Published 18 May 2025. Updated 17 October 2026.
Is your WD Elements USB hard drive not detected by your computer? This common issue affects thousands of Australians who purchase these popular external storage devices from retailers like Officeworks, JB Hi-Fi, and Bing Lee. At Payam Data Recovery, we specialise in recovering data from WD Elements drives experiencing connection failures, physical damage, or logical errors.
Data Emergency? If your WD Elements USB hard drive is not detected, making unusual noises, or showing other signs of failure, contact our team immediately. Get a Free Quote or call 1300 444 800.
Table of Contents
ToggleCommon WD Elements USB Hard Drive Problems
WD Elements external hard disks are reliable storage devices, but they can still fail for various reasons. Here are the most common issues we encounter:
- Broken or snapped USB port: The connection point is physically damaged
- Impact damage: The drive was dropped or knocked while in operation
- Clicking sounds: Indicates damaged read/write heads inside the hard disk
- Buzzing or beeping noises: Often signals stiction issues (heads stuck to platters)
- Motor failure: The spindle motor is stuck and cannot rotate the platters
- File system corruption: Typically caused by not safely ejecting the drive before unplugging
When your WD Elements is not detected by your computer, attempting DIY recovery methods often leads to permanent data loss. Our data recovery engineers have the expertise and equipment to safely retrieve your files without causing further damage.
Employing Ace Lab’s PC-3000 (all models), Deepspar Disk Imager (SAS/SCSI), Atola Insight Forensic Imager (SSD/SAS/USB), Dolphin Data Lab hardware, and specialised head replacement equipment, we take on WD Elements jobs that computer shops and other labs have already turned away.
Get a Free Quote today and let our experts help recover your valuable data.
Our WD Elements USB Hard Drive Recovery Process
Professional Diagnosis and Recovery
When your WD Elements USB hard drive is not detected, our systematic recovery approach includes:
- Free Assessment: We conduct a thorough examination to identify the specific failure mechanism.
- Detailed Quote: You receive a comprehensive, no-obligation quote outlining recovery options.
- Specialised Recovery: Our team uses advanced techniques to safely extract your data.
- File Verification: We verify all recovered files to ensure they’re intact and usable.
- Secure Delivery: Your data is provided on a new, reliable storage device.
See our recovery expertise in action:
- Watch how we repair broken USB ports and circuit boards on external drives
- See our recovery process for drives with motor failures or stiction
- Watch how we saved 50,000 photos from a failed external hard drive
- See how we recover data from clicking drives with damaged heads
Why We Don’t Repair Hard Drives
If you’re looking to repair your hard drive or fix your hard disk, it’s important to understand how data recovery professionals operate. A broken or failed HDD is often fragile and unstable after repair, especially if the original heads are damaged, the platter has scratches, or the drive has numerous bad sectors. Repaired hard disk drives deteriorate over time and typically fail again within hours or days, making them unreliable for ongoing use.
For this reason, Payam Data Recovery does not offer hard drive repair as a service. Instead, our team of experts copies all your files to a brand-new, reliable external USB hard drive at a low cost, ensuring you receive your data on a stable device. For specialised needs, such as restoring a computer’s original setup, you can request a sector-to-sector exact clone copy of your drive, which we provide upon request.
Recovery Timelines
Most HDD recoveries are completed within days following the assessment, but complex cases, such as hard disks with damaged heads, seized spindle motors, or extensive read errors, typically require up to several weeks. WD Elements drives with physical damage like broken USB ports or clicking sounds often fall into this category, requiring precision work in our ISO 5 certified laminar flow cabinet.
What Our Clients Say
“Not the cheapest experience but in 3 weeks all of my files were in exactly the same location on a new drive with zero lost files. Lesson learnt but these guys saved 9 years of work history and pictures of my son.” - Matt Roy, Google review
“The guys at Payam Data Recovery did an amazing job saving my historical data that had been lost & most importantly saved over 20 years of photos & videos. Would highly recommend!” - Debbie Anne, Google review
Posted on Google
jonathan byers7 October 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Payam were professional and prompt. I contacted them, sent them the damaged hard drive, and they returned the backup drive with the recovered data. The Post Office initially lost the package; Payam contacted us to ask where the package was, as they were expecting it. Payam updated us at each stage of the process.Posted on GoogleJOHN L M2 October 2026HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Completely amazed and delighted with the success of the data recovery by PAYAM . The damaged 2Tb hard drive had consisted of a huge number (thousands) of tiny fragments of TV programs. Most was recovered and is in good condition. A small amount of data could not be recombined but overall a great success. I also appreciate the detailed instant telephone answering, personal help, progress reports and explanation, and the further follow up support from Scott and the Brisbane team. It is very good value whether for urgent recovery [a few days], or short term, and is great value for very low cost if less urgent. Very efficient and excellent service. John L MPosted on GoogleJanice Sauls28 September 2026Good service, including mailing me the recovered data on a loan hard drive.Posted on Trustindex
Paul White17 September 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Trustindex.
Perfect Support and Customer Service If I could give 10 stars then I would. Payam Data Recovery provided me with an outstanding customer service from start to finish. From the time I created the job request on the website to dropping off my hard drive to your friendly front desk team; from the efficient and informative communications on every step of the process (even over the weekend - thank you Payam) to confirming collection or free post to home (great option and so well packaged)…this has been 100% value and perfect customer service. Keep up the great service. Many thanks Paul W.Posted on GoogleMelissa7 September 2026When my hard drive was suddenly wiped of all of my memories dating back 10+ years, I was distraught. Payam was able to recover my photos quickly and efficiently. I’m so happy and grateful beyond words. Thank youPosted on GoogleDean Woodhams7 September 2026Hard drive failure without a current backup. Expensive mistake to make but they got every file back. Very relieved.Posted on GoogleLittle Cloud3 September 2026My 95 year-old mother passed on 1 September so I’ve got a lot on my plate but I had to respond to this request for a comment… You guys did absolutely fantastic work. I literally got everything saved from the hard drive… The 4 TB SSD Samsung I sent to you I didn’t lose one thing and boy that makes a difference to my life!! I also realised that I had a faulty Dr… I thought it was at the end of its life but I formatted it… That is the problem Dr… And it is working absolutely perfect perfectly so I didn’t even have to buy a new Dr… Thank you guys. I really really appreciate your amazing work… Thank you and blessings |>Posted on GoogleKT19 August 2026I was referred to Payam and from the first phone call it’s been super easy restoring my data. No fluff just straight to getting the job done. They provided the quote via email and then from there super easy and user friendly in starting the process. I liked that they even had a little video about how to send the device to them. They provided cheaper option in sending the device too. I needed to do a split payment at the end and a lot of times these days, the customers service … well you can call it that, and they freak out with split payments or cash payments but nope not Scott. He provided real customer service, cracked some jokes and got it all sorted. Last night I finally got around to opening up the hard drive and saw that everything was there. Phew! Thanks team! I would have lost a lot of memories and photos of my late father. Means a lot!Posted on GoogleHamid Ashtari12 August 2026A massive thank you to the team at Payam Data Recovery! I came to them with a failed hard drive containing years of indispensable professional engineering data and personal files, thinking everything was lost forever. Not only did their experts manage to recover 100% of my data, but their customer service throughout the entire ordeal was absolutely top-tier. What truly set them apart was how they handled my situation when my circumstances changed. During the recovery process, I ended up moving to a completely different city. I was stressed about the logistics of getting my restored data back, but Payam made it entirely effortless. They went out of their way to send the completed hard drive to their local branch in my new city, allowing me to safely collect it locally without skipping a beat. To get all of my data back is a miracle in itself, but to have a company provide such flexible, stress-free, and accommodating service across different state offices is rare.Posted on GoogleAdam Crews11 August 2026The team were amazing in recovery all of my data from a Lacie External Hard Drive that just completely stopped working. Here I was thinking I’ve lost a year of shoots, and Payam and the team had the upmost confidence in recovering my data. They let me know really quick if they could do it so that put me at ease. Awesome service, friendly staff, and just an overall great experience in such a stressful time. Highly recommend!Posted on GoogleShannon Bailey9 August 2026Dealing with Payam to have data recovered from my daughter’s MacBook was simple and efficient. They were very communicative, kept me updated on the progress and reached out when they needed additional information. My daughter had all the data from her MacBook recovered and stored on a hard drive, and links were tested prior to payment being made and receiving this back. After thinking she had lost all of her uni work, she was extremely happy and relieved!Posted on GoogleUnited Cattle Breeding Service Pty Ltd7 August 2026I had no prior dealings with Payam Data Recovery so after checking customer reviews decided they looked the best for the job at seeing what they could recover from my phone that had been waterlogged. I hadn't been backing up any precious memories for over 2 years and after already being told it was cactus by a local shop, I really didn't have any hope to receive any good news about it. I was.blown away when i received a message they had recovered all my requests. I not only received all my photos and data on a hard drive but my phone returned working! (Well just enough that I could transfer everything onto my new phone). The service was quick and communication fantastic. Highly recommend these guys to anyone that has lost hope 🫶Posted on GooglePeter Cheers4 August 2026This was very old backup data, saved via the Lacie application, probably saved between 2006 to 2012. Sought help from other technical gurus but unfortunately, they were unable locate the data on the drive. Payam located the data and quickly categorised it and copied it to a hard drive. Great job, very satisfied with the result, thanks.Posted on GoogleKerfegar Patel19 July 2026EXCELLENT ORGANIZATION. 100% GENUINE, FAST AND TRUSTWORTHY. WISH GOOGLE GAVE AN OPTION OF A MILLION STARS INSTEAD OF JUST 5 BECAUSE PAYAM DATA RECOVERY IS THAT GOOD. THEY FUNCTION AT A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY, PROFESSIONALISM AND PERFECT RESULTS. ANYONE OUT THERE WHO HAS LOST DATA, HAS A DEAD LAP TOP, HARD DRIVE, MOBILE PHONE, USB OR ANYTHING ELSE JUST GET TO PAYAM DATA RECOVERY AND LEAVE THE REST TO THEM WITH UTMOST FAITH. THEY WILL NOT DISAPPOINT YOU. MY PHONE WAS BRICKED WITH ALL OF MY MOST PRECIOUS PICTURES, MEMORIES, DATA FILES, DOCUMENTS NOT ACCESSABLE. NOT ONLY DID THEY RECOVER EVERY LAST KB OF DATA THEY EVEN FIXED MY PHONE FOR ME, LOADED A COPY ON A HARD DRIVE AND ALL THIS WITHIN 48 HOURS. I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF MEETING THE DIRECTOR PAYAM HIMSELF WHO IS AN ABSOLUTE GENTLEMAN. HE IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTOOD HOW ANXIOUS I WAS TO GET BACK MY DATA AND PATIENTLY LISTEND TO ME AND HE AND HIS TEAM HAVE DELIVERED RESULTS IN A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED BEFORE. BE REST ASSURED. JUST DROP YOUR DEVICE TO THEM AND EXPERIENCE THEM WORK THEIR MAGIC. THANK YOU PAYAM AND TEAM, GRATEFUL REGARDSPosted on GoogleLuke R17 July 2026great professional service, retrieved all the files from my corrupted hard drive, will confidently use their service again in the future.Posted on GooglePichook15 July 2026I had a fantastic experience with Payam Data Recovery. My Google Pixel phone was stuck in a continuous boot loop where it just kept restarting and prompting me to perform a factory reset. I didn't want to go through with the reset because my data wasn't backed up anywhere. Right from the start, they were incredibly helpful. Even before they received the device, they happily assisted me over the phone and walked me through my potential options. They were highly efficient and managed to resolve the complex operating system and firmware issue that was causing the crash. What impressed me the most was that they didn't even need to factory reset the phone, meaning absolutely none of my data was lost! Plus, once the phone was fixed, they still provided a thorough backup of everything on an external hard drive, exactly as promised. Yes, data recovery is inherently expensive and depends on your specific device, but the quote I got from Payam was right in the ballpark of other places I researched. It was definitely worth it to get my memories back. A huge plus is that they actually give you different tier options (like their economy rate) if it isn’t urgent and an absolute emergency, which works out much cheaper. The only small recommendation I have is that it would be great if they automatically included a brief note at the end of the job explaining exactly what was done to the device (e.g., whether it required a firmware flash or physical hardware work). I had to ask to find out, but they were incredibly transparent and helpful once I reached out. Excellent communication and service overall. Highly professional, and I couldn't be happier with the outcome!Posted on GoogleDave Simpson29 June 2026Very professional outfit that recovered 100% of my precious data (family home movies) for me when my external USB hard drive failed. We did it all through the post and within a week I had a new USB drive in my hands working perfectly. Very happy and a great service !Posted on GoogleJoyann26 June 2026Payam Data Recovery are amazing! I can’t thank them enough. They were able to recover over 62,000 of my photos I’d transferred to a brand new external hard drive that crashed. I had originally taken my crashed hard drive to another company which told me the data couldn’t be recovered. Luckily I didn’t give up and found Payam. Their service was excellent and it was worth every cent to get these memories back. I’d recommend them to everyone.Posted on GoogleMia P24 June 2026I have nothing but good things to say about Payam Data Recovery. They helped me recover years of lost work on a hard drive and at an excellent price compared to other quotes I got. Huge thanks to Khalil and the team for their prompt and efficient work!Posted on GoogleAdam Crews23 June 2026These guys are LIFESAVERS! My LaCie external hard drive just completely stopped working on me and could not be started up again. Thankfully, I took it to Payam Data Recovery in Rhodes and they retrieved the entire 4TB of photos for me within a few days. Great service and very friendly staff that answered all my questions. Thanks so much team!Posted on GoogleMarcelo Oillataguerre23 June 2026Awesome service and very helpful. The loss of my hard drive was a tense and stressful moment...but the end result was that Kahlil recovered all my data and I was able to finish my project! A massive thank you for the skill and speed at which all of this was donePosted on GoogleEat ate16 June 2026I had hoped to find photos of my now long deceased dog, Khalil was so professional and kind, he arranged a virtual check of my files and I found old embarassing photos galore but nothing I wanted to display at my 50th 😆 sadly my beloved dog photos are long gone. He kindly arranged for secure wiping and disposal of my ancient hard drive. Thank you for trying.Posted on GoogleMaddison Haywood16 June 2026Khalil rescued all my hard drive data! He was really nice too. I'll be back here the next time I forget to back things up no doubt!Posted on GoogleMauricio Sepulveda2 June 2026I dropped my external hard drive, which had very important photos and data. I called around to ask if anyone could fix it but I kept getting the "we'd have to have a look but there's no real chance we'll be able to recover your data". It wasn't until I cam across Payam Data Recovery, which I saw how professional they were on their YouTube channel and the percentage of getting my stuff back was the highest I had ever been told. Yes, it was expensive but I didn't care. For things that would have been lost forever, I was able to get back. And everything too! They are the real deal. They kept me updated with the progress, gave me advice and even sent me a video once it was all completed. I have already recommended them to friends of mine and I'm recommending them to you. Check out their YouTube vids.Posted on GoogleDan Foster20 May 2026they managed to recover all the data from a bricked hard drive. Excellent service, easy to deal with and great result.Posted on GoogleGracielle Lukmanto23 April 2026Cannot recommend Payam highly enough. Smooth service, easy communication, Khalil and the team have been super helpful since day one. My hard drive stopped being readable and Payam was able to accurately diagnose it as file corruption. Before committing, I took the drive back to Indonesia to get second opinion while I was there. They gave me completely different diagnosis and charge me more, saying that they need to open the disk (which is much riskier) I came back to Payam and they recovered 100% of my data. Their original diagnosis was spot on thanks to the technology they have and their method is less invasive. Honest, knowledgeable, and they actually delivered! Don't waste your time like I did, go straight to PayamPosted on GoogleAdrian Hudson21 April 2026I engaged Payam Data Recovery with a particularly difficult hard drive recovery issue - they handled it with the utmost of privacy, professionalism and efficiency. I would highly recommend their services and wouldn't hesitate to use them going forward.Posted on GoogleAnnette Leishman20 April 2026Payam is an excellent service for repairing external hard drives. I had a successful result. I was kept updated every step of the way. I would reccommend them to any one who requires this service. Very happy with the result.Posted on GoogleD M7 April 2026PAYAM successfully recovered twenty years of vital work files from a damaged hard drive. I am immensely grateful for this achievement. Although the recovery process was costly, it was certainly a worthwhile investment, as these files are essential for supporting individuals. The content on this hard drive covers two decades of documentation on safeguarding people and ensuring legal compliance. I highly recommend their services.Posted on GoogleEvanka Fernando6 April 2026Prompt responces, great service and recovered 99% of my documents in my portable hard drive.Posted on GoogleTerumasa Fujioka2 April 2026My MacBook Air suddenly went to a black screen, and I was very worried about losing my data. Payam Data Recovery successfully backed up my data to a hard drive, which was a huge relief. After that, I was able to reinstall the OS at Apple Perth. Thank you for your professional and reliable service.Posted on GoogleMichel Constantinou31 March 2026I tried 4 different computer store to try fix my hard drive but nobody could help. Payam we’re very professional, they were able to fix my drive with only a few files lost.Posted on GoogleDavid P30 March 2026I had a great experience at Payam, i accidently reformatted my hard drive which had all my files from when i was in my 20's. Payams wonderful technication was able to retrieve majority of my data. Truly worth it. Thank you 🙏🙏Posted on GoogleDavid Seton25 March 2026I found Payam to be very efficient and great at communicating. They were able to recover a decent amount of files after a head crash on my hard drive, for which I am thankful. Would I use them again? YES but hopefully won't have to as I am setting up a thorough backup regime.Posted on GoogleRobert Kelly19 March 2026Payam Data rwcovered files, photo's from my hard drive, which other esrablishments could not retrieve, very grateful to Payam Data for their excellent service.+0Posted on GoogleBrian Welch18 March 2026Dealing with Payam was a pleasure. They honoured all their commitments and retrieved precious photos from my damaged hard drive on time and under budget. Thank you for your professionalism and timely service.Posted on GoogleSandun Niroshana18 March 2026Excellent work by Payam saved my most valued data in a corrupted hard drive. They recovered almost all data but some were too damaged to recover. Their service is professional and straightforward. Clear communication and responsiveness is to be noted specifically.Posted on GoogleA A3 March 2026Absolutely amazing service from start to finish. I logged the job through their online portal and received a clear quote very quickly. After dropping off my hard drive, they assessed it promptly and confirmed that recovery was most likely possible. The work was completed quickly, and they kept me informed every step of the way. Once the recovery was finished, they posted the drive back to me within 24 hours. A week later, they followed up to make sure I’d checked everything and was happy with the recovered data. They also gave helpful advice on how to store and back up the files properly, and clearly explained that their copy would be securely deleted after 7 days. Throughout the entire process, they asked all the right questions (such as which operating system I was using) to ensure everything would be returned in a usable format. Professional, efficient, communicative, and completely faultless service. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone needing data recovery.Posted on GoogleDanika Shepherd25 February 2026I had a water damaged hard drive that was promptly fixed with no issues. Thank you!Posted on Googleseyda kurtmen16 February 2026I just received the email from Payam about the recovery files of my very old external hardrive. I am literally in happy tears watching the preview video of my recovered folders and files. I'm talking old samsung files, sanyo digital camera files, old pc files, all my old pictures, videos my whole youth basically. I'm still crying as I write this and although I haven't received my hard drive back they have advised that about 49,000 of my files have been recovered. I can't begin to explain how grateful I am. The price paid to this team is worth every penny. These memories are priceless and I am beyond happy and grateful. Thank you thank you thank you! Back up your hardrives people, get them onto the cloud, have backups of backups because the pain or thought of losing them is not worth it, which I pretty much did due to damaged heads on the hardrive. I can't wait to reunite with my pictures and videos :) :) :) thank you again team!Posted on GoogleSarah Booth9 February 2026Absolutely Fantastic service. We highly recommend Payam Data Recovery. They were able to recover very special memories of our family from years ago that we thought we lost off our old hard drive. Professional and great service.Posted on GoogleJohn30 January 2026An outstanding experience from start to finish !! An iPhone 12 became a "brick" after a failed attempt to update the iOS to the latest version ahead of backing it up (Go Figure !!). No other backup... Who did we call? Payam Data Recovery (In our opinion, Australia's foremost data recovery company). From the first contact you felt as though this job was as important to them as it was to us. Skipping to the outcome... Payam pulled off a miracle and was able to recover all the data to a new external hard drive !! Moreover, he went the extra mile and was able to recover the iPhone so it was able to be used again !! What a LEGEND !! Just in case you are wondering what was at stake... The recovery results were as follows: 80,000+ photos + 10,000+ video files plus other data such as SMS's/Messages, Contacts, Calendar, Notes, and Call logs were recovered by these super techs. An iTunes backup was also created and provided. Need important data recovered? Then there is only one choice... Payam Data Recovery !!Posted on GoogleWarwick Mcghie19 January 2026Sending a hard drive with physical damage to attempt data recovery of a number of important files. They were completely successful in recovery of the requested data. And even before the job began were able to answer questions pertaining to their process and job information. And excellent and fast service with amazing communication. Highly recommended for your similar needs.Posted on GoogleCindy Atkins18 January 2026After having a computer company look at my external storage and say "no it's empty", I cried and sat on it for another 6 months thinking, how could I lose all of those precious photos and memories. I was devastated. I got on to Payam Data Recovery and sent my external hard drive in. I was hoping, but underneath, knew it was a long shot. They are amazing. When I got the news to say they had recovered most of my photos, I cannot tell you how happy I was. This was the best Christmas present ever. Thank you Payam Data. 100% recommend their service.Posted on GoogleLiz V13 January 2026Recently my hard drive died, containing 10 years of business administration files. Khalil from Payam Data Recovery was able to recover almost all of the files for me. I'm very relieved and happy, and I'd highly recommend them!Posted on GoogleHelena McInnes12 January 2026Living in a remote area I was initially apprehensive about sending my hard drive away without physically talking to anyone. However, the online service, responsiveness and communication was amazing. Most of my data was able to be recovered . Thank you for your great service. Would definitely recommend!Posted on GoogleRisa K1 January 2026The whole process was smooth and easy to pick up + drop off. Everything I needed on my hard drive was recovered as well, thank you!Posted on GoogleAlicia G19 December 2025Fully recovered all the data from my damaged hard drive. The service was reliable, efficient, and professional. Highly recommended.Posted on GooglePension Beautemps-Beaupre11 December 2025The staff and owner are friendly and professional. They took the time to explain things and chat. The data recovery of files and photos on my damaged hard drive was done on time. Highly recommend PAYAM for any problems you may have. MariePosted on GoogleDan Ridley8 April 2025Excellent service recovering data files from my damaged laptop hard drive. The communication through every step of the process was appreciated and the recovery process was very prompt. I have been very happy with their services and would use again if required. Thanks againPosted on GooglePolly Burridge17 March 2025Was worried I’d lost all my data after my external hard drive corrupted suddenly. The process with Payam was so quick and easy but also thorough. They managed to recover all my data. Would highly recommend them to anyone.Posted on GoogleGraham Beer13 March 2025Tackled data recovery from a damaged backup hard drive. Extremely professional from first contact to job completion. Progress reports, on what proved to be a difficult challenge, gave comfort that best efforts were being made. Ultimate success was worthy of their fee and fully met this customer's expectation.Posted on GoogleJohn Haydon11 March 2025I am pleased to thank very much the team at Payam Data Recovery for the excellent manner in which they handled the recovery of much of my "lost" data from a corrupted external hard drive. Their email communications were much appreciated as they helped me understand my first data recovery experience. I now have 2 copies of the retrieved data. I have started the process of placing the retrieved data back together with the data which was not lost. Thank you for your professionalism.Posted on Googlenandina vines5 March 2025Fast, professional, Amazing! I am so pleased with Payam’s ability to rescue my data from a damaged external hard drive. They were in touch continuously, letting me know where they were at each step of the way. Their customer service made it easy to understand the process and I am just thrilled with the result.Posted on GoogleProject XX11 February 2025A data recovery was performed from a hard drive that was driven over by a car. Amazing work!Posted on GoogleTyler Rossiter28 January 2025Very good service. Helpful video detailing the steps to gain the data back once on hard drive. Didn’t miss anything. All notes, photos, videos, hidden photos, messages and contacts were all recovered.Posted on GoogleCraig Peden27 January 2025Life savers ! My son’s Macbook just stopped working one day. Apple (who were excellent to be fair) said she was dead and would be an $1800 repair (new logic board). My sons also did not have his documents backed up (yeah yeah I know - but sometimes you forget). In comes Payam to the rescue. Superb pre and post sale service. They performed amazing internal surgery on his Mac and retrieved the mission critical data for us. As the drives in these Mac’s are hardwired to the motherboard they could’ve be removed so the surgeons at Payam had to perform open heart surgery to get my son’s data back. All 23 GBs were returned on a new Toshiba hard drive and posted back to us in less then 5 days. If you have important data and no back up - these guys are your answer. Wasn’t cheap but we didn’t have a choice this time. Awesome work - highly recommend themPosted on GoogleClancy Kelly8 January 2025Had a damaged hard drive with about 2tb of raw images, managed to say more than 99% of it, speedy recovery with lovely and prompt service the whole wayPosted on GoogleSoe Min8 January 2025Payam explained and clarified all the pros and cons of the hard drive recovery process. Quite specific in estimating the cost and the duration of the recovery process. Was completed within three weeks and I am very satisfied with the outcome.Posted on GoogleStephen McManis1 January 2025We were in some real strife. Our laptop battery exploded and melted half the computer; no service centres would even open it to try to retrieve the hard drive - eventually someone recommended Payam to us, and after all the distress of thinking we'd lost all our data (family pictures in particular), Wes took one look at it and within a week we had everything back. Incredible. Thank you. Highly professional service, well worth the cost for us.Posted on GoogleVenkatesh Bhupathi13 December 2024Excellent service. Payam was successful in recovering whole data from my damaged hard drive.Posted on GoogleHelen Woittiez13 December 2024Fantastic company. Found the one critical datafile on my Macbook Air defunct SSD that wasn't backed up. So relieved. Great communication throughout and they even refunded my external hard drive purchase as it wasn't needed. Definitely recommend these people!Posted on GoogleCon Katsoulas11 December 2024My hard drive failed and I took it to a PC store to be repaired. After 2 weeks they were not able to repair it. I was then recommended to go to PAYAM and Payam was able to retrieve all my data very quickly and efficiently. Thank you Payam for saving my data. Great job.Posted on GoogleSophie Gregor10 December 2024After accidentally deleting the wrong photos folder off my laptop, my external hard drive and then emptying the trash to free up space, I was in hysterics. I thought I had a backup folder on my hard drive, but turns out this backup folder didn’t have everything on it. I deleted years worth of photos, 18th birthday, 21st birthday, multiple Christmas’s, so much more. I tried everything myself and then went into the Apple Store and they were pretty convinced there wasn’t much hope and they’d be gone forever. I was given a card for Payam Data Recovery as a last hope. I had a call from Scott and he was 100% realistic that the deleted files/photos may not be able to be recovered but they might be too. I was beyond excited when the recovery job had finished and my over 100GB of photos had been retrieved. Payam were very prompt with communication and to help with any queries along the way. Even after everything, I had an issue with the hard drive, Scott took it back in straight away and fixed it all up. The payment plans are also really great. Thank you so much Payam for saving all of my precious photos and memories!Posted on GoogleUrsula Hopper4 December 2024Tried several places to retrieve footage from my video camera's hard drive with no success. Referred to Payam by Sony and the job was completed with a great level of communication , service and outcome. Thank you to the technician who met us in the Sydney CBD office. You were very nice and confident that you could resolve our problem, which Payam did.Posted on GoogleEman TheWarrior29 November 2024I would recommend Payam to anyone looking to get their data recovered. I helped by the guys at Payam, recovered my 4TB with pretty much most of what I needed. I am so thankfull to all of you guys. I can't thank you enough. The hard drive was tried by other experts, but were not able to help. Finally the guys at Payam did their magic and recovered the data. Thank you all Mr. Payam, Scott and all the experts at payam. Blessings!Posted on GoogleJEFF28 November 2024I had a hard drive fail, I checked around and got referred to this company, due to their reputation and diligence in these matters. The communication was great. They executed on time. It was actually a great experience as I thought I’d lost some very personal information photos, etc.Posted on GoogleCarla Horton16 October 2024The process of retrieving the files from my corrupt hard drive was really smooth. Tim communicated everything with me really clearly, and kept me updated with how the process was unfolding. It is expensive, but worth it in my opinion, especially if the files are of importance.Posted on GoogleLewis Brewer16 September 2024I can't thank Payam Data Recovery enough! They recovered my laptop's hard drive just in time, saving all my university work when I was on a tight deadline. The turnaround was incredibly fast, and the team were great throughout the entire process. I highly recommend them for anyone in need of urgent data recovery services. They truly saved the day!Posted on GoogleKW11 September 2024Apple couldn’t get the MacBook to turn on and hadn’t backed up for ages and Apple advised to fix you’ll lose all your data. Apple recommended Payam , glad they did . Wasn’t cheap but definitely worth every cent as Payam was able to extract every file and move it to an external hard drive. Thank you guys , your magicians .Posted on GoogleGary Shu9 September 2024Payam is great helpful to recovery almost everything from my faulty hard drive, very appericiated that. They are very professional.Posted on GooglePhoebe Coroneo6 September 2024Really great service! Super responsive and when it was time to pick up my new hard drive, the technician was happy to sit with me and make sure everything was running smoothly. Retrieved all my photos and videos back with no issue! Would recommend :)Posted on Googlekristina wilton4 September 2024I thought 20 years of my life in photos and videos were potentially gone forever but Payam recovered the 94,456 photos / videos on my HD elements hard drive after what turned out to be a firmware issue. Two other businesses had looked at it prior but did not have the technology/ capabilities to diagnose or help so although I was hopeful I just didn’t know what to expect the third time around when sending my hard drive in the post to Payam. I really cannot thank Payam Data Recovery enough! No words would or will do. Beyond grateful. Ps: I went with the option to get my data backed up on two hard drives by Payam. I highly recommended choosing this option too.Posted on GoogleJessica Glachan28 August 2024Fantastic service from these guys. Called a few times as was uncertain on a few things and so lovely and helpful every time. I had taken my external hard drive to two local companies that were unsuccessful in recover data, should have send to Payam first and saved time and money. They were able to recover all the data from the hard drive, gave me access to view it before paying and having sent back. Couldn’t be happier with their service and will recommend them to everyone!!Posted on GoogleS Jaye26 August 2024Thanks to Payam Data Recovery (Brisbane) I finally have all of my family photos and videos restored from my portable hard drive that had stopped working. Your service is invaluable and very much appreciated. S HeslopPosted on GoogleBruce Partington22 August 2024Excellent customer service .. great communication from start to finish . They extracted all the data I had hoped to retrieve from my crashed / broken hard drive . Overall great experience and highly recommend this business to anybody in need of their services 👍Posted on GoogleDavid Taylor16 August 2024Very professional and efficient service. The risks and process was explained clearly which gave me confidence that I was dealing with the right people to recover my data. I had 25 years of photo’s and documents on 14 year old hard drive which was able to be recovered which is very much appreciated. I would highly recommend Payam if you need your data recoveredPosted on GoogleMax Wald31 July 2024Highly recommend this firm. I thought I had lost the 760 Gb of data, on my external hard drive, dating back 20 years, but Payam successfully recovered all my files in the Format that was originally on the Drive.Posted on Googlelarissa kay11 July 2024A big thank you to Payam Data Recovery for retrieving precious photos off my damaged hard drive. Friendly and professional service, I would highly recommend them.Posted on GoogleMark Dijak11 July 2024Very thorough and professional service with updates and great communication. Payam was able to fix my hard drive and thankfully save my beloved photos, thank you. My other hard drive was unfortunately not able to be fixed but I was only charged the inital analysis fee for that one.Posted on GooglePhoebe Chen7 July 2024Very pleased to say that my experience with Payam Data Recovery was extremely positive. My external hard drive had become corrupt and I thought I’d lost about 7 months worth of important files. PDC was very transparent through all communication and was able to efficiently retrieve all files within 1-2 days. Would definitely recommend to others.Posted on GoogleHazel Buckley29 June 2024My external hard drive failed and Payam Data retreived all my data and returned my data in a timely manner. So greatful - many years of personal records would have been lost without their professional help.Posted on GoogleMandy Riordan26 June 2024After our computer dying unexpectedly, we took it into the store to see if they could repair it. The removed the hard drive but not the SSD which we much later learned we needed to retrieve our files. Payam managed to retrieve most. Due to the computer corporation’s incorrect response in this matter, what should have been a straight forward process ended up being incredibly frustrating. We are very grateful to the Payam team for their expertise and efficiency.Posted on GoogleBridgette Lancaster25 June 2024I thought I lost all my kids photos from the past 8 year. Including from when they were born. But I got them back and you did it under a week. I was very scared and distraught because I have taken an external hard drive to a local place in the past, and they were not able to recover anything. But you’s did. Thank you so much.Posted on GoogleBrenda Ranford14 June 2024They managed to get photos from my hard drive I thought I would never see again.Posted on GoogleB Thomas11 June 2024AWESOME, I got 99% of my data back from a physically damaged hard drive. Very professional business with great communication every step of the way.Posted on GooglePatrick O’Neill7 June 2024My external hard drive just died after a five day power outage. I thought we had lost everything. Payam managed to recover most of it. Very Happy.Load moreVerified by TrustindexTrustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more
Our Australian Locations
Looking for a data recovery company near you? Payam has offices across Australia. If you’re wondering, “Is there a data recovery company near me?” our team is ready to help at any of our six Australia-wide locations:
- Sydney: Level 21, 133 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000
- Rhodes: Suite 213, Level 2, 5 Rider Boulevard, Rhodes NSW 2138
- Melbourne: Level 11, 456 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000
- Brisbane: Level 10, 95 North Quay, Brisbane, QLD, 4000
- Adelaide (secure drop-off office): Level 30, 91 King William Street, Adelaide, SA, 5000
- Perth (secure drop-off office): Level 28, 140 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA, 6000
Can’t visit us in person? No problem. You can post your WD Elements to us from anywhere in Australia. Simply wrap your hard drive with at least 4cm of bubble wrap on all sides to ensure safe shipping.
All work requiring a dust-free environment is performed in an ISO 5 certified laminar flow cabinet.
Payam proudly serves international clients, welcoming customers worldwide to our trusted data recovery services. The easiest way for an international customer to reach us is by email at help@payam.com.au, which works in every time zone.
Contact Us for WD Elements USB Hard Drive Recovery
When your WD Elements USB hard drive is not detected, avoid DIY recovery attempts that could permanently damage your data. Since 1998, our team has successfully recovered over 300,000 devices and serves Australian Government, Police, top 100 companies, universities, and 2,000+ IT providers.
- Phone: 1300 444 800
- Get a Free Quote: Complete our online form to receive information and pricing for data recovery services, and a data recovery engineer will call to discuss your issue.
- Start Your Recovery Job
We specialise in recovering data from all WD Elements models, including:
- WD Elements Portable (1TB to 5TB models)
- WD Elements Desktop (4TB to 18TB models)
- WD Elements SE
- Older WD Elements models
Whether your WD Elements has a broken USB port, is making clicking noises, or is simply not detected, our hard drive data recovery services provide the best chance of retrieving your irreplaceable files.
Ready to recover your data? Get a Free Quote today and take the first step towards retrieving your valuable files.
