Tape Data Recovery Services
Tape data recovery is a specialist service delivered by R3 Data Recovery for organisations and individuals seeking to retrieve data from legacy backup systems, archival media, and failed tape cartridges.
With 20 years of experience and the UK's most advanced data recovery lab, R3 supports all major tape formats and backup software systems.
- Support for all major formats: LTO, DLT, QIC, DAT, DDS, Travan, and AIT
- Compatibility with NTBackup, Backup Exec, Arcserve, NetBackup, and other platforms
- Capable of handling corrupted archives, snapped tapes, damaged headers, and unreadable backups
- Rapid turnaround options with emergency 12-72 hour services
- No-recovery no-fee policy in many standard cases
What Tape Data Recovery Services Include
We recover data from nearly every tape format used in backup and archive systems over the past three decades.
LTO (Linear Tape-Open)
LTO-1 to LTO-9
Learn moreDAT / DDS
Digital Audio Tape / Digital Data Storage
DLT / SDLT
Digital Linear Tape / Super DLT
AIT / SAIT
Advanced Intelligent Tape
Legacy & Obsolete Formats
Whether you're dealing with ageing tape media or proprietary legacy systems, our team is equipped to assess and recover the data.
When Tape Data Recovery Requires Professional or Lab-Based Intervention
R3 Data Recovery provides professional magnetic tape data recovery from failed, physically damaged, or obsolete backup systems. Our Sheffield-based secure lab meets ISO Class 3 standards and is operated by skilled engineers with decades of experience. We image tape media and extract files or rebuild databases from backup sets created in legacy or proprietary formats. Our proprietary tools help access and rebuild data where other services have failed.
Reasons clients choose R3:
- Exceptional success rates, even with de-spooled or heat-damaged tape cartridges
- In-depth understanding of tar, cpio, VHD, and application-specific backup sets
- Facilities and team trusted by businesses, universities, forensic investigators, and IT departments
- Ability to work with digital evidence, audit data, and compliance-driven recoveries
Tape Symptoms That Mean You Should Stop Attempting Software-Based Restores
- 1
Unreadable backup media
Tape drives refuse to load or return errors during read operations.
- 2
Header corruption
Backup software can't initialise archive contents or logs checksum failures.
- 3
Mechanical damage
Cracked casings, tangled reels, or broken leader tapes.
- 4
Software issues
Incompatible or obsolete versions of ARCserve, Backup Exec, or Microsoft NTBackup.
- 5
Data validation failures
Integrity checks fail on Oracle, Microsoft Access, or Exchange tape backups.
How Tape Data Recovery Works: From Diagnosis to Final Verification
- 1
Assessment
Free evaluation of the tape media to identify damage, backup format, and recovery potential.
- 2
Imaging
Creation of a secure working copy using forensic-grade imaging tools.
- 3
Extraction
Parse, mount, and recover data from structured or custom tape archives.
- 4
Verification
Cross-check extracted content for accuracy and usability.
- 5
Return
Secure return of recovered data via encrypted download or drive shipment.
We handle backups from Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, Gen Digital, and legacy system vendors. Our team recovers data from MySQL dumps, Exchange mail stores, and BKF containers.
Why Specialized Equipment Is Required for Tape Data Recovery
Multi-Tape Sets & Striped Tape Backups
Some enterprise backups span multiple tapes, often written in sequence or in striped formats. Recovering data from these sets requires:
- Access to all tapes in the set
- Preservation of the original order
- Working around missing or unreadable volumes
- Rebuilding metadata from backup software like NetBackup or ARCserve
These complex cases are typically quoted individually due to scale and variable success potential.
Backup Software Dependency
While we support hundreds of formats, some recoveries depend on catalog files or metadata generated by the original backup software.
- Software version differences may affect access to the archive
- Catalogue files or indexes improve success rates
- Some cases require emulated or legacy operating environments
We can often work without the original software—but where necessary, we rebuild or emulate to extract your data.
Tape Formats, Backup Software, and Drive Types We Can Recover
We recover data from tape systems created with or intended for:
- Symantec Backup Exec
- Microsoft NTBackup
- IBM Tivoli Storage Manager
- Arcserve
- NetBackup
- Legato Networker
- BRU Backup
- Retrospect
- Veeam (for legacy tape integrations)
- HP Data Protector
Tape Failure Types That Cannot Be Fixed With Standard Backup Software
There are rare instances where data cannot be recovered:
- Tapes overwritten during subsequent backups
- Missing volumes from multi-tape or striped backup sets
- Oxide loss or physical degradation of magnetic media
- Proprietary formats without sufficient documentation or structure
We are transparent about these limitations and will inform you during assessment if recovery is not viable.
Tape Recovery Questions About Risk, Timing, and Legacy Format Support
Common questions about recovering data from tape backup systems.
Can you recover data from a broken LTO or DAT tape?
Yes. We repair and image physically broken or damaged cartridges and extract recoverable data.
Is the original software required?
No. We support a wide range of backup formats and can recover files without needing the original software, although catalog files improve success.
Can you handle legacy or obsolete formats?
Yes. Our engineers support everything from 9-track reel-to-reel to QIC and Travan formats.
What is your pricing policy?
We offer a free assessment and in many standard cases, our service is no-recovery no-fee. Complex or high-scale jobs such as RAID tape sets are quoted case-by-case.
How do I start a recovery?
Call us on 0800 999 3282 or email enquiries@r3datarecovery.com. We provide a free shipping label and full instructions.
Get a Free Assessment Today
Restore access to your archive data with R3 Data Recovery.
Tell us about your tape recovery needs and we'll respond with a no-obligation assessment.
R3 Data Recovery Ltd — Recovering the Unrecoverable since 2004