When you send a drive for recovery, you’re handing over more than hardware. It might hold family photos, tax returns, medical records, client files, or years of private messages. So it’s completely reasonable to ask: who is going to see all of this?

Here’s an honest answer about what a recovery lab needs to access, what it doesn’t, and how Disklab handles your data from the day it arrives to the day it’s deleted.

Why a lab needs some access to your data

Recovering data isn’t just copying it. A drive with failed heads or a corrupted file system often gives back files that look complete but are actually damaged inside. To make sure what we return is usable, our engineers need to check that recovered files are intact, for example confirming that a folder structure rebuilt correctly, or that a sample photo or document actually opens.

That’s the purpose of access in a recovery: verifying that the recovery worked. It is not reading through your files, and there’s no reason to.

What a trustworthy lab should do

Whoever you choose, these are the practices worth looking for:

  • Access only what’s needed. Checking file structure and spot-checking that files open, not browsing personal content.
  • Work from a file list. Showing you a list of recovered files and folders to confirm, instead of opening everything to describe it.
  • Secure return of your data on media you choose, handled carefully in transit.
  • A clear retention and deletion policy. You should know how long the lab keeps a copy and what happens to it afterward.
  • Willingness to put it in writing. Businesses, law firms and healthcare providers often need a confidentiality agreement before sending a device. A reputable lab should be open to that conversation.

How Disklab handles your data

  • Free evaluation first. We diagnose the device and explain what’s possible before any recovery work begins.
  • Need-to-know access. Only the engineer working on your case handles your data. Other staff don’t have access to your files.
  • A file list for you to review. After recovery, we send you a list of the recovered files and folders so you can confirm we got what you need, before anything is delivered.
  • Delivery your way. Your recovered data is transferred to your chosen media, such as a USB drive, a new drive or your own media, and returned to you.
  • NDAs on request. If your business needs a non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement before sending a device, we’ll sign one.
  • 30 days, then permanent deletion. We keep a copy of your recovered files for 30 days in case anything goes wrong with delivery or you need a re-copy. That copy is stored offline, not on any internet-connected system. After 30 days, it’s permanently and securely deleted.

You can read more about each step on our data recovery process page and in our FAQ.

What you can do to protect your privacy

  • Tell us what matters most. Our goal is always to recover 100% of your data. But if some files are especially important, such as a folder of family photos or your accounting files, let us know. We’ll start with those, so the files you care about most are recovered and checked first.
  • Send only the device that needs recovery. Remove other drives, memory cards or accessories you don’t need us to work on.
  • Ask for an NDA if you need one. If the drive holds business, legal, financial or medical data, let us know before shipping and we’ll sign a confidentiality agreement.
  • Mention encryption. If the drive was encrypted, for example with BitLocker or FileVault, tell us when you start your case. Recovery may require the key, and it’s better to plan for that from the beginning.
  • Keep a backup going forward. The best protection for private data is never needing to send it anywhere.

Questions about privacy?

Disklab is a data recovery lab in St. Louis, on Olive Blvd. You can drop off your device or ship it to us from anywhere in the US.

Ask us before you send anything. We’re happy to explain exactly how your device and data will be handled. Start a recovery case or call us at +1 (844) 347-5522. The evaluation is free, and you pay only if we recover your data.

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