Data Recovery & Backup in Northern Virginia

When a drive dies or you empty the wrong folder, the worst part is not knowing whether your stuff is gone for good. I'm Sammy Lackey, CompTIA A+ certified and based here in Arlington (22202). I do data recovery and backup setup on-site and remote across Northern Virginia, and the first thing I'll do is look at your situation and tell you honestly what's recoverable and what isn't. If the data is sitting right there and just needs the right tools, great. If the drive has physical damage that needs a clean-room lab, I'll tell you that too — instead of charging you to find out the hard way.

Plenty of "lost" files aren't actually lost. A deleted file, a reformatted SD card, a drive that won't mount, an external that clicks once and stops, photos that vanished off a phone, files an update ate halfway through — a lot of these come back if you stop using the device fast enough. Some cases are genuinely gone, and I'd rather save you money than sell you false hope.

What's included

• Honest assessment first — I look at the drive or device and tell you what's likely recoverable, what isn't, and roughly what it'll take, before you commit to anything.
• Logical recovery — deleted files, emptied recycle bin, formatted drives, corrupted partitions, files lost to a bad update or a yanked USB.
• Failing drive recovery — pulling data off a hard drive or SSD that's slow, throwing errors, or won't mount, while it still has life in it.
• Photos, documents, and email — family photos, tax records, work files, and Outlook/PST data off computers, externals, SD cards, and USB sticks.
• Backup setup that actually runs — a real 3-2-1 backup so this is a one-time problem: cloud plus a local copy, set to run on its own and checked so you know it works.
• Straight referral when it's a lab job — if your drive needs a physical clean-room recovery, I point you to a legitimate lab instead of pretending I can do it here.

How it works

You call or text me, we talk through what happened, and step one is to stop using the device so nothing overwrites the files you want back. I take a look — remotely if it's a logical issue, on-site if the hardware's involved — and give you a straight read on what's recoverable and the cost. Remote work is $65/hr, on-site is $95/hr, and the assessment comes first so there are no surprises. Once your files are safe, I set up a backup so you're not in this spot again.

FAQ

Can you recover files I deleted or a drive I already formatted? Often, yes. Deleted and even formatted files usually stick around until something writes over them — that's why I tell you to stop using the device immediately. The faster you call, the better your odds.

My external drive is clicking. Can you fix that? Clicking usually means physical damage, and that's a clean-room lab job — not something to keep plugging in, since each attempt can make it worse. I'll confirm what's going on and refer you to a reputable recovery lab. For drives that are failing but not physically broken, I can often pull the data off here.

What does it cost, and what if nothing's recoverable? The assessment comes first — I tell you what I think is recoverable and the rough cost before you commit. Work is $65/hr remote or $95/hr on-site. If I genuinely can't get your data and there's no honest path forward, I'll tell you straight rather than run up hours on a long shot.

Do I have to drop my computer off somewhere? No. I come to you across Northern Virginia — Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, McLean, Vienna, and nearby — or handle logical recoveries remotely. Whatever's least disruptive for you.

Once you recover everything, how do I avoid this next time? A 3-2-1 backup: three copies of your data, on two kinds of storage, with one copy off-site (cloud). I'll set it up so it runs automatically and actually gets checked — I walk through the home version in my backup guide for photos and documents.

Live in a specific city? I've got pages with local detail, like data recovery in Arlington, plus other Northern Virginia towns. Or just call or text me at 571-680-5334 and we'll figure out whether your files are recoverable — no charge to ask.