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Stellenbosch Data Recovery Stories: What We Can Save (and What We Can’t)

Lost files in Stellenbosch? Here’s what Digissential can recover from laptops, drives, and spills — plus what requires a specialist lab.

· Digissential Team · 2 min read

data recoverystellenboschhard drive recoveryrecover deleted files

TL;DR: Data loss hits Stellenbosch students (theses) and SMEs (invoices). Digissential handles logical recoveries in-shop, while physical damage goes to labs. Expect transparent costs, CPA rights, and POPIA-safe handling.

Real stories we see in Stellenbosch

  • Student laptop crash: hard drive stops booting before exam submission. Logical recovery saves thesis files.
  • SME invoice database: deleted by mistake. We recover from the drive image and set up backups.
  • Water-damaged MacBook: partial recovery possible, but severe board corrosion limits results.
  • Clicking external HDD: too risky to run in-house; referred to lab with cleanroom.

What we can recover in-shop

  • Accidentally deleted files.
  • Drives that still spin and mount intermittently.
  • Logical corruption (file system errors).
  • Phone/USB data in some cases.

Service: Data Recovery (Simple / Logical)

What usually needs a lab

  • Clicking or grinding drives (mechanical failure).
  • Fire or flood damage.
  • Severely encrypted ransomware cases.

We partner with certified labs, explain costs upfront, and only proceed with client consent.

Preventing future heartbreak

  • Data Backup (Basic) to protect coursework and invoices.
  • Data Migration when moving to new laptops or storage.
  • Optional CoDD after failed drives are securely wiped for compliance.

FAQs

Q: Can you recover deleted files in Stellenbosch?
A: Yes — if the drive still works and hasn’t overwritten the data. Logical recovery often brings files back.

Q: What if my drive is clicking?
A: Stop using it immediately. That’s physical damage — we’ll refer to a partner lab with cleanroom facilities.

Q: Do you recover from spills or fire damage?
A: Minor spills may be recoverable. Severe burns or warped platters usually require lab work with no guaranteed success.

Q: How much does recovery cost?
A: Logical recovery starts around R950. Specialist lab jobs can run several thousand rand depending on damage.

Q: How do you protect my privacy?
A: We follow our POPIA Notice, require consent via waiver, and issue Certificates of Data Destruction when drives are wiped after recovery.

Compliance & trust

External references

Updated on 2025-09-11.