I remember the first time I suffered a fatal Hard Drive failure. It was 1999. The first family PC we bought.
Oh yes I remember it well. Pentium Processor, not Pentium Dual Core or P4 or P3 or for that matter P2. No, just Pentium. Ran at 133Mhz on a 66Mhz FSB. 16 Meg of RAM (yes, huge I know) and a simply massive 1.2GB Fujitsu hard disk. Ah, those were the days, when building your own PC was cool and Windows 95 looked so much better than 3.11 that we were all tricked into thinking that it was better!
After 2 years of faithful service I came down one morning, pressed the PC's power button and went to make Coffee. It was strange, I thought the Coffee machine had issues. There were funny clicking and clinking sounds emanating around the room. Because of other Kitcheny (I don't think that's a word) noises it sounded for all the world like the Coffee machine. I tapped it, bashed it, switched it off then on again initially not noticing the sound continued when it was off. It was then out of the corner of my eye I could see the hard disk LED really wasn't doing what it should and almost quicker than a Core i7 could do it my brain flipped from the prospect of no Coffee to Data loss... Arrrggghhhhh!!!
I repair and service computers for a living and I now make a point of asking each customer I visit if they've backed up recently and recommending how to do it if they haven't. Back then it wasn't that bad. The data on there wasn't too important although it was a real pain for a few weeks. But now I have about 10 years of family photos that are simply irreplaceable on a single hard disk. Frankly If I tried to explain to you how modern hard drives actually save your data (and I don't really understand it myself!) you would freak out, run to your nearest computer store, buy an external hard drive then run home and backup your PC.
The worst part of my job is having to tell a customer that all their data is gone and the only way they are going to get it back is to send the hard disk to a professional data recovery company. About £500 if they're lucky.
Please people, make sure you keep regularly backing up your important data. You can use CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, USB stick or external hard drives. Just as long as you have a second copy somewhere. There are also a myriad of online solutions available most of which get on with the job automatically taking all the hassle and worry away. These also protect against fire and theft since the information is stored offsite in a secure data center.
So, remember those 3 rules...
1. Backup
2. Backup
3. Backup
Showing posts with label Hard Drive Recovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hard Drive Recovery. Show all posts
08 February, 2012
Why You Should Never Remove The Cover Of A Computer Hard Drive????????????
Hard Drive Anatomy
In order to explain why removing the cover of a hard drive is not a particularly good idea it is helpful to understand a little about how a hard drive stores, and accesses, your data.
Inside a hard drive is a circular disk on which your data is stored magnetically and is then accessed by a read/write head which hovers above the platter (very close - only a matter of microns) and interprets the magnetic data. These disks rotate at an incredibly high speed (usually 5400rpm or 7200rpm). The circular disk (commonly referred to as the platter) is usually constructed of aluminium or glass but has a very thin special coating over the top where the data is on the platter will be stored.
This special layer is extremely sensitive and due to the speeds at which the patter spins inside a hard drive can easily be damaged by the smallest of particles such as dust and other airborne contaminants. If you think this is an exaggeration then what you have to remember is that at 7200RPM a small piece of dust hitting against a very thin layer that contains your valuable data will be travelling at an incredible speed and this spells trouble for your platters surface.
Why A Class 100 Clean Room is so Important
As highlighted above, if you get any tiny particles of dust inside your hard drive then this will cause big trouble as soon as the drive spins again. In your home or at an office there are typically 500,000 to 1,000,000 airborne particles 0.5 microns in diameter or larger for every cubic foot of air - so as soon as you remove the cover from a drive in this environment you are in big trouble!
A class 100 clean room is a specialised environment in which there is less than 100 airborne particles (<0.5 microns diameter) per cubic foot of air. It is in these environments in which hard drives are built in the first place - they are assembled fully and then sealed so that no dust particles can enter the drives once they are shipped out to retailers.
If there is ever a need to open a hard drive for data recovery (e.g. a swap of read/write heads or a change of spindle motor) then it must be performed in a class 100 clean room by a professional data recovery specialist or you run the risk of permanently damaging your data. There are of course numerous examples of people on the internet that claim to have successfully opened/repaired drives at home but you can bet for every success story there are probably 100 people that have lost their data for good.
The bottom line is never open a hard drive at home unless you cannot afford to pay for a professional data recovery specialist or you do not consider the data valuable enough to risk losing.
In order to explain why removing the cover of a hard drive is not a particularly good idea it is helpful to understand a little about how a hard drive stores, and accesses, your data.
Inside a hard drive is a circular disk on which your data is stored magnetically and is then accessed by a read/write head which hovers above the platter (very close - only a matter of microns) and interprets the magnetic data. These disks rotate at an incredibly high speed (usually 5400rpm or 7200rpm). The circular disk (commonly referred to as the platter) is usually constructed of aluminium or glass but has a very thin special coating over the top where the data is on the platter will be stored.
This special layer is extremely sensitive and due to the speeds at which the patter spins inside a hard drive can easily be damaged by the smallest of particles such as dust and other airborne contaminants. If you think this is an exaggeration then what you have to remember is that at 7200RPM a small piece of dust hitting against a very thin layer that contains your valuable data will be travelling at an incredible speed and this spells trouble for your platters surface.
Why A Class 100 Clean Room is so Important
As highlighted above, if you get any tiny particles of dust inside your hard drive then this will cause big trouble as soon as the drive spins again. In your home or at an office there are typically 500,000 to 1,000,000 airborne particles 0.5 microns in diameter or larger for every cubic foot of air - so as soon as you remove the cover from a drive in this environment you are in big trouble!
A class 100 clean room is a specialised environment in which there is less than 100 airborne particles (<0.5 microns diameter) per cubic foot of air. It is in these environments in which hard drives are built in the first place - they are assembled fully and then sealed so that no dust particles can enter the drives once they are shipped out to retailers.
If there is ever a need to open a hard drive for data recovery (e.g. a swap of read/write heads or a change of spindle motor) then it must be performed in a class 100 clean room by a professional data recovery specialist or you run the risk of permanently damaging your data. There are of course numerous examples of people on the internet that claim to have successfully opened/repaired drives at home but you can bet for every success story there are probably 100 people that have lost their data for good.
The bottom line is never open a hard drive at home unless you cannot afford to pay for a professional data recovery specialist or you do not consider the data valuable enough to risk losing.
23 September, 2011
A Few Tips on Hard Disk Repair
A damaged hard disk may have one or more faults for a number of different reasons. It is therefore impossible to give an easy, detailed hard disk repair solution which fits every possible scenario. The disk itself might not be able to be detected, a partition cannot be accessed properly, the computer fails t0o boot up correctly, Windows (if that is the operating system) fails to read and write files and so on.
While repairing a hard disk by a professional may involve more cost than might be worth bothering with the amateur computer owner might try any one of the following hard disk repair remedies depending on their computer literacy and level of confidence.
Firstly, check to see if any partitions have been lost from the disk. To do this, check in "My Computer" (this is for Windows systems only of course). Right click on the "My Computer" icon and look for the "Disk Management" icon which is found in the "Manage" and the "Storage" sub menus. Check that all the partitions add up to the total disk space and that they are all there. Sometimes a partition appears to be missing because it has lost its drive letter. Any files held by this partition will then be unobtainable until the drive letter has been reassigned. Simply right click on the partition in disk management and assign it with the correct letter (e.g. C, D, E, F, G etc)
If the disk itself appears to be missing, then you can go into the BIOS system to check what is happening. Turn off the computer, then reboot it and press Del + Ctrl + Alt or F1 or ESC. Look for the disk's presence in BIOS. If it appears to be missing, then this means that the hard disk has been physically damaged, possibly if it has been banged in a fall or knocked with something heavy. There will probably be nothing for it then but to send it off to a computer repair shop to see what they can make of it. A problem logic board can be replaced by a new logic board; a seriously damaged internal disk or the spindle head or motor has to be accessed by opening up the disk drive in a dust free environment, which is almost impossible in the normal home.
If the disk does still exist but there is a loud screeching sort of a noise coming from the hard drive, then again some sort of physical damage has occurred and you will have to stop using the computer and find somebody who might be able to repair it if that is economical.
Another possibility is that one or more of the partitions cannot be accessed. If you open up an individual partition and Windows prompts you to format it, then a repair needs to be done on this particular disk partition. You will have to figure out how to do a repair on the boot sector of the FAT and NTFS partition which is possible by the amateur after a bit of research.
Booting up Windows might be the problem. There are quite a number of possible error messages which come up on the screen which would alert you to this possibility and you will have to search what these mean and what can be done about them by going into the Windows support website - on another computer, of course!
If there is no error message, then there might be a simpler answer like a power problem. Check the power supply connections and make sure the monitor light is on. If it is blinking, then turn off the power and open up the chassis of the computer carefully. Clear or blow any dust away carefully and gently disengage the RAW and Graphics cards then re engage them again. If you're lucky this might work!
Find out more about Hard Disk Repair by visiting deleted data recovery and get all the FREE information about deleted data recovery now!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fred_Desmond
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6553592
While repairing a hard disk by a professional may involve more cost than might be worth bothering with the amateur computer owner might try any one of the following hard disk repair remedies depending on their computer literacy and level of confidence.
Firstly, check to see if any partitions have been lost from the disk. To do this, check in "My Computer" (this is for Windows systems only of course). Right click on the "My Computer" icon and look for the "Disk Management" icon which is found in the "Manage" and the "Storage" sub menus. Check that all the partitions add up to the total disk space and that they are all there. Sometimes a partition appears to be missing because it has lost its drive letter. Any files held by this partition will then be unobtainable until the drive letter has been reassigned. Simply right click on the partition in disk management and assign it with the correct letter (e.g. C, D, E, F, G etc)
If the disk itself appears to be missing, then you can go into the BIOS system to check what is happening. Turn off the computer, then reboot it and press Del + Ctrl + Alt or F1 or ESC. Look for the disk's presence in BIOS. If it appears to be missing, then this means that the hard disk has been physically damaged, possibly if it has been banged in a fall or knocked with something heavy. There will probably be nothing for it then but to send it off to a computer repair shop to see what they can make of it. A problem logic board can be replaced by a new logic board; a seriously damaged internal disk or the spindle head or motor has to be accessed by opening up the disk drive in a dust free environment, which is almost impossible in the normal home.
If the disk does still exist but there is a loud screeching sort of a noise coming from the hard drive, then again some sort of physical damage has occurred and you will have to stop using the computer and find somebody who might be able to repair it if that is economical.
Another possibility is that one or more of the partitions cannot be accessed. If you open up an individual partition and Windows prompts you to format it, then a repair needs to be done on this particular disk partition. You will have to figure out how to do a repair on the boot sector of the FAT and NTFS partition which is possible by the amateur after a bit of research.
Booting up Windows might be the problem. There are quite a number of possible error messages which come up on the screen which would alert you to this possibility and you will have to search what these mean and what can be done about them by going into the Windows support website - on another computer, of course!
If there is no error message, then there might be a simpler answer like a power problem. Check the power supply connections and make sure the monitor light is on. If it is blinking, then turn off the power and open up the chassis of the computer carefully. Clear or blow any dust away carefully and gently disengage the RAW and Graphics cards then re engage them again. If you're lucky this might work!
Find out more about Hard Disk Repair by visiting deleted data recovery and get all the FREE information about deleted data recovery now!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fred_Desmond
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6553592
20 March, 2011
Top 10 Signals That Your Hard Drive Is About to Crash
Nothing lasts forever, including your computer's hard drive. Hard drives are mechanical devices and as such they will eventually wear out and stop working. When this happens you may lose any data stored on the drive, and if you don't have proper backups in place, there is no guarantee you can get that data back.
Fortunately, in many cases, your hard drive will begin to show signs of degradation before it fails completely. There are no guarantees, but this may give you time to properly back up your files and replace your hard drive before it dies completely.
Here are the top 10 signs of an impending hard drive failure:
1. Unusual grinding or clicking noises.
If you hear any unusual sounds coming from your computer, it may be a sign of mechanical damage within the hard disk. Often it's an indicator of damage to the read/write heads. If the read/write heads are damaged, they can come into contact with the disk platter, marring the surface and making it impossible to access your data.
2. Your computer locks up during booting.
Virtually all computers experience this problem on occasion, but if it happens regularly or becomes increasingly frequent, it is often a sign that there is a serious problem.
3. Files suddenly go missing for no apparent reason.
If files start to disappear and you're sure you haven't deleted them by mistake, it is likely a sign of hard drive failure. Sometimes the deleted files may not be important, but you may begin to lose important system files that could drastically affect the performance of your computer.
4. Incredibly long wait times to access your files.
Sometimes it takes a little bit longer to access your files than usual. This is normal and can be due to a variety of factors. However, if it routinely takes an extremely long time to access your files, this can be a sign that your hard drive has been compromised.
5. You get a message that your hard drive is not recognized by the system BIOS.
If you get an error message saying that your system BIOS (Basic Input Output System) can't access or doesn't recognize your hard drive, you have a problem. Another variation of this scenario is that the drive is identified as being a different make or model that it actually is. Either way, in all likelihood this means your drive is not working properly and needs to be replaced.
6. Your computer frequently locks up during the booting process.
Sometimes computers lock up during the booting process. In isolation, this is not necessarily an indication of a bigger problem. If it begins to happen on a regular basis, chances are that the drive is beginning to fail.
7. You get an error message saying that the hard drive is not formatted.
This is a sign that your hard drive is very close to complete failure. Occasionally you may be able to reboot your computer a couple of more times and get it to work, but this is a certain indication that you need to back up whatever files you can and replace the drive.
If you do get this error message, don't be fooled into trying to reformat the drive as this will cause you to lose all of your data.
8. You get an 'operating system not found' error.
This is an indication that your hard drive is severely damaged and is not working at all. If this happens, your computer can not detect the drive and you'll need a new hard drive as well as the services of a data recovery company to retrieve your lost files.
9. Your computer frequently reboots on its own.
If this happens occasionally, it may not indicate a bigger problem, but if your computer often reboots on its own during use this can be a sign that your drive is approaching the point of failure. If this problem starts to happen with increasing frequency, it's a very clear sign that there is a major problem.
10. The "Blue Screen of Death."
The dreaded "Blue Screen of Death" is more technically called a Stop Error Screen, and presents itself as a series of error messages on a bright blue background screen. A stop error screen can be a sign of any one of several computer malfunctions and most commonly indicates a problem with a device driver. However, it can also be a sign that your hard drive is near the end of the line.
If you see any of these signs, the best thing to do is to back up your files as soon as possible, with the most important files taking priority. Recognizing these signs and acting on them quickly gives you a better chance of saving your important files.
If your computer has already crashed, you may want to contact a reputable data recovery company. A data recovery specialist can recover lost files in many cases. The sooner you take action, the better chance that you can save your data.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kyle_Stevenson
Fortunately, in many cases, your hard drive will begin to show signs of degradation before it fails completely. There are no guarantees, but this may give you time to properly back up your files and replace your hard drive before it dies completely.
Here are the top 10 signs of an impending hard drive failure:
1. Unusual grinding or clicking noises.
If you hear any unusual sounds coming from your computer, it may be a sign of mechanical damage within the hard disk. Often it's an indicator of damage to the read/write heads. If the read/write heads are damaged, they can come into contact with the disk platter, marring the surface and making it impossible to access your data.
2. Your computer locks up during booting.
Virtually all computers experience this problem on occasion, but if it happens regularly or becomes increasingly frequent, it is often a sign that there is a serious problem.
3. Files suddenly go missing for no apparent reason.
If files start to disappear and you're sure you haven't deleted them by mistake, it is likely a sign of hard drive failure. Sometimes the deleted files may not be important, but you may begin to lose important system files that could drastically affect the performance of your computer.
4. Incredibly long wait times to access your files.
Sometimes it takes a little bit longer to access your files than usual. This is normal and can be due to a variety of factors. However, if it routinely takes an extremely long time to access your files, this can be a sign that your hard drive has been compromised.
5. You get a message that your hard drive is not recognized by the system BIOS.
If you get an error message saying that your system BIOS (Basic Input Output System) can't access or doesn't recognize your hard drive, you have a problem. Another variation of this scenario is that the drive is identified as being a different make or model that it actually is. Either way, in all likelihood this means your drive is not working properly and needs to be replaced.
6. Your computer frequently locks up during the booting process.
Sometimes computers lock up during the booting process. In isolation, this is not necessarily an indication of a bigger problem. If it begins to happen on a regular basis, chances are that the drive is beginning to fail.
7. You get an error message saying that the hard drive is not formatted.
This is a sign that your hard drive is very close to complete failure. Occasionally you may be able to reboot your computer a couple of more times and get it to work, but this is a certain indication that you need to back up whatever files you can and replace the drive.
If you do get this error message, don't be fooled into trying to reformat the drive as this will cause you to lose all of your data.
8. You get an 'operating system not found' error.
This is an indication that your hard drive is severely damaged and is not working at all. If this happens, your computer can not detect the drive and you'll need a new hard drive as well as the services of a data recovery company to retrieve your lost files.
9. Your computer frequently reboots on its own.
If this happens occasionally, it may not indicate a bigger problem, but if your computer often reboots on its own during use this can be a sign that your drive is approaching the point of failure. If this problem starts to happen with increasing frequency, it's a very clear sign that there is a major problem.
10. The "Blue Screen of Death."
The dreaded "Blue Screen of Death" is more technically called a Stop Error Screen, and presents itself as a series of error messages on a bright blue background screen. A stop error screen can be a sign of any one of several computer malfunctions and most commonly indicates a problem with a device driver. However, it can also be a sign that your hard drive is near the end of the line.
If you see any of these signs, the best thing to do is to back up your files as soon as possible, with the most important files taking priority. Recognizing these signs and acting on them quickly gives you a better chance of saving your important files.
If your computer has already crashed, you may want to contact a reputable data recovery company. A data recovery specialist can recover lost files in many cases. The sooner you take action, the better chance that you can save your data.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kyle_Stevenson
18 March, 2011
Rectify Hard Drive Errors by Hard Drive Recovery
Sometimes, upgrading of the system to Windows XP results in data loss situations. Like, numerous attempts to start the system remains unsuccessful. Have you ever tried to find out the reason for such behavior. This happens because of corrupt or damaged setup file on hard drive. While upgrade that set up file cannot get overwritten. But with the aid of some appropriate measures, such kind of situations can be easily tackled. For good results, you can choose a third party hard drive data recovery tools.
Using a third party tool for hard drive recovery is a best option when all else methods fail.
Consider a realistic situation. When you make an attempt to upgrade your system to Windows XP. It fails and any of the below listed error message appears on the screen that looks exactly same as given below:
"C0000221 (Bad Image Checksum)"
OR
"STOP: C0000221 - Bad Image Checksum in ModuleName"
OR
"STOP: C0000221 - Bad Image Checksum. User32.dll is possibly corrupt. The header check sum does not match the computed check sum.
Cause:
There could be the following reasons for above problem:
Existence of damaged file in the Windows folder, and the file cannot get overwritten while performing the Setup program.
Faulty one or all of the RAM memory modules installed in computer system. It might be possible configuration of RAM is not compatible.
Solution:
By following measures above problematic situation can be tackled:
Restore a new copy of the User32.dll file from Windows XP CD: Restore a new copy to the drive:\Windows\System32 folder on your hard drive.
Replace the faulty RAM from your system.
Install Windows in a different location.
If none of the following measures help you to sort out the issue, then there is no need to get worry. Hard Drive Data Recovery tools are ready to help you. A lots of software have been so far developed for carrying out the process of Windows hdd recovery with much ease. These tools have read-only nature and are non-destructive conduct. You do not need to take any external help for using these software.
Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is a result-oriented tool that is specifically designed for hard drive recovery. It recovers data from almost all the storage devices. Data from lost. Formatted FAT, NTFS, and exFAT file systems get recovered. Deleted e-mails of Outlook and Outlook Express application can also be recovered. It shows compatibility with Windows 7, Vista, Server 2003, XP, 2000, and NT4(SP6).
Dushyant a student of Mass Communication doing research on Partition recovery. He is also a freelancer for Partition Recovery Software
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dushyant_Singh
Using a third party tool for hard drive recovery is a best option when all else methods fail.
Consider a realistic situation. When you make an attempt to upgrade your system to Windows XP. It fails and any of the below listed error message appears on the screen that looks exactly same as given below:
"C0000221 (Bad Image Checksum)"
OR
"STOP: C0000221 - Bad Image Checksum in ModuleName"
OR
"STOP: C0000221 - Bad Image Checksum. User32.dll is possibly corrupt. The header check sum does not match the computed check sum.
Cause:
There could be the following reasons for above problem:
Existence of damaged file in the Windows folder, and the file cannot get overwritten while performing the Setup program.
Faulty one or all of the RAM memory modules installed in computer system. It might be possible configuration of RAM is not compatible.
Solution:
By following measures above problematic situation can be tackled:
Restore a new copy of the User32.dll file from Windows XP CD: Restore a new copy to the drive:\Windows\System32 folder on your hard drive.
Replace the faulty RAM from your system.
Install Windows in a different location.
If none of the following measures help you to sort out the issue, then there is no need to get worry. Hard Drive Data Recovery tools are ready to help you. A lots of software have been so far developed for carrying out the process of Windows hdd recovery with much ease. These tools have read-only nature and are non-destructive conduct. You do not need to take any external help for using these software.
Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is a result-oriented tool that is specifically designed for hard drive recovery. It recovers data from almost all the storage devices. Data from lost. Formatted FAT, NTFS, and exFAT file systems get recovered. Deleted e-mails of Outlook and Outlook Express application can also be recovered. It shows compatibility with Windows 7, Vista, Server 2003, XP, 2000, and NT4(SP6).
Dushyant a student of Mass Communication doing research on Partition recovery. He is also a freelancer for Partition Recovery Software
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dushyant_Singh
Important Distinctions Between Full System Backup, Continuous Backup, and Incremental Backup
There are many methods of data backup, stemming from many decades ago to the very recent past. Here we'll address a few different kinds of backup and some of the more technical aspects of their usefulness.
Unstructured Backup - This is when a user performs data backup of selected material manually, usually to Jazz or CD, with minimal regularity, continuity, or organization. It requires a low amount of investment and little effort, but yields a low level of recoverability.
Full System Backup - This is when a user executes a backup of the entire system disk, creating a duplicate image. Full system backup can be performed manually or on an automated schedule. It enables a high level of recoverability, but takes a long time to perform, so it is usually done biweekly or monthly. It often requires professional guidance during the restoration process as well.
Incremental Backup - This is the most common data backup method on a professional level. Upon initiation, a full system backup is performed to create a baseline. Thereafter, incremental backups are performed which only backup changed data. There are various methods of accomplishing this. Simple incremental backup just backs up whatever data has changed since the last time an incremental backup was performed. It they are scheduled to run daily, an incremental backup will record all changes made for the last 24 hours. This is considerably faster and less resource-intensive than a full system backup. The downside is that it further complicates the data restoration process, as it will be incomplete without each piece of incremental backup data (there can be hundreds or thousands).
Another form of incremental backup is differential backup. Like incremental backup, it begins with a full system backup, then tracks changes made. Unlike incremental backup, a differential backup system records the changes made relative to the initial full system backup. This means there is more data getting backed up, so the process takes longer than simple incremental backup. Yet it only requires two files to fully restore a system - the initial full system backup, and the most recent differential backup. This is often considered the best simple compromise between full system backup and simple incremental backup.
Yet a third and more sophisticated variety of incremental data protection is the multi-leveled or multi-tiered incremental backup solution. In this solution, backups are scheduled and designated levels or tiers. Level 0 is a full system backup. For each other level n, backup data is tracked relative to the most recent n-1 level backup. If you start with a level 0 backup, then schedule level 1 backups Mondays and Fridays, and level 2 backups Wednesdays, The Monday and Friday backups will record everything changed since the initial level 0 backup. The Wednesday backups, however, will only record changes made since Monday, because it is a level 2 backup (and Monday's was a level 1). Though more complex, this system allows for a much higher level of resource management. For large amounts of data (thinks terabytes of corporate data) this can be a significant boost in available processing power. By customizing your incremental levels, you can optimize your ratio of data security to processing power consumption.
The most recent advent to mainstream data security is continuous backup. It is essentially a modernized, upgraded version of disk mirroring. In a disk mirror scenario, a backup drive is setup to simply mimic a drive you select - every change continuously throughout the day. Continuous backup takes this concept one step further by tracking the changes made, enabling the user to roll them back and thus restore their system to virtually any point in time. This is the simplest and most reliable backup method for home users and small business - situations in which there is a limited amount of data changing at any given time. The only limitation is processing power - a newer system is important to manage to disk syncing without perceivable changes in performance. Continuous backup can also be successful for large-scale operations, provided it is implemented at a low (user-end) level (such that there are a manageable number of changes processed at any one given time). For home and small business users with older systems, differential backup can offer better performance, but provides a lesser degree of reliable system restoration and requires more user input and understanding of the implemented software. Ultimately continuous data protection is an excellent upgrade solution for home and small business users in the process of upgrading their older computer systems.
At Rebit, http://rebit.com, Dennis and two co-founders created something referred to as "ridiculously simple backup". Rebit products are ideal for small business, relieving the burden of backup for IT providers and PC users. The Rebit SaveMe product is the only backup and recovery solution that starts working the minute it is installed, keeping PCs continuously protected from crashes, viruses or accidental file deletions. All Rebit products are continuous, complete, and easy to use. There are no buttons, no schedules, and no configurations. In the event of a catastrophe, one can easily and quickly recover individual files, entire folders, or restore the complete system to a point in time. For more information: http://rebit.com/products/product-comparison/.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_B._Batchelor
Unstructured Backup - This is when a user performs data backup of selected material manually, usually to Jazz or CD, with minimal regularity, continuity, or organization. It requires a low amount of investment and little effort, but yields a low level of recoverability.
Full System Backup - This is when a user executes a backup of the entire system disk, creating a duplicate image. Full system backup can be performed manually or on an automated schedule. It enables a high level of recoverability, but takes a long time to perform, so it is usually done biweekly or monthly. It often requires professional guidance during the restoration process as well.
Incremental Backup - This is the most common data backup method on a professional level. Upon initiation, a full system backup is performed to create a baseline. Thereafter, incremental backups are performed which only backup changed data. There are various methods of accomplishing this. Simple incremental backup just backs up whatever data has changed since the last time an incremental backup was performed. It they are scheduled to run daily, an incremental backup will record all changes made for the last 24 hours. This is considerably faster and less resource-intensive than a full system backup. The downside is that it further complicates the data restoration process, as it will be incomplete without each piece of incremental backup data (there can be hundreds or thousands).
Another form of incremental backup is differential backup. Like incremental backup, it begins with a full system backup, then tracks changes made. Unlike incremental backup, a differential backup system records the changes made relative to the initial full system backup. This means there is more data getting backed up, so the process takes longer than simple incremental backup. Yet it only requires two files to fully restore a system - the initial full system backup, and the most recent differential backup. This is often considered the best simple compromise between full system backup and simple incremental backup.
Yet a third and more sophisticated variety of incremental data protection is the multi-leveled or multi-tiered incremental backup solution. In this solution, backups are scheduled and designated levels or tiers. Level 0 is a full system backup. For each other level n, backup data is tracked relative to the most recent n-1 level backup. If you start with a level 0 backup, then schedule level 1 backups Mondays and Fridays, and level 2 backups Wednesdays, The Monday and Friday backups will record everything changed since the initial level 0 backup. The Wednesday backups, however, will only record changes made since Monday, because it is a level 2 backup (and Monday's was a level 1). Though more complex, this system allows for a much higher level of resource management. For large amounts of data (thinks terabytes of corporate data) this can be a significant boost in available processing power. By customizing your incremental levels, you can optimize your ratio of data security to processing power consumption.
The most recent advent to mainstream data security is continuous backup. It is essentially a modernized, upgraded version of disk mirroring. In a disk mirror scenario, a backup drive is setup to simply mimic a drive you select - every change continuously throughout the day. Continuous backup takes this concept one step further by tracking the changes made, enabling the user to roll them back and thus restore their system to virtually any point in time. This is the simplest and most reliable backup method for home users and small business - situations in which there is a limited amount of data changing at any given time. The only limitation is processing power - a newer system is important to manage to disk syncing without perceivable changes in performance. Continuous backup can also be successful for large-scale operations, provided it is implemented at a low (user-end) level (such that there are a manageable number of changes processed at any one given time). For home and small business users with older systems, differential backup can offer better performance, but provides a lesser degree of reliable system restoration and requires more user input and understanding of the implemented software. Ultimately continuous data protection is an excellent upgrade solution for home and small business users in the process of upgrading their older computer systems.
At Rebit, http://rebit.com, Dennis and two co-founders created something referred to as "ridiculously simple backup". Rebit products are ideal for small business, relieving the burden of backup for IT providers and PC users. The Rebit SaveMe product is the only backup and recovery solution that starts working the minute it is installed, keeping PCs continuously protected from crashes, viruses or accidental file deletions. All Rebit products are continuous, complete, and easy to use. There are no buttons, no schedules, and no configurations. In the event of a catastrophe, one can easily and quickly recover individual files, entire folders, or restore the complete system to a point in time. For more information: http://rebit.com/products/product-comparison/.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_B._Batchelor
Top 10 Signals That Your Hard Drive Is About to Crash
Nothing lasts forever, including your computer's hard drive. Hard drives are mechanical devices and as such they will eventually wear out and stop working. When this happens you may lose any data stored on the drive, and if you don't have proper backups in place, there is no guarantee you can get that data back.
Fortunately, in many cases, your hard drive will begin to show signs of degradation before it fails completely. There are no guarantees, but this may give you time to properly back up your files and replace your hard drive before it dies completely.
Here are the top 10 signs of an impending hard drive failure:
1. Unusual grinding or clicking noises.
If you hear any unusual sounds coming from your computer, it may be a sign of mechanical damage within the hard disk. Often it's an indicator of damage to the read/write heads. If the read/write heads are damaged, they can come into contact with the disk platter, marring the surface and making it impossible to access your data.
2. Your computer locks up during booting.
Virtually all computers experience this problem on occasion, but if it happens regularly or becomes increasingly frequent, it is often a sign that there is a serious problem.
3. Files suddenly go missing for no apparent reason.
If files start to disappear and you're sure you haven't deleted them by mistake, it is likely a sign of hard drive failure. Sometimes the deleted files may not be important, but you may begin to lose important system files that could drastically affect the performance of your computer.
4. Incredibly long wait times to access your files.
Sometimes it takes a little bit longer to access your files than usual. This is normal and can be due to a variety of factors. However, if it routinely takes an extremely long time to access your files, this can be a sign that your hard drive has been compromised.
5. You get a message that your hard drive is not recognized by the system BIOS.
If you get an error message saying that your system BIOS (Basic Input Output System) can't access or doesn't recognize your hard drive, you have a problem. Another variation of this scenario is that the drive is identified as being a different make or model that it actually is. Either way, in all likelihood this means your drive is not working properly and needs to be replaced.
6. Your computer frequently locks up during the booting process.
Sometimes computers lock up during the booting process. In isolation, this is not necessarily an indication of a bigger problem. If it begins to happen on a regular basis, chances are that the drive is beginning to fail.
7. You get an error message saying that the hard drive is not formatted.
This is a sign that your hard drive is very close to complete failure. Occasionally you may be able to reboot your computer a couple of more times and get it to work, but this is a certain indication that you need to back up whatever files you can and replace the drive.
If you do get this error message, don't be fooled into trying to reformat the drive as this will cause you to lose all of your data.
8. You get an 'operating system not found' error.
This is an indication that your hard drive is severely damaged and is not working at all. If this happens, your computer can not detect the drive and you'll need a new hard drive as well as the services of a data recovery company to retrieve your lost files.
9. Your computer frequently reboots on its own.
If this happens occasionally, it may not indicate a bigger problem, but if your computer often reboots on its own during use this can be a sign that your drive is approaching the point of failure. If this problem starts to happen with increasing frequency, it's a very clear sign that there is a major problem.
10. The "Blue Screen of Death."
The dreaded "Blue Screen of Death" is more technically called a Stop Error Screen, and presents itself as a series of error messages on a bright blue background screen. A stop error screen can be a sign of any one of several computer malfunctions and most commonly indicates a problem with a device driver. However, it can also be a sign that your hard drive is near the end of the line.
If you see any of these signs, the best thing to do is to back up your files as soon as possible, with the most important files taking priority. Recognizing these signs and acting on them quickly gives you a better chance of saving your important files.
If your computer has already crashed, you may want to contact a reputable data recovery company. A data recovery specialist can recover lost files in many cases. The sooner you take action, the better chance that you can save your data.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kyle_Stevenson
Fortunately, in many cases, your hard drive will begin to show signs of degradation before it fails completely. There are no guarantees, but this may give you time to properly back up your files and replace your hard drive before it dies completely.
Here are the top 10 signs of an impending hard drive failure:
1. Unusual grinding or clicking noises.
If you hear any unusual sounds coming from your computer, it may be a sign of mechanical damage within the hard disk. Often it's an indicator of damage to the read/write heads. If the read/write heads are damaged, they can come into contact with the disk platter, marring the surface and making it impossible to access your data.
2. Your computer locks up during booting.
Virtually all computers experience this problem on occasion, but if it happens regularly or becomes increasingly frequent, it is often a sign that there is a serious problem.
3. Files suddenly go missing for no apparent reason.
If files start to disappear and you're sure you haven't deleted them by mistake, it is likely a sign of hard drive failure. Sometimes the deleted files may not be important, but you may begin to lose important system files that could drastically affect the performance of your computer.
4. Incredibly long wait times to access your files.
Sometimes it takes a little bit longer to access your files than usual. This is normal and can be due to a variety of factors. However, if it routinely takes an extremely long time to access your files, this can be a sign that your hard drive has been compromised.
5. You get a message that your hard drive is not recognized by the system BIOS.
If you get an error message saying that your system BIOS (Basic Input Output System) can't access or doesn't recognize your hard drive, you have a problem. Another variation of this scenario is that the drive is identified as being a different make or model that it actually is. Either way, in all likelihood this means your drive is not working properly and needs to be replaced.
6. Your computer frequently locks up during the booting process.
Sometimes computers lock up during the booting process. In isolation, this is not necessarily an indication of a bigger problem. If it begins to happen on a regular basis, chances are that the drive is beginning to fail.
7. You get an error message saying that the hard drive is not formatted.
This is a sign that your hard drive is very close to complete failure. Occasionally you may be able to reboot your computer a couple of more times and get it to work, but this is a certain indication that you need to back up whatever files you can and replace the drive.
If you do get this error message, don't be fooled into trying to reformat the drive as this will cause you to lose all of your data.
8. You get an 'operating system not found' error.
This is an indication that your hard drive is severely damaged and is not working at all. If this happens, your computer can not detect the drive and you'll need a new hard drive as well as the services of a data recovery company to retrieve your lost files.
9. Your computer frequently reboots on its own.
If this happens occasionally, it may not indicate a bigger problem, but if your computer often reboots on its own during use this can be a sign that your drive is approaching the point of failure. If this problem starts to happen with increasing frequency, it's a very clear sign that there is a major problem.
10. The "Blue Screen of Death."
The dreaded "Blue Screen of Death" is more technically called a Stop Error Screen, and presents itself as a series of error messages on a bright blue background screen. A stop error screen can be a sign of any one of several computer malfunctions and most commonly indicates a problem with a device driver. However, it can also be a sign that your hard drive is near the end of the line.
If you see any of these signs, the best thing to do is to back up your files as soon as possible, with the most important files taking priority. Recognizing these signs and acting on them quickly gives you a better chance of saving your important files.
If your computer has already crashed, you may want to contact a reputable data recovery company. A data recovery specialist can recover lost files in many cases. The sooner you take action, the better chance that you can save your data.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kyle_Stevenson
16 March, 2011
Formatted Drive File Recovery on Mac and Windows
Formatting is a term which is always misunderstood by many PC users. Most users think of formatting as a method that is used to permanently wipe out all the data present on a particular drive. While erasure of data is definitely correct, the fact is that they are not permanently erased instead the space occupied by the data is marked as empty, so that fresh data gets written into those empty spaces. In majority of times formatting is done, to prepare the hard drive for installation of the operating system, or in case of a USB drive to fill in new data etc. In normal circumstances formatting goes on without an issue and there is no chance for data loss to take place. However, there are times when formatting could lead to data loss. In this article we will discuss about some such scenarios and the solutions to overcome the issue.
The first and the most common issue, in which data loss occurs is due to accidental formatting by the user. There are times when the user wants to get rid of an infected file on a particular drive, which appears to be causing issues with data access. In such a scenario, the user might accidentally end up formatting the wrong partition. This is a common issue not only in Window but also Mac users. It is an issue that affects not only fixed hard drives but also external hard drives. In times of data loss in this manner, the user needs to make use of a Windows or Mac external hard drive recovery software to recover the deleted data.
This issue is not only restricted to hard drives, but also affects other storage media like USB drives and flash memory cards. In the case of these devices, the issue pops up in a different manner. The issue of loss of data comes up when the USB drive or the memory card is plugged into the PC, and there is an immediate message that pops up on the screen that asks the user whether he wants to format the drive. The user has no other option, but to go ahead with formatting if the device needs to be used any further.
However, the user can still recover files from formatted drive, as the data is still present on the storage media but is not visible. The user needs to get hold of a good data recovery utility that can complete the job efficiently and with ease.
Susan George heads the product partition of a leading technology company based in Silicon Valley. He has successfully guided the team in bringing out many software utilities to Mac external hard drive recovery, recover data from hard drives, and partitions and external hard drive recovery.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_George
The first and the most common issue, in which data loss occurs is due to accidental formatting by the user. There are times when the user wants to get rid of an infected file on a particular drive, which appears to be causing issues with data access. In such a scenario, the user might accidentally end up formatting the wrong partition. This is a common issue not only in Window but also Mac users. It is an issue that affects not only fixed hard drives but also external hard drives. In times of data loss in this manner, the user needs to make use of a Windows or Mac external hard drive recovery software to recover the deleted data.
This issue is not only restricted to hard drives, but also affects other storage media like USB drives and flash memory cards. In the case of these devices, the issue pops up in a different manner. The issue of loss of data comes up when the USB drive or the memory card is plugged into the PC, and there is an immediate message that pops up on the screen that asks the user whether he wants to format the drive. The user has no other option, but to go ahead with formatting if the device needs to be used any further.
However, the user can still recover files from formatted drive, as the data is still present on the storage media but is not visible. The user needs to get hold of a good data recovery utility that can complete the job efficiently and with ease.
Susan George heads the product partition of a leading technology company based in Silicon Valley. He has successfully guided the team in bringing out many software utilities to Mac external hard drive recovery, recover data from hard drives, and partitions and external hard drive recovery.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_George
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