Why audit before contracting
Data recovery is a loosely regulated market: anyone can open a company and advertise service. Improvised vendor may: (1) destroy media in amateur attempts, blocking later recovery; (2) leak sensitive data; (3) charge upfront and disappear. Objective audit before contracting reduces these risks to nearly zero.
10-item audit checklist
- 1
Active legal name and registration
Check registration on government registry. Company must be active, with registered address, compatible activity code. Company age matters for warranty.
- 2
Verifiable physical address
Google Maps Street View of address. Must be commercial office or business building, NOT residential or PO Box. Visit if possible before delivering critical media.
- 3
Photographed/videoed Class 100 cleanroom
Request recent photo. Real cleanroom has: bench with laminar flow, dressing room before entry, visible HEPA filters, antistatic garments. Improvisation appears in photos.
- 4
Public certifications
For WD/Seagate/Toshiba: being Authorized Partner is verifiable on manufacturer's site. ISO 9001 with available certificate. ISO 14644-1 Class 5 cleanroom with report.
- 5
Public case history
Real company has public corporate clients, testimonials with name and city, or notable cases. Improvised company has none or invents.
- 6
Contract with data protection clause
Before any shipment, contract with specific data protection clause, appointed DPO, NDA, No Data No Charge policy. No written contract = don't ship.
- 7
Transparent pricing policy
Serious company does not charge upfront without diagnosis. Does not promise 100% recovery. Accepts payment only on success (eligibility defined in contract). Beware of pricing well below market.
- 8
Available chain of custody
For any corporate case with potential judicial use, vendor must offer documented chain of custody per ISO 27037. If not offered, it's amateurism.
- 9
Diagnosis response time
Diagnosis in 24-48h is serious standard. Company that delays days before initial diagnosis lacks technical capacity. In emergency, response within 6h.
- 10
Named technical team
Responsible engineer with name, training, resume. Without it, no technical accountability. Serious company shows with pride.
FAQ
Can I request a lab visit?
Yes and serious company welcomes by appointment. HD Doctor offers corporate visit to São Paulo lab. Refusal is red sign — a real cleanroom is pride to operate.
How long must the company be in market?
Minimum recommended: 5 years for non-critical cases. 10+ years for critical corporate (bank, hospital, government). 1-2 year company may be real but operational risk is higher.
How to verify manufacturer partnership?
Western Digital lists Platinum/Gold partners on wdc.com. Seagate on seagate.com. Toshiba publishes on toshiba-storage.com. Company can show logo on its site, but only what's on the manufacturer's site is valid.
Are complaints on consumer sites definitive?
No. Every company has complaints; what matters is response rate and resolution index. Above 80% resolution = acceptable. Below 50% or total silence = red sign.
Want to audit HD Doctor before contracting?
Complete documentation: registration, ISO, WD Platinum partnership, sample contract, São Paulo cleanroom visit.