work on the drive directly? We don’t open laptops/computers. A dead computer is no barrier to your data. Mechanical repairs/broken boards need 50% of the fee upfront.
Where there is a fault with the mechanism, electronics or firmware on your hard drive, we will repair this (swap heads, rebuild controller) before any data is read off the drive.
While we make a read-only image of your drive using our specialist hardware, we will gently “read” weak/damaged areas without stressing a failing drive further.
If your drive has been encrypted with BitLocker and you have the recovery key, we will unlock it for you and then use that image to rebuild your NTFS file system to recover all of your documents, photos and files/folders.
Before returning anything to you, we check that each document/photo/file opens and is complete as expected.
We will either ship your recovered data back to you on a new drive or provide you access to download your recovered data free via an internet connection for up to 75 GB.
We recover all types of laptops and PCs (Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS etc.) removing the hard disk drive, fixing it if necessary, and using a read-only copy of the original data to restore your files.
Tell us what happened and we will get back to you, usually within one working day.
We will be in touch shortly. For anything urgent, call 0117 332 1137.
We provide fixed price service for recovery of single laptops/PCs: free diagnostic & written quote prior to starting work.
Below is an overview of some of our recent laptop and PC recoveries from “won’t boot”, “dead machine”, “dropped media” and “deletion”. All names have been removed for confidentiality purposes however all recoveries were verified.
The mainboard on this device was faulty. However, the NVMe drive that housed all of the client’s important files was good. Therefore, we simply made a disk image of the NVMe drive and were able to recover all of the client’s important files.
The hard disk drive heads had failed as a result of a fall. To recover the client’s important files, we installed donor heads onto the hard disk drive and created an exact duplicate (image) of each physical hard disk platter.
A corrupted version of Windows was preventing the user’s ability to access their important files. We made a complete image backup of the solid state drive (SSD), which contained all of the user’s files and were then able to recover all of them.
The hard drive was in good health and contained all of the data that existed prior to the deletion. Once an image of the drive was created, the contents were available for recovery as soon as the folders were identified.
The corrosion of the motherboard on this particular laptop prevented us from accessing the solid state drive. Fortunately, the SSD on this laptop could be accessed independently without needing to remove the motherboard. Therefore, we simply disconnected the SSD and used specialised equipment to create an exact copy (image) of the SSD and recover the lot.
Little had been done to overwrite the existing data on the drive. An image of the drive was taken and the documents/photos were restored by carving them out of the images.
True client testimonials from our two-decade archive.
I would highly recommend Bristol Data Recovery to anyone needing a Professional Data Recovery Service. My Toshiba Laptop failed while on the train one afternoon. There was no warning and it did not get dropped. Bristol Data Recovery recovered everything from Toshiba Laptop within 48 hours. I was relieved as I am a self employed graphic designer and I had an Illustrator project on the hard drive.
I had a nightmare with a failed Dell Precision PC which would not boot up. I took it to my local PC World who could not recover data, but luckily I had a look on Google and found you guys, great quick reliable service. Restored nearly all of the HDD data so could not be happier.
Send us your device for a no-obligation free diagnostic and let us know what went wrong. One of our engineers will inspect it and confirm your exact quote in writing prior to doing any work.
To get started with recovering your data, first get your device to us. Wrap it securely, write your contact details on a slip of paper inside the package, include a brief description of what happened and post it to us. After running a complimentary diagnostic we will write to you confirming the exact price prior to starting work.
Do you want to post the device to us? We highly recommend using a trackable postal service with insurance. Would you prefer to deliver it yourself? That’s fine too. Our office hours for accepting deliveries are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm. Please make sure to wrap the device as described previously.
Need some additional information regarding our data recovery services? Fill out the form and provide further detail about your problem and one of our engineers will review it and offer you a personalised quote.
We’ll be in touch shortly. For anything urgent, call 0117 332 1137.
The questions we are asked most about recovering your laptop or PC.
Yes. Usually. A laptop or PC will not turn on at some point in its life. This is almost always because there is a board or power fault (in other words, a fault in the electrical parts) but the drive where your files are held is fine. Once you remove the drive from the dead laptop/PC and send it to us, we can image it and recover your files. In this case, a dead machine rarely prevents recovery.
No. Almost never. You’ve been sitting for hours watching the ‘spinning dots’, or Windows has automatically repaired itself into an endless loop, or you get ‘no bootable device’? These symptoms usually mean that the drive that holds your files is either failing, or you have a corrupted Windows installation. Neither of these conditions means file loss; we simply need the drive and we’ll image it and recover your data without needing a working copy of Windows.
Yes. Usually. If it’s got a hard drive. When a drive clicks after being dropped, it indicates that the read/write head(s) inside the drive have failed, however the platters that hold your data are still good. At our facility, we put replacement heads on your drive and then image the drive. Please do NOT try to use it again as each time you start up the drive you risk losing even more of your data.
Unlikely, if you act quickly. On a healthy drive, deleted files usually remain on the drive until they’re overwritten by something else. Stop using your laptop/PC and call us now; the sooner we can create an image of your drive, the higher probability there is that we’ll be able to recover ALL of your data.
Our recovery fee is fixed at £300 + VAT per computer/laptop. Included is one free diagnostic and written quote before recovery. If your drive is failing or requires mechanical work, we will take 50% of the recovery fee upfront, therefore in most cases you only pay if we recover your data.
Yes, this will be true in most cases. In those instances when we have to do hardware work or repair on a bad drive, we require 50% down payment at time of service. Only then is the remainder due upon successful recovery of your data.
All makes of PCs: Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, Acer, MSI, Microsoft Surface, etc., laptops and desktops, with a SATA or NVMe type hard drive. Most computers will have a removable hard drive unit (drive) we will work on directly. We will let you know when a computer is an exception in that it uses soldered storage.
Usually, yes. A lost Windows login password itself does not encrypt your documents. Once you ship the hard drive to us, we are able to recover all of your files. However, there is one important exception. Many new Windows laptops automatically encrypt the drive with BitLocker. In order for us to unlock this encrypted data we need the recovery key from Microsoft. Microsoft often stores the recovery key(s) in your Microsoft account under Devices. If you do not provide this recovery key, no one will be able to access the encrypted data.
Yes, often. Usually it’s caused by either a virus, a failed update or a problem with your user account. While your files may remain intact, they’ll still likely be locked from access. If the data can be read off the drive then we should be able to get those back for you. However, if your files have been encrypted due to ransomware there will be some extra considerations; please contact us regarding those separately.
Generally, recoveries are completed within 2 to 3 working days. Jobs requiring mechanical repair or replacement of printed circuit boards typically require slightly more time (3 to 4 working days) based upon availability of required components. We generally complete the free diagnostic within 48 hours. Additionally, we can also provide priority service in many cases as well.
Please send us just the drive, do not post us a complete laptop, as we don’t remove drives from laptops or computers ourselves. You can drop off the drive at our Bristol office Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm. Or post it to us via a postal service that includes insurance. In addition to posting the drive include your name, address, telephone number and email along with any applicable recovery keys. That way we can book in the job and give you a quote before we begin any work.
We offer all three services: a complimentary diagnostic, a flat rate of £300 + VAT per device, and in most cases you only pay if we recover your data; we can recover virtually all makes of Windows laptops & desktop PCs. Start your recovery today.