Is it safe to mail my hard drive for data recovery?

Yes, when packaged correctly. Use an anti-static bag, 2–3 inches of bubble wrap, and a sturdy box. We provide a chain of custody once it arrives at our Austin facility.

Do you outsource mail-in drives to other labs?

No. We do not outsource. Your drive goes to our Austin, TX lab and stays there until work is complete.

How does return shipping insurance work?

Completed recoveries are shipped back with insurance and signature requirements depending on carrier/service.

Serving All 50 States

Nationwide Data Recovery:
Secure, Tracked, In-House

We don't outsource. Your drive stays in Austin.

Skip the middleman markup. Ship directly to the experts.

Insured Return Shipping

Full Chain of Custody

Ready to Ship?

Fast Track

Ship To Address:

Rossmann Repair Group 2 Inc

2410 San Antonio St

Austin, TX 78705

Transit Times

FedEx Overnight: arrives the next business day

• New York: 1 day
• Los Angeles: 1 day
• Chicago: 1 day
• Seattle: 1 day
• Miami: 1 day

Start Ticket (Fill Form)

See packaging instructions

Mail-in data recovery at Rossmann Repair Group works in four steps.

Fill out a service ticket on our website and receive a ticket number by email.
Package your drive using Box-in-Box packaging: wrap it in an anti-static bag and bubble wrap, place it in a small box, then nest that box inside a larger one with padding. Ship it to our Austin, TX lab at 2410 San Antonio St.
Free evaluation: Our engineers evaluate your drive using PC-3000 systems and Class-100 laminar flow benches on-site.
Quote and recovery: We quote a price starting at $100 for simple copies, with no work performed until you approve the cost.

This process eliminates The Local Trap, where local shops add a Middleman Tax of $300 to $1,000 by outsourcing your drive to a national lab. We are the lab. If we cannot recover your data, you pay nothing.

No Data, No Fee

Guarantee

2.49M+

Subscribers

4.9

1,837+ Google Reviews

Since 2008

Established

Repairs on Video

Full Transparency

As Featured In

Written by

Founder & Chief Technician

Updated March 2026

1. Fill Form
Get Ticket Number
2. Ship Device
Mail to Austin
3. Diagnosis
Free Evaluation
4. Repair
No Data, No Charge

What Mail-In Customers Say

4.9 across 1,837+ verified Google reviews

December 28, 2023

“I was a big fan of Rossmann. I have been watching him on YouTube for years. Naturally, when I was having a hardware problem with my Framework Laptop, I was so excited to be able to use the business owned by one of my heroes. I emailed them in advance since I know they focus on Apple Product repair. They emailed me warning it may take several weeks. I thought to myself. I can wait as long as it takes, I just want my issue resolved so I shipped it out. The issue was after a spill on the charge port the machine would periodically stop charging and need the power cable re-seated.”

Tech Girl Tiff

View on Google

March 10, 2025

“Sent my hdd for data recovery, process was simple and I was able to pre-authorize an amount. They worked on my drive within 2 days of receiving it and the total cost was literally 1/10th of the amount of another service I got a quote from. Professional, quick, affordable. Nothing to complain about.”

Andrew Hansen

View on Google

June 13, 2025

“My satisfaction with Rossmann Repair Group goes beyond just 5 stars. I had a hard drive die some time ago, but I had no idea where I could send it knowing it would be safe, or there being a chance I'd be ripped off.”

Kyle Hartley (crazybangles)

View on Google

August 26, 2024

“Walked in with my wife's dead hard drive, walked out 20 minutes later with it fixed. They were friendly, professional, did the work in a snap, and saved me the hefty repair prices for other (mail in) hard drive recovery services!”

Patrick Dughi

View on Google

Read all 1,837+ reviews

Step 1: Create Your Ticket

Fill this out before you ship. You will receive a ticket number via email immediately.
Write this Ticket Number clearly on the outside of your box.

Price Cap Guarantee

You approve all costs before work begins. No surprise invoices. If we can't recover your data, you pay nothing.

Ship To:

Rossmann Repair Group 2 Inc
2410 San Antonio St
Austin, TX 78705

What TO Send

Your Device (Drive, Phone, Laptop)
Note with Name & Ticket #
Passcode (if locked)
Return Address inside box

What NOT To Send

✗ Chargers / Cables
✗ Original Retail Boxes
✗ Protective Cases
✗ iMacs (Local drop-off only)

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Full Chain of Custody

Most local shops ship your drive to a 3rd party hub. We don't. Your drive never leaves our sight until we ship it back to you. See our full intake, tracking, and return process.

Intake

Every package is opened on camera. Your drive gets a serial number tied to your ticket before we touch anything else.

Diagnosis

Chris figures out what's actually wrong: firmware corruption, failed heads, seized motor, or something else. You get a quote based on the problem, not the "value" of your data.

Recovery

Firmware work happens on the PC-3000. Head swaps and platter surgery happen in our ULPA-filtered bench. Nothing gets outsourced.

Return

Original drive plus recovered data on new media. FedEx insured, signature required.

How to Package Your Drive

Proper packaging is your first line of defense. A drive that has failed logically (software) can become a physical failure if dropped during shipping.

1Anti-Static Bag: Protects the PCB from electrostatic discharge.
2Bubble Wrap (2-3 inches): Tightly wrap the drive. Peanuts allow shifting; don't use them alone.
3Box-in-Box: For maximum safety, place the wrapped drive in a small box, then float that box in a larger one.

Warning: Do not use FedEx envelopes or padded mailers. They offer zero crush protection.

Why Ship to Austin?

The Local Trap: When you drop your drive off at a local computer repair shop, they often ship it to a national lab, adding a Middleman Tax of $300-$1,000 to your bill.

The Rossmann Way: We are the lab. We have the PC-3000 systems, the Class-100 laminar flow benches, and the donor inventory on-site. Our professional hard drive data recovery services are performed entirely in-house.

Insurance

We use USPS Priority Mail / FedEx with signature confirmation. All completed recovery jobs are shipped back with full insurance covering the value of the recovery service.

Mail-In FAQ

Is it safe to mail a hard drive?

Yes. Drives are shipped globally every day. The key is immobilization. If the drive cannot move inside the box, it is safe.

Do I pay if you can't recover the data?

No. Our policy is No Data, No Charge. You owe us nothing for the attempt. You would only pay return shipping if you want the original device back.

What is the turnaround time?

Evaluation: 1-3 days. Recovery: 2-5 days for software issues, 1-3 weeks for hardware/head swaps (donor part dependent).

International Shipping?

We recommend finding a local shop first. If you use us, you cover all shipping/customs costs both ways. We are not liable for international transit delays.

Mail-In Service Available From All 50 States

No matter where you are in the United States, you can ship your drive to our Austin lab. Here are city-specific guides for some of the areas we serve.

New YorkShipping & Local Info Los AngelesShipping & Local Info ChicagoShipping & Local Info HoustonShipping & Local Info MiamiShipping & Local Info DallasShipping & Local Info AtlantaShipping & Local Info BostonShipping & Local Info

View All 50 Cities We Serve

Data Recovery Standards & Verification

Our Austin lab operates on a transparency-first model. We use industry-standard recovery tools, including PC-3000 and DeepSpar, combined with strict environmental controls to make sure your hard drive is handled safely and properly. This approach allows us to serve clients nationwide with consistent technical standards.

Validated Clean Zone

Open-drive work is performed in a ULPA-filtered laminar-flow bench, validated to 0.02 µm particle count, verified using TSI P-Trak instrumentation.

Transparent History

Serving clients nationwide via mail-in service since 2008. Our lead engineer holds PC-3000 and HEX Akademia certifications for hard drive firmware repair and mechanical recovery.

Media Coverage

Our repair work has been covered by The Wall Street Journal and Business Insider, with CBC News reporting on our pricing transparency. Louis Rossmann has testified in Right to Repair hearings in multiple states and founded the Repair Preservation Group.

Aligned Incentives

Our "No Data, No Charge" policy means we assume the risk of the recovery attempt, not the client.

Technical Oversight

Louis Rossmann

Louis Rossmann's well trained staff review our lab protocols to ensure technical accuracy and honest service. Since 2008, his focus has been on clear technical communication and accurate diagnostics rather than sales-driven explanations.

We believe in proving standards rather than just stating them. We use TSI P-Trak instrumentation to verify that clean-air benchmarks are met before any drive is opened.

See our clean bench validation data and particle test video