Data Recovery

hard drive data recovery Warnings about data loss can seem inconsequential until it happens to you. Over 31% of computer users will suffer a catastrophic data loss this year, and of those, 60% are small businesses. What we tend to forget is that it's not a question of how, but when your computer might crash. Computers can be a ticking time bomb and knowing what to do when it explodes can be a life saver.

If you don't have a good backup strategy in place, data recovery can be a tricky situation. The most important thing to be aware of is that you should turn off your computer and not use it unless absolutely necessary. The general rule of thumb is that the longer you use your computer, the less likely it is that your data can be recovered. Regardless of the situation, never assume that data is unrecoverable.

Don't Delay

When facing the prospect of losing important work, photos or other documents, it's important to act quickly. Oregon Tech Support provides file and data recovery for hard drives, USB flash drives, external drives and many others. In addition to having the expertise to recover your data, we provide our clients with many options for the types of data recovery that they'd like us to perform.

Assessment

A detailed assessment will increase the odds in recovering your lost data. Factors that are considered include the types of files involved, recent modifications or changes and the type of media involved. The most common physical hard drive failure is contact of the heads to the media surface. This is typically known as a head crash and can cause significant data loss.

Prevention

The best way to recover from a data loss is to have a backup system in place. In fact, the art of having more than one type of backup is rapidly becoming a requirement rather than a simple luxury, due in part to the amount of data we now store electronically: Documents, music, photographs, and so forth. We detail this and additional tips for small businesses in Oregon Business Magazine's article, Prevent a Tech Disaster by Preparing for the Worst.

The Sounds of Failure

Here are some samples of what you would expect a failing hard drive to sound like.

This is what a damaged hard drive can sound like.

This is what a healthy hard drive should sound like.

Data Recovery Software or Service?

Assess the value of the data.
The use of data recovery or utility software can potentially cause aditional data loss. The use of a professional data recovery service will maximize the chances of recovering data.
Do not attempt recovery yourself on severely traumatized drives (i.e., turning the computer off and on, using over-the-counter diagnostic tools), as this may cause further damage or permanent data loss.
If the drive makes scraping, tapping, clicking, or humming sounds do not use data recovery or utility software.
Do not power up a device that has obvious physical damage.
Shut down the computer to avoid further damage to the drive and its data.

Best Practices to Avoid Data Loss

Backup your data regularly.
Never upgrade any system without a verified backup of the data.
Scan all incoming data, including packaged software, for viruses.
Use ventilation, fans, and/or air conditioning to keep servers at the proper operating temperature.
Connect systems to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to protect against power surges.
Power down and take extreme caution when moving computers.
Avoid static electrical charges when touching or handling the media.
Contact a data recovery specialist immediately if a hard drive makes scraping, tapping, clicking, or humming sounds.

Backup Strategies

Assume that your hard drive will eventually fail.
Do not rely on a single method or type of backup strategy. Instead, use a minimum of two.
Consider possible options such as DVD, external hard drive, or a managed online backup service.
Create an automated scheduled backup procedure.
Periodically test and restore your backup to verify that data is being backed up properly.
Keep at least one verified backup of critical data off-site in a secured and environmentally controlled location.

Preparing Your Drive

If you will be shipping your drive to us for data recovery, the following steps will help expedite the process:

Wwrap the device needing data recovery in an anti-static bag or standard zip-lock bag.
Secure the device in a sturdy shipping box right with three inches of packing material firmly placed around all sides to prevent movement. Padded packing box rightes for both laptops and hard drives are often available at most shipping centers.
Do not include data cables, manuals or software unless requested by us.
Do not send the original product box right to us. We do not save or return packaging materials.
If you are sending us an external hard drive that has a power adaptor that plugs into the wall, include this in your shipment.
Use a shipping provider such as UPS or FedEx that can provides a package tracking number.
Make sure to insure the package for the replacement value of your device.
If you are also sending us an external hard drive to recover your data to, please label it with the word, "Target".

For appointments, scheduling or any questions, feel free to contact us directly at 541-525-9086.