If a partition has vanished, showing as unallocated or RAW or asking to be formatted, it has almost always lost its map, not its files. We rebuild the partition and recover your data from any hard drive, SSD, USB stick or memory card, right here in-house.
Whenever Windows or your Mac tells you a drive needs to be formatted, or a partition utility offers to “fix” it, stop. Writing a new partition table across the disk, or formatting it, can land squarely on the data we are trying to save. So don’t run chkdsk or repair programs, don’t create or resize any partitions, and don’t let anything write to the drive: remove it and contact us. The less the drive is touched, the better the recovery.
In the vast majority of cases when a partition disappears, the files still exist on the disk; it is the partition structure that has become damaged or gone missing. Below are the situations we see most.
We rebuild lost and corrupted partitions on every type of storage and from every major manufacturer. If it holds your files, the chances of recovery are good.
The drives inside laptops, PCs and Macs; hard drives and SSDs; external and portable units; and flash of all kinds — USB sticks, SD, microSD and CF.
A missing partition is brought back by rebuilding the structure that points to your data, without ever writing to the original drive. First we create a complete image of the drive, then we rebuild the partition from that image, and then we recover and return your files.
Tell us how it happened. We assess the damage, whether a RAW drive, a deleted partition or a corrupted table, and send you a written quote, generally within 48 hours.
We create a read-only forensic image of the disk and carry out all the work on that copy, so there is no way for your original data to be overwritten.
We sweep the entire disk for file-system signatures (ext superblocks, APFS and HFS+ headers, and NTFS and FAT boot sectors) to pinpoint where each volume starts and ends, and then rebuild a correct MBR or GPT table that points to them.
If the boot sector or file system is corrupted, we repair the structures the volume needs to mount: the boot sector is restored from its backup, and the $MFT or FAT tables are rebuilt, so the volume mounts and gives up its files.
Once the partition has been rebuilt, your files come back with their folder tree intact, and the unallocated space is scanned for anything left behind by earlier deletions or overwrites.
We check that the recovered files open properly and that the folder structure holds together, then return them to you on new media.
Your data comes back on an external drive that we post to you, or as a free download for up to 75GB.
On hard drives, SSDs, external drives, USB sticks and memory cards, we rebuild lost and corrupted partitions from a read-only forensic image, and your files come back intact.
Tell us what happened and we’ll get back to you, usually within a working day.
We’ll be in touch shortly. If it’s urgent, call 01483 901310.
There is no pressure and no sales pitch: before anything is done, you receive a free diagnostic and a written quote.
A few recent missing-partition jobs on different drives, with identifying details removed and every result verified. Full write-ups: a PC that lost its partition, not its files.
The file system was corrupt, but the data underneath was untouched. Working from a single read-only image, we rebuilt the partition and retrieved the data.
After the partition was lost, its space showed as unallocated. We located it, rebuilt the partition and restored every file.
The power cut out while data was being written, and the partition disappeared. From a forensic image of the drive, we rebuilt the table and returned the files.
Simply send your device to us for a free diagnostic and describe briefly what happened. An engineer will review it and confirm your exact quote in writing before any work begins.
The first step to getting your data back is sending the device to us. Pack it safely, put your contact details inside the package and send it in. Once we have completed the free diagnostic, we will confirm the exact cost in writing before any work starts.
Sending it by post? We’d recommend a tracked, insured service. Dropping it in? No problem: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm. Please package the device as described above first.
Would you like more information first? Complete the form with further details about your issue, and one of our engineers will review it and send you a tailored quote.
We’ll be in touch shortly. If it’s urgent, call 01483 901310.
Common questions about recovering a lost or missing partition.
Usually. A partition that has disappeared normally means a damaged or deleted table entry, not lost data, and the boot sector and files behind it are almost certainly still on the disk. We create an image of the drive, scan it for file-system signatures to find where the volume actually sits, and rebuild the MBR or GPT so it mounts again.
Usually not. RAW, or a prompt to format, almost always means the file system can no longer be read, typically because of a corrupt boot sector, a damaged $MFT or a scrambled partition type, rather than lost contents. We repair or rebuild those structures on a read-only copy, and the files come back.
Very often. When a partition is deleted, only its table entry is removed and the space is marked as unallocated, leaving the boot sector and data intact until something else writes over them. We rebuild the partition from those remaining structures, so please stop using the disk before anything is written over them.
Better not. chkdsk and partition repair tools write their changes directly to the affected drive, rewriting the $MFT, moving data and zeroing sectors, which can turn an easy rebuild into a hard recovery, or lose your data for good. Please stop and let us work from a read-only image of the disk.
Possibly. A format, an initialisation or a new partition table written over the drive can each overwrite your files. With a partition missing, the safe course is to stop immediately and let us image the disk before anything else is done.
Logical recovery starts at £250 + VAT, with a free diagnostic beforehand, and in most cases you only pay if we recover your data. If the drive also turns out to be physically failing, any higher price is confirmed in writing before we start.
The internal disks in laptops, PCs and Macs; standalone hard drives and SSDs; external and portable drives; and all types of flash media, including USB sticks and SD, microSD and CF cards. If your files are on it, we can normally help.
Yes. Lost and corrupted partitions on external drives, USB sticks and memory cards are among the most common problems we see, and they tend to recover very well.
Most missing-partition work is completed within one to three working days, often sooner, and the diagnostic is usually done within 48 hours. Urgent jobs can be fast-tracked if needed, so just let us know.
Either drop it off at our Guildford unit Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm, or post it to us fully insured. Package it securely and include your contact details (name, address, phone number and email) so we can book it in. Once it arrives, the free diagnostic begins, and a written quote is sent before any work starts.
A free diagnostic and lost-partition recovery from any drive, stick or card, with every file returned intact, and in most cases you only pay if we recover your data. Start your recovery today.