RECOVERING COMPUTER DATA

Within three months, their track record is near perfect --97 percent of the time Pocatello Data Recovery specialists can retrieve all of the data that is on a defunct hard drive.

"We basically get the information off

of the old hard drive and put it onto a new hard drive," says Lynda Eggimann, marketing manager of the family owned business. "No matter who tells you there is nothing on it, don't give up."

Eggimann, her grandson, Tyler, and her son, Robert, visit face-to-face via Skype on the Internet every morning to go over the day's workload. Robert Eggimann trained his son how to recover data from hard drives before he left to work as a medic for a security company in Iraq.

"I always thought it would be neat to have a family business and that it would be fun to work with my grandmother... help with whatever her latest project is," says Tyler Eggimann. "She called me out of the blue and asked me if I wanted to work for her."

Together, the Eggimann's are able to recover documents, pictures and playlists from broken down computers, cameras and iPods.

"We don't fix computers, we recover

data from damaged hard drives," says Lynda Eggimann.

Her grandson continues to explain, "We can recover the data regardless of what is wrong with it. Sometimes there is no obvious physical damage."

While hard drives themselves are hard to repair, Tyler Eggimann says he can pull the data off of any mechanical device using a customized laptop.

Besides offering free evaluations and 24-hour emergency services, the team picks up and delivers.

"Previously, you had to send (the hard drives) elsewhere and take a chance," says Lynda Eggimann. "In most cases, a total stranger is working on your computer. By calling us, your hard drive stays here locally and so does your money."

Tyler Eggimann graduated from a home school program and attends school at George Wythe University in Cedar City, Utah. He is working through the summer to save up enough money so that he can go on a religious mission representing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Robert Eggimann has an extensive background in recovering computer data from hard drives. The certified specialist is a former police detective and a current member of the Idaho National Guard.

Lynda Eggimann moved from California to Southeast Idaho in 2003 to be closer to her family. She is optimistic about the future success of her family's business.

"A lot of people have their data backed up or they have exterior hard drives, but sometimes things go wrong," says Lynda Eggimann. "I think there will always be a need for this (kind of service) no matter how sophisticated the technology gets."

For further information, call 223-DATA.

"Previously, you had to send (the hard drives) elsewhere and take a chance. in most cases, a total stranger is working on your comPuter. By calling us your hard drive stays here locally and so does your money."

-- Lynda eggimann, PocateLLo data recovery marketing manager

BILL SCHAEFER/ IDAHO STATE JOURNAL

Lynda Eggimann, left, and grandson Tyler Eggimann have started Pocatello Data Recovery, a computer business dedicated to retrieving information from corrupt hard drives and crashed computers.