hard drive
Reviving a hard drive is not an exact science with guaranteed results, as luck is a definite part of the equation. Mechanical and electrical problems, hardware failures, corrupted software and user error are the leading causes of data loss. Heat can damage a hard drive and static electricity can ruin a motherboard. However, there are steps anyone can take to try to save a hard drive. If those steps don't work there are many experts in the field who can possibly recover the data.
Assess the Problem
Avoid jumping to conclusions just because the hard drive appears to be malfunctioning. When hard drives stop working, experts say their are either "dead" or "perceived dead." If it is merely perceived dead, the problem may be caused by the data cable or power plug being ajar, a bad boot sector or not even the hard drive at all. A bad processor, motherboard, memory or IRQ conflict caused by another device could be the culprit. The trouble might also be attributed to the BIOs battey, the BIOs or maybe MS Windows is corrupt. People falsely assume hard drive issues all the time.
Risks of Data Recovery Software
Installing software after data damage increases the risk of data being overwritten. When using such software avoid recovering files to the same disk. Use another drive, a network or removable media. Check applications to see if they still run. Even the best recovery software can't guarantee 100-percent results. Do not buy items from spam solicitations sent to your email, which can make the problem worse.
Using Data Recovery Software
If the hard drive is not accessible, take it out and make it a second hard drive on another PC, then run data recovery software to see if the data is visible. If the data is not visible, the hard drive is toast. If it is visible, you can repair it and retrieve everything you've deleted. Recovery programs involve selecting the disk where lost files are located and letting the program analyze content of the disk, which takes time. Then select the files you want to recover and provide a location where you want to save them. Some of the popular software used for data recovery includes Windows Data Recovery, Linux Data Recovery, Mac Data Recovery, Novell Data Recovery and Unix Data Recovery. If running recovery software yourself doesn't work, consider taking the hard drive to a data recovery specialist.
Freeze the Hard Drive
An option to try if initial attempts fail is to freeze the hard drive in a waterproof bag. This makes data more accessible at least temporarily, especially if the hard drive has been overheated. Make sure whenever you handle a hard drive you treat it very gently since it can be easily damaged. After an hour in the freezer reinstall the hard drive. Then see if you are able to retrieve data. If not, put the hard drive back in the freezer overnight and try fetching data again the next day. Don't let the hard drive get too warm. If the drive doesn't make a clicking sound copy data as quickly as possible. If the drive is spinning with errors, you may be out of luck.
Prevention is Key
As with human health, prevention of problems is always better than treatment of problems. One of the most basic things you can do to avoid hardware damage is using proper ventilation and fans so that the hard drive never gets overheated. Be careful whenever you move a computer and make sure you shut down the power first. You can reduce the risk of dangerous power surges by connecting to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Make sure the placement of the computer is not subject to static electricity. Stay up to date on firewalls and virus protection. Finally, back up data as often as possible and do not make software upgrades without backups. Make sure at least one backup stays offline.
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