First shutdown your Computer or Device according to manufacturer's instructions.
Second remove the power cord from the equipment
If at all possible, remove the media from the computer
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Get expert help if necessary. Send us just the hard drive(s), tape(s), floppy, zip, jaz, optical drive, flashcard, microdrive etc..

ESD (Electrostatic Discharge), a familiar form of Electrostatic Discharge, often called "static electricity", is the shock we receive after walking across a carpet. In a technical environment, ESD can be very costly by harming devices or components. ESD may cause a catastrophic failure that appears immediately or a latent failure in which gradual degradation occurs during use, resulting in eventual failure.

Before moving a computer, hard drive or other component, discharge personal static build up by touching a grounded metal object, such as a plugged-in metal computer chassis.

Handle a hard disk drive as you would handle an egg. Handle failed hard disk drives with the same care as new drives.

Use the original shipping materials, if you still have them. If not, follow these guidelines:

Wrap media in an anti-static bag or similar material to prevent ESD. Use a box that is at least four times the size of the media so that the media can be suspended in the middle of the box. We recommend a minimum of two inches of foam insulation top, bottom and sides for a 2 lb drive. Pack securely so the media will not move from the middle of the box. DO NOT USE packing pellets/peanuts, bubble wrap, air bags or newspaper. Multiple drives in a single box should have foam between each drive. If sending a computer, laptop or notebook, use great care to ensure proper cushioning and protection. We recommend at least 6 inches foam insulation. The heavier the unit, the more insulation required. Please be sure to place your Sherlock Specification Sheet on top of your unit in need of data recovery when packaging the unit as this expedites your case. (you can obtain this Sherlock Specification Sheet via the submit case process started by clicking on the submit case button.)