FAQ

Yes, tesweb SA is a 100% Swiss company, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Switzerland. As the company that owns the service, tesweb SA operates in accordance with Swiss legal and regulatory requirements, particularly with regard to data protection (FADP – Federal Act on Data Protection) and quality of service.

• Year of foundation: 2001
• Registered office: Switzerland
• Legal framework: Swiss company law (CO) and data protection (FADP)
• Commitment: Compliance with Swiss standards of quality, security and confidentiality

#Information

Symptoms of a physically broken CD/DVD

A broken CD/DVD is an optical disc whose physical integrity is compromised, making standard reading impossible. If your CD/DVD is physically broken, do not attempt to glue the pieces back together: this action risks permanently preventing any data recovery. Likewise, do not solder the fragments together and do not try to read the disc by taping the pieces together — these attempts irreparably worsen the damage.

Why are these actions dangerous?

Any incorrect handling of a broken disc can destroy the reflective layer where the data is engraved, reducing the chances of recovery to zero, even by a professional.

Symptoms

A CD/DVD that is difficult to access is an optical disc that your computer cannot read correctly, either due to physical degradation of the disc surface or failure of the optical drive itself. According to data from the Library of Congress, a CD/DVD can degrade in 2 to 25 years depending on storage conditions.

Main Causes

• Degradation of the disc surface: scratches, oxidation, or delamination of the reflective layer
• Optical drive failure: worn laser, dirty lens, or defective mechanics
• Format incompatibility: the drive does not support the recorded format (DVD-R, DVD+R, etc.)

Yes, we can read the vast majority of old and proprietary tape formats. Our laboratory has a collection of hardware readers and specialized software covering dozens of obsolete or rarely used formats today, including open reel tapes, DAT, DDS, LTO, QIC, Exabyte, DLT cartridges, and many other industrial or proprietary formats.

For each medium entrusted to us, we precisely identify the format, select the appropriate reading equipment, and extract the data into a modern and usable format. In the case of an unknown or very rare format, we perform a preliminary analysis to assess the feasibility of recovery before any intervention.

#Tape #Magnetic Tape

Restoring exact files from a tape is possible in most cases, with complete preservation of the original directory structure (file names, folders, metadata). According to industry data, over 85% of magnetic tape restorations result in complete file recovery when the tape is not severely damaged.

Two recovery modes are available:

1. Exact File Restoration — Recovery of each file individually with its original path, metadata, and permissions. This option is possible when the tape is readable and the format (LTO, DDS, DLT, etc.) is identifiable.
2. Raw Tape Image — Bit-by-bit copy of the entire contents of the tape, provided when file-by-file recovery is not possible due to partial corruption, encryption, or a non-standard proprietary format.

A tape is considered too corrupted for a complete restoration only when the sectors containing the index tables or file metadata are physically unreadable. In this case, the raw image allows preserving all recoverable data for further processing.

#Tape #Magnetic Tape

Symptoms

A defective hard drive PCB (Printed Circuit Board) is a damaged component that prevents the hard drive from being recognized by the system, usually caused by a power surge, a faulty power supply, or a sudden electronic failure. When the PCB fails, the hard drive becomes inaccessible, even if the magnetic platters containing your data remain physically intact.

Characteristic Signs

• Burning smell: sign of a burnt electronic component on the PCB
• Hard drive not recognized: the BIOS or OS no longer detects the drive
• No spin: the drive does not start or stops immediately
• Visible burn marks: black marks or melted components on the board

Clean room for hard drive repair: Yes, we have an ISO Class 5 (Class 100) laminar flow cabinet, which is essential for opening hard drives safely. This infrastructure filters the air to a maximum of 1,000 to 10,000 particles per cubic foot, eliminating any risk of contamination of the magnetic platters—a dust particle of just 1 micron is enough to cause an irreversible head crash.

Why is an ISO laminar flow cabinet essential for hard drive repair?

• Protection of magnetic platters: The platters rotate at 5,400 to 7,200 rpm with an air tolerance of 3 to 5 nanometers between the read head and the surface—any foreign particle causes permanent damage.
• Compliance with ISO standards: An ISO 5 environment guarantees controlled conditions that comply with international data recovery standards.
• Higher success rate: Interventions carried out in laminar flow cabinets show significantly higher data recovery rates than in uncontrolled environments.

#Information

Yes, we have several collection points in Switzerland and neighboring countries. It is also possible to bring your media to us in person or use a partner carrier.

#Information

Yes, we offer an emergency data recovery service available 24/7 for critical cases. Our dedicated hotline guarantees immediate support upon request, with no waiting time for urgent situations.

This service is designed for critical situations where every minute counts: sudden data loss, major system failure, or any situation requiring priority intervention.

#Information

Yes, we have experience with many professional backup formats.

Even when the exact backup software is unknown or undocumented, we can often identify it through a hexadecimal analysis of the tape, a technique that examines the binary structure of the data to recognize the signatures specific to each format.

#Tape #Magnetic Tape

A hard drive not being recognized by the BIOS is a hardware or software failure that prevents the boot system from detecting the storage device, making data access impossible without technical intervention.

To access the BIOS, press F2, F9, F12 or Delete depending on your motherboard manufacturer, immediately after powering on. The BIOS will display the list of detected devices, allowing you to confirm whether the drive is recognized or not.

Our data recovery service is one of the few providers in Switzerland with a certified cleanroom on-site, ensuring interventions in a controlled, particle-free environment, essential for mechanical hard drives and sensitive media.

What specifically sets us apart:

• Cleanroom in Switzerland – Interventions performed locally, without sending abroad, for maximum data security
• Swiss Label certification – Guarantee of quality and recognized Swiss origin
• CyberSafe certification – Compliance with cybersecurity standards for the protection of your information
• Federal accreditation – Authorized to process classified information from the Swiss Confederation, the highest level of trust in the sector
• Individual analysis and transparent report – Each case is subject to a personalized diagnosis with a clear report before any intervention

Key point: Being accredited to process classified data from the Swiss Confederation represents the most demanding security standard on the market — a guarantee that few European providers can offer.

#Information

We have been active in data recovery since 2005, representing over 20 years of expertise in the field. Over these two decades, we have handled thousands of data recovery cases, covering various media such as hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, and RAID systems. This long-standing experience allows us to intervene effectively in complex situations, with a high success rate and proven procedures.

#Information

Sending your magnetic tape for analysis is simple and secure thanks to three available options:

1. Hand delivery – Bring your tape directly to our center: ideal for fragile or high-value media.
2. Partner collection points – Drop off your tape at one of our many collection points located throughout France.
3. Shipping via secure carrier – Send your tape via a transport service with tracking and insurance (Chronopost, Colissimo Recommandé, etc.).

Recommended packaging: always use an antistatic bag and a rigid, shock-resistant box to protect your media during transport. Inadequate packaging can irreparably damage the recorded data.

#Tape #Magnetic Tape

Formatting a hard drive is an operation that erases the logical structure of a storage medium, making the data inaccessible without physically deleting it immediately. Whether due to inadvertence or a system prompt, a formatted hard drive represents a software-type problem: your data is no longer visible, but it can still be recovered if you act quickly and correctly.

According to data recovery experts, more than 90% of data lost after accidental formatting is recoverable, provided that no new writing has occurred on the disk since the incident.