One of the worst feelings computer users can have is the realization that their computer's hard drive has crashed, taking with it sensitive and valuable data. Often this data can be recovered with the help of a data recovery specialist, though it can be expensive and will take some time.
Types of Hard Drive Failure
One of the best ways to protect yourself against this problem is to be aware of the signs that your hard drive is about to crash. There are four main causes of hard drive failure and each comes with its own warning signs.
1. Mechanical failure.
When a hard drive experiences mechanical failure, it means that one of the physical components of the drive has stopped working properly due to physical damage, improper use, or simple wear and tear.
The most common sign that your computer is about to crash due to mechanical failure are unusual noises coming from the drive, most often a grinding or clicking sound. Data lost due to mechanical failure can only be recovered by taking the drive apart in dust free clean room conditions. As you can imagine, this should only be attempted by a data recovery specialist who has the proper tools and environment to successfully recover the data.
If you think your drive is nearing mechanical failure, do not try to fix the drive yourself. There is nothing the average computer user can do to repair the disk and you are very likely to further contaminate the drive and risk rendering your data unrecoverable. The drive needs to be sent to a qualified data recovery specialist who can make a virtual copy of the drive and retrieve the data.
2. Firmware Corruption or Damage.
Your hard disk's firmware is the code that controls the physical components of your hard drive. If this firmware gets corrupted, your computer may not be able to properly interact with your hard drive.
When this happens, the hard disk may spin when powered on, but may not be recognised properly or at all by the system BIOS. Another possibility is that the disk is properly recognised, but the computer will "hang" when you try to boot.
If you think your computer is experiencing a firmware problem, you should contact a data recovery specialist who may be able to perform the low level reprogramming necessary to recover the data from your drive.
3. Electronic Failure.
Electronic failure occurs when the hard disk will not spin when the drive is powered on. You will get no response or noise from the drive and it won't be recognised by the system BIOS.
This is a symptom of a problem with the controller board of your hard drive. The most common cause of this type of electronic failure is a power surge or electrical spike. Sometimes you can even see electrical burns around one of chips on the control board.
In terms of data recovery, this is probably your best scenario in terms of being able to recover your data. The files and information are still on the disk, and the disk is most often intact, which allows a data recovery specialist to recover your data easily.
4. Logical Errors.
Logical errors can be frustrating because they tend to be either the easiest or most difficult issues in terms of recovering your lost files. In the case of logical errors, the drive itself is fine, the problem is with the information contained on the drive.
Some logical errors can be fixed with data recovery programs, but this is a risky option. Sometimes when running data recovery programs you risk over-writing your data and rendering it permanently unrecoverable. A qualified data recovery specialist can help recover your data without risking further damage or loss.
When you send your drive out to be repaired, it's important that you pack it up properly to protect it from further damage. It's best to pack your drive with its original packaging, but if this isn't possible, make sure you pack it in a box at least twice as large as the drive to allow room for sufficient packing material.
Place the drive in a static resistant bag (a plastic freezer bag will do) and wrap the drive in bubble wrap or similar packing material. Make sure you include your contact information and a brief summary of the problem in the box and mark the box as "FRAGILE" for shipping.
For best results, use an overnight shipping company to minimize the amount of time that the drive will be in transit. Advise the data recovery company when the drive should be expected to arrive so that they can let you know if it doesn't arrive as planned. You may want to consider buying shipping insurance if the data is particularly valuable.
Data recovery can take hours, days, and in some large scale RAID data recovery [http://www.sydneydatarecovery.com.au/raid-recovery.html] projects, longer. But for the average computer user, your data can be recovered in as little as 12 to 24 hours! As a general rule, you have about an 80% chance of your data being recoverable, provided you have taken the right steps to contain the problem and prevent further damage.
Types of Hard Drive Failure
One of the best ways to protect yourself against this problem is to be aware of the signs that your hard drive is about to crash. There are four main causes of hard drive failure and each comes with its own warning signs.
1. Mechanical failure.
When a hard drive experiences mechanical failure, it means that one of the physical components of the drive has stopped working properly due to physical damage, improper use, or simple wear and tear.
The most common sign that your computer is about to crash due to mechanical failure are unusual noises coming from the drive, most often a grinding or clicking sound. Data lost due to mechanical failure can only be recovered by taking the drive apart in dust free clean room conditions. As you can imagine, this should only be attempted by a data recovery specialist who has the proper tools and environment to successfully recover the data.
If you think your drive is nearing mechanical failure, do not try to fix the drive yourself. There is nothing the average computer user can do to repair the disk and you are very likely to further contaminate the drive and risk rendering your data unrecoverable. The drive needs to be sent to a qualified data recovery specialist who can make a virtual copy of the drive and retrieve the data.
2. Firmware Corruption or Damage.
Your hard disk's firmware is the code that controls the physical components of your hard drive. If this firmware gets corrupted, your computer may not be able to properly interact with your hard drive.
When this happens, the hard disk may spin when powered on, but may not be recognised properly or at all by the system BIOS. Another possibility is that the disk is properly recognised, but the computer will "hang" when you try to boot.
If you think your computer is experiencing a firmware problem, you should contact a data recovery specialist who may be able to perform the low level reprogramming necessary to recover the data from your drive.
3. Electronic Failure.
Electronic failure occurs when the hard disk will not spin when the drive is powered on. You will get no response or noise from the drive and it won't be recognised by the system BIOS.
This is a symptom of a problem with the controller board of your hard drive. The most common cause of this type of electronic failure is a power surge or electrical spike. Sometimes you can even see electrical burns around one of chips on the control board.
In terms of data recovery, this is probably your best scenario in terms of being able to recover your data. The files and information are still on the disk, and the disk is most often intact, which allows a data recovery specialist to recover your data easily.
4. Logical Errors.
Logical errors can be frustrating because they tend to be either the easiest or most difficult issues in terms of recovering your lost files. In the case of logical errors, the drive itself is fine, the problem is with the information contained on the drive.
Some logical errors can be fixed with data recovery programs, but this is a risky option. Sometimes when running data recovery programs you risk over-writing your data and rendering it permanently unrecoverable. A qualified data recovery specialist can help recover your data without risking further damage or loss.
When you send your drive out to be repaired, it's important that you pack it up properly to protect it from further damage. It's best to pack your drive with its original packaging, but if this isn't possible, make sure you pack it in a box at least twice as large as the drive to allow room for sufficient packing material.
Place the drive in a static resistant bag (a plastic freezer bag will do) and wrap the drive in bubble wrap or similar packing material. Make sure you include your contact information and a brief summary of the problem in the box and mark the box as "FRAGILE" for shipping.
For best results, use an overnight shipping company to minimize the amount of time that the drive will be in transit. Advise the data recovery company when the drive should be expected to arrive so that they can let you know if it doesn't arrive as planned. You may want to consider buying shipping insurance if the data is particularly valuable.
Data recovery can take hours, days, and in some large scale RAID data recovery [http://www.sydneydatarecovery.com.au/raid-recovery.html] projects, longer. But for the average computer user, your data can be recovered in as little as 12 to 24 hours! As a general rule, you have about an 80% chance of your data being recoverable, provided you have taken the right steps to contain the problem and prevent further damage.
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