An HDD Will Not Boot and a Lab Quoted $900 for 20MB: What to Do Before Sending It
If a hard drive will not boot and file-system repair has already failed, do not keep attempting fixes before deciding whether to use a recovery lab. A quote for only 20MB of desired data can still be high because the difficult work may be making the drive readable at all.
In this r/datarecovery WD 2TB pricing case, the owner was quoted about $900 to recover a small set of data, could spend roughly $200, and had already tried Windows repair steps.
Distinguish a Failed Windows Installation From a Failed Disk
A PC that will not boot is not automatically a mechanically failed drive. A qualified technician can assess whether the physical HDD identifies at its expected capacity and can be read without repeated errors. If it clicks, disappears, or reports failing reads, stop DIY testing.
Do not repeat CHKDSK /f or /r, attempt a Windows reinstall, initialize partitions, or keep powering a suspected hardware-failed source. Microsoft confirms those CHKDSK parameters perform repairs, which is not the same as preserving missing data.
Ask the Lab These Questions Before Shipping
Give the exact model, symptoms, past repair attempts, and a short prioritized file list. Request a written diagnostic policy, evaluation charge, recovery quote range, no-data/no-fee terms if offered, output-media costs, privacy terms, and authorization rules before work starts.
Confirm safe packaging and whether the lab wants the entire computer or only the drive. A specialist can sometimes target the most important files, but a small requested file size does not guarantee a proportionally small recovery price.