Imagine thinking you had just lost 15 years' worth of family memories.
My girls' milestones. Family vacations. Random everyday moments that I probably would never remember if I didn't have the photos. Work files. Videos. Photos from brand trips. Hundreds upon hundreds of files accumulated over approximately 15 years.
That was me 3 weeks ago when I realized that my SanDisk SSDs had become corrupted.
I was devasted.
I've always been pretty careful about my files. I've used HDDs for years and have always tried to be mindful about how I store and handle my data. So when this happened to my SSDs, my first thought was:
How on earth did I let this happen?
These weren't just random files that I could easily replace. These were memories. My girls' childhood memories, family travels, photos from years ago. Work files that I still needed. Things that existed nowhere else.
I had people messaging me after I posted about what happened, and some of them sounded even more panicked than I was. LOL. But I didn't want to panic because really, what good would that do?
I also had some really good friends offering to help me recover my files. I was incredibly grateful but I knew data recovery could take time and effort, and I didn't want to take up too much of theirs. Maikog kaayo ko.
So I decided to look for someone who actually specializes in SSD Data recovery here in Cebu.
FINDING FILE RETRIEVER PH
A good friend referred me to File Retriever PH, and I decided to give it a shot.
From my first conversation with Sir Jun, what struck me was how reassuring he was without ever making promises he couldn't keep.
He explained that he would first assess my SSDs at no cost to determine whether the files were potentially recoverable. If the files could be recovered, he would then provide me with a quotation. And the decision to proceed would still be completely up to me.
There was no pressure and no additional cost just to find out whether my files could be recovered. And at that point, I thought: Okay, I'm in.
PRIVACY WAS IMPORTANT TO ME, TOO
Before handing over my drives, Sir Jun sent me a Privacy and Sensitive Data Clearance. This was particularly important to me because the SSDs didn't just contain family photos. They also had personal information and work-related files.
In a world where data privacy can sometimes be overlooked, and where breaches can happen too, I appreciate having that extra layer of documentation and assurance. It made me feel more secure about entrusting someone with something as personal as my digital life.
THE WAITING GAME
I handed over my drives on a Tuesday, and Sir Jun kept me updated throughout the process which helped because if you've ever been in a situation where you think you've lost important files, you know that the waiting can be torture.
A received a video from Sir Jun that Friday. It was a video I had taken of the handwoven recycled bags from Davao during a brand trip I did in 2024. THAT FAST!
I literally yelped. My husband asked me what happened, and I told him that Sir Jun was able trouble retrieve my files.
I GOT MY 15 YEARS OF MEMORIES BACK
For someone who puts such a premium on family memories, getting those files back felt like getting a piece of our history back. It wasn't just about recovering photos from an SSD. It was about getting back moments that could never be recreated.
My girls at different stages.
Our family travels.
Old celebrations.
Random photos that seemed insignificant when they were taken but became priceless with time.
Fifteen years of our lives were sitting on those drives. And somehow, I got them all back.
For someone who had been mentally preparing herself for the possibility that some, or maybe all, of those files were gone forever, it was honestly one of the best messages I could have received. File Retriever PH was heaven-sent.
I collected my drives that Saturday, and checked all the folders the moment I got home. As of this writing, files are now being uploaded to Google One. I am no longer taking chances!
THANK YOU, FILE RETRIEVER PH
Thank you so much, Sir Jun of File Retriever PH, for being reassuring, professional, patient, and careful with something that means so much to me. You didn't just recover files, you helped me get back 15 years' worth of memories. And for that, I will be forever grateful.
So if you ever find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having a corrupted SSD or losing access to important files, my experience is a reminder that don't immediately assume that everything is gone. Get it assessed by someone who knows what they are doing before trying random fixes yourself. And in my case, I'm incredibly thankful that I found someone who could help me recover mine.
Now, excuse me while I finish uploading the other 15 years of my life to Google One. Haha!
Backups on backups from now on.
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| One of the photos recovered. Sirao Flower Farm circa 2017 |