Crashed iPad? Recover the Data for $1,000!

In computing, backing up our data on a regular basis should be like second nature, but for most, it’s never even a thought. That is, until something catastrophic happens and we end up losing important data, and lots of it. On a desktop PC, backing up is simple, but on a mobile, it’s a little more tedious, and requires you to actually take out the time to do it.

For that reason, many people who rely heavily on mobiles don’t even consider backing up their data, but like a desktop PC, once data loss occurs, it can sting… and sting bad. Fortunately for those who use Apple iPads, a company going by the name of DriveSavers is potentially able to save the day, although with a $1,000 price tag, it’s not for everyone.

On devices like the iPad, it’s difficult to recover data either from a software fault or a hardware one, because it uses flash memory, in this case NAND. There, it’s not like recovering mechanical storage which can sometimes be easy if you have the right tools, and as we laid out in an article last year, there are other potential issues that amplify the difficulty of getting your data back.

Adding to the complexity, NAND flash, as found in the iPad, uses either two or three layers for data storage, and even further, sometimes it can be encrypted via different means. Still, DriveSavers still has a chance to recover your data, and has done so for an unnamed CEO of a large financial corporation. So, if you have an iPad and lose important data… you might be able to get it back, but prepare to open that wallet wide.

Bross told Ars that a majority of iOS devices that come in for service are iPhones with missing or lost photos. However, iPhones (and increasingly iPads) are now being used by many of DriverSavers’ corporate clients to store important or otherwise secure company data. Something as simple as syncing an iPad with the wrong machine could overwrite the original data with a default configuration. While the original data may appear lost, DriveSavers can often perform what Bross called a “logical” recovery in 24 to 48 hours turnaround time. Physically damaged devices may require more time to safely recover data.