Success Factors
User Response to data problems are Critical
While many file deletions and data errors can be repaired by a competent user, the attempt to do so can comprimise the possibility of getting a good recovery should the initial attempts fail.
Ideally, as soon as you realize that the data is lost or the drive has failed, the user should power down the PC and send the drive out for recovery. Even a single additional boot attempt could overwrite otherwise recoverable data.
If a user prefers to make the initial recovery attempt anyway, he should least remove the drive and place it in another system that has a boot drive, as the slave drive. This may still comprimise data recovery should the user attempts fail, but the bad effects of such unsuccessful efforts are minimized.
The Type of Data Greatly Influences Success
If you are able to recover 90% of all lost files and these files are images, you can consider this a success. You got 9 out of 10 of your pictures back. If your files were tables of a database and 10% are missing, the entire database will probably be worthless because the data files are dependant on each other. The more the data is relationship dependant the greater the problem of even a small percentage of missing data. Another important aspect is the "time factor". Data is usually devalued with each passing day, even each passing hour.
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