Data Recovery Services

Losing data is one of the most stressful things that can happen with your technology. Whether it's years of family photos on a failed hard drive, critical business documents on a corrupted USB, or the only copy of your contacts trapped inside a water-damaged phone — we understand the urgency. At iFix Electronics, data recovery has been a core part of our work for over 16 years, and we've built a reputation as the shop other repair shops send their toughest cases to.

Devices We Recover From

iPhones & Android phones Hard drives (HDDs) Solid-state drives (SSDs) USB flash drives SD & microSD cards External drives NAS devices Compact flash cards

The types of data we retrieve are just as varied — photos, videos, documents, contacts, text messages, WhatsApp conversations, music libraries, databases, accounting files, and entire system backups. We've recovered wedding photos that existed nowhere else, small business accounting records worth tens of thousands of dollars, and university dissertations days before submission deadlines.

Common Recovery Scenarios

Water & Liquid Damage

Phones dropped in the ocean, laptops that copped a spilled coffee, USB drives through the washing machine. The critical thing is not to power the device on — corrosion begins immediately.

Accidentally Deleted Files

Emptied the recycle bin, formatted a drive, or factory-reset your phone without a backup. The data is often still physically present — the sooner you stop using the device, the better.

Mechanical Drive Failure

Clicking, grinding, or drives that won't spin up. We perform head replacements, platter transplants, and firmware repairs — the jobs most local shops aren't equipped to handle.

SSD & Flash Failures

Controller failures, NAND degradation, and firmware corruption. We use specialised tools to communicate directly with memory chips, bypassing the failed controller to extract raw data.

Our Recovery Process

Free assessment — We examine the device, diagnose the failure mode, and give you an honest appraisal of the likelihood of success. You receive a fixed-price quote before we begin — no surprises, no hidden fees. If we can't recover your data, you don't pay.
Forensic imaging — Software-based recoveries use forensic imaging tools that create bit-for-bit copies of the storage medium before attempting any file reconstruction. Hardware-level recoveries are performed in a controlled, clean workspace.
Data extraction — We proceed with recovery using professional-grade tools and techniques appropriate to the failure type, extracting your files from the forensic image or repaired hardware.
Secure delivery — We transfer your recovered files to a new storage device of your choice — an external hard drive, USB stick, or cloud upload — and return everything to you securely.

Australia-Wide Mail-In Service

You don't need to be on the Central Coast to use our data recovery service. We accept mail-in jobs from right across Australia — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, and everywhere in between. Simply post your device to our Erina workshop using tracked, insured shipping. We'll assess it, call you with a quote, and return it once the job is done.

Turnaround Times

iPhones & Hard Drives

Typically 3-4 weeks. These often involve hardware-level work and careful extraction processes.

USB Drives & Memory Cards

Generally 1-2 weeks. Simpler storage media with faster assessment and recovery cycles.

After 16 years and over 31,000 repairs, we've developed the tools, techniques, and experience to handle recoveries that other shops simply can't. If you've been told your data is unrecoverable, it's worth getting a second opinion from us. We regularly succeed where others have given up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does data recovery take?

Turnaround depends on the device and complexity. iPhone and hard drive recoveries typically take 3–4 weeks, while USB drives and memory cards are usually 1–2 weeks. We'll give you a realistic timeframe after the initial assessment.

Can you recover data from a water-damaged phone?

Yes. Water damage is one of our most common recovery scenarios. The key is to avoid turning the phone on or charging it — bring it in as soon as possible. We disassemble the device, treat corrosion, and extract data from the storage chip where possible.

What if my hard drive is clicking?

A clicking hard drive usually means the read/write heads have failed. Do not power it on again — every power cycle risks further damage to the platters. We perform head replacements and platter-level recovery in a controlled environment to maximise the chance of retrieving your files.

How much does data recovery cost?

We provide a free assessment and fixed-price quote before any work begins. Costs vary depending on the device type, failure mode, and complexity. You only pay if we successfully recover your data.

Do you offer a mail-in data recovery service?

Absolutely. We recover data for customers across Australia. Simply post your device to our Erina workshop using tracked and insured shipping. We'll assess it, provide a quote, and return it once recovery is complete.