"It's frustrating and disappointing because a lot of areas of the computing industry are really well developed," explains Nick Johnson, executive of HardDriveRecovery.com -- a Los Angeles-based business looking to fill gaps in the world of data recovery. "You'd think that with such a crucial part of the computing system being corruptible, they would develop an adequate service to resolve it when it comes up."

A crashed hard drive is worse than the spiderweb cracks across the face of a busted iPhone 5. No matter what is stored on a device, if the majority of data is unrecoverable, a crashed hard drive unleashes a wave of panic.

Depending on the damage and source of the problem, there is a variety of data recovery software. But, DIY data fixes can lead to worse problems.

"You risk further corruption of the data," says Johnson. "That's probably the biggest concern out there because there's so many points of potential failure that if you don't have extensive experience, you don't know how to address it. There are a lot of instances that require a great deal of finesse, and that's where having an expert is a real benefit."

The risks of an inexperienced or anonymous technician recovering private files can be huge. What if the drive is wiped clean entirely? Can you trust them with your data? Will they overcharge you?

In many cases, Johnson says these are valid concerns. "One of biggest problems we found is the price schemes," he says. "Because it's unknown what the actual price will be. Oftentimes, companies will give an estimate that's hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars less than the actual bill they give you when the work is complete. That's why it's important to find a reputable company to do your hard drive recovery."

According to Johnson, the best way to prepare yourself is by equipping computers with up-to-date antiviral software. But regardless of the hardware or brand, there's always potential for failure. Learn more at www.harddriverecovery.com.