I know how it feels to lose essential data—that pit in the stomach when you realize all those files might be gone. Alongside the suggestions you’ve already got, here’s a couple more recommendations and thoughts that might steer you in the right direction:
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Data Analyzers Data Recovery - Their New Jersey lab is pretty solid and they’ve got a high success rate with all kinds of data recovery scenarios. Friendly customer service is a big plus here, and they also provide a remote recovery option if you’re in a tight spot. They can be a bit slow sometimes, but better slow and sure than fast and failed, right?
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WeRecoverData - They’ve got a New York office which isn’t too far if you’re desperate and can travel a bit. They offer free evaluations which is great because you get an idea of the damage before any money changes hands. Their specialized techniques have pulled me out of the fire before. However, they can get super expensive really quickly if it’s a complex issue.
As for the DIY route, yeah, Disk Drill’s worth mentioning again just because it’s a lifesaver for those who don’t wanna shell out big bucks immediately. If you need more info about it, check this out: Disk Drill. It truly makes data recovery approachable for the regular user.
But, let’s not forget other tools that might shine in some scenarios more than Disk Drill:
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Recuva - If your data isn’t too scrambled, Recuva is straightforward and gets the job done most of the time. It’s free for basic users, and Pro isn’t too expensive either.
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TestDisk - For those comfortable in the command line, TestDisk can be incredibly powerful. It’s open-source and can handle a variety of file systems. The learning curve is a bit more intense, but it’s worth it for anyone familiar with more technical recovery.
One little contention with what @techchizkid mentioned: Disk Drill’s 500MB limit on the free version can be a deal-breaker depending on data volume. If you’re dealing with several GBs of vital files, you might hit that wall frustratingly fast.
And lastly, a bit of a left-field suggestion but might be useful if your problem isn’t hardware damage: Photorec. It’s particularly good at recovering documents and photos from hard drives. Works hand-in-hand with TestDisk and is free. The interface isn’t user-friendly, but with some tutorials, you can navigate through it.
On a practical note, if you haven’t already, stop using the device immediately to prevent overwriting any recoverable data. Time is indeed of the essence. Trying something DIY first like Disk Drill or Recuva (if the volume isn’t too high) can potentially save you a significant amount of money.
End of the day, nobody likes unforeseen expenses, especially for things like data recovery, but sometimes these tools and services are worth their weight in gold compared to the heartache of permanently lost data. Good luck, and I hope you get everything back!