Data Recovery — The Basics
When you turn your computer on, it takes a while to start up. All the information that your computer needs in order to run has to be read from the hard drive. When you are working on a document and you save it, it is to the hard drive that the file is saved.
Hard drives are the most mechanical part of a personal computer. They contain platters that store information electromagnetically. These platters spin and are read by a needle, much in the same way that an old l.p. record spins on a turntable. What is remarkable is the speed at which the platters spin—between 40 and 100 thousand r.p.m.'s. Failing hard drives are often characterized by an abnormal "clicking" or "grinding" noise.
The hard drive is often the first part of a computer to fail. Each year, hard drives are being manufactured with larger and larger capacities—while simultaneously becoming more affordable. The drawback is that drives are also becoming less reliable.
Data Loss
When a hard drive is starting to fail, it can create all kinds of odd behavior when the computer is running. It may become unstable, "freeze", or display all sorts of weird symptoms. When the hard drive fails completely, your operating system cannot load. You may receive an error message, such as "Insert boot disk" or "NTLDR is missing". Mac users may see a flashing folder with a question mark.
A failing hard drive is not the only reason for data loss. Some of the other causes of data loss include power surges & outages, static electricity, lightning strikes, fire, water damage, sabotage, viruses, accidents, and, most commonly, user error (deleted files, formatted / f-disked drives).
You should never assume that your valuable data is not recoverable. Data is actually recoverable in many instances. The key question is whether or not your hard drive is catastrophically damaged. Assuming that it isn't, there are a number of techniques that I've learned to recover data.
Data Recovery
It can be a long process to extract files once the overall structure of the data has been corrupted. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee of success. I have enjoyed a pretty good success rate, however.
Catastrophic Hard Drive Failure
In the case of hard drives that have completely failed, a quick internet search will reveal a number of companies that offer data recovery services that are far more in advance of what I can offer. It is a highly specialized field; you'll need to courier your hard drive to their labs—and these services are very expensive. When a client is faced with the horrors of data loss, if I cannot recover the data myself, I can usually point them in the right direction.
Please contact me if you have any questions.
"Thank you so much for recovering my files. I thought that I was faced with recreating months of work. Also, some of the pictures that you retrieved are of immeasurable sentimental value to my family."
— Brian Langa,
Nelson, BC
"I appreciate the prompt service that you provided for me when I needed your help. To be honest, I hope that I will never need your help again—but I'll certainly recommend you to others who do."
— Amelia Barry,
British Columbia
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