Prevention/Solution

• The easiest way to avoid situations where data recovery for the HDD-based players is necessary is knowing the condition of the player itself. Dying drives become noisy: if the player sounds louder it may be a good idea to replace it before it could potentially fail. Another preventative measure is to ensure that a full copy of all data is always stored on your home PC.
  
  

Identification

• Before attempting data recovery on a hard drive, ensure that a failure is the cause of the difficulties with the device. Check the manufacturer's support site for tips on troubleshooting the particular device. If the device is under warranty, service may be available from the company itself. Devices that have not been subject to heavy damage will stand the most chance of successful recovery.
  
  

Considerations

• Some manufacturers may offer their own tools for data recovery. For example, Creative offers its own tool, which is compatible with most of its modern players, but it is only compatible with the Windows XP operating system (see Resources below). Several software developers offer programs for other types of players, and there are services available that will perform the recovery process for a fee.
  
  

Services/Software

• DriveSavers offers services for MP3 players, and in some cases has been recommended by certain manufacturers for data loss issues, according to the company's website (see Resources below). TechFusion is another company that offers its services, and there are also software options available that can recover data from USB-based devices.
  
  

Warning

• Beware of software applications on the Internet that are not from reputable companies. Some may contain viruses or malware which could do damage to your PC. Also, data recovery on an MP3 player should only be considered if it's completely necessary. The process is not inexpensive, and sometimes it will be cheaper to download the missing data again instead of paying for it to be recovered.