When do you need this service?
- The cartridge will not load or the drive does not recognise it
- Tape snapped, tangled, creased or pulled out of the cartridge
- The backup server or its catalogue was lost and the software does not recognise the tape
- Tape initialised or overwritten by mistake
- Tapes that got wet or were exposed to heat or a fire
- Older tapes in formats or generations the organisation can no longer read
- Other legacy media: optical discs (CD, DVD, Blu-ray), floppy disks, ZIP and similar
Technical process
- Receipt of the cartridge, recording its condition and its label
- Physical inspection of the tape and the cartridge mechanism, without putting it in any drive
- Technical evaluation: the format, generation and condition of the tape are established. This stage has a cost.
- Repair of the media where needed: splicing, rewinding or cleaning the surface
- A full read of the tape and extraction of a binary copy
- Interpretation of the backup software format and extraction of the files
- Delivery of the data on the media you choose
Frequently asked questions
Which tape formats do you work with?
LTO, DLT, DAT/DDS and other formats. If you have a tape in a less common format, tell us the model printed on the cartridge and we will look into it.
Do I need the backup software that wrote the tape?
Not necessarily. In many cases the tape can be read directly and the format of the program that wrote it interpreted. If you know which program and version were used, tell us: it speeds up the evaluation.
Should I try reading it in another drive first?
No. If the problem is mechanical or the tape is damaged, every attempt can crease it, cut it or strip the magnetic coating. The safest course is not to insert it again and to bring it to the laboratory.
What does the evaluation cost?
The technical evaluation has a cost, because it involves specialist diagnostic time. Based on its results we give you a quotation before carrying out the recovery.
Will your tape backup not restore?
Write to us and we will get back to you straight away, 24/7/365.
We answer in English by email and WhatsApp. Phone calls are answered in Spanish.
Related services
Is this for you or for your organisation? For businesses and institutions we work with a signed confidentiality agreement, formal invoicing and priority 24/7 support.