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[H74]Hard Disk Crash Recovery

by James Walsh, Jam

The hard disk is made very like a record player. It is comprised of round, polished platters, which are made up of aluminium alloy. Typically, a hard disk measures between 3.5 inches or 5.2 inches in diameter. Most consumer drives use a single platter but there are those that use two or four stacked platters. The platters are further divided into tracks. These tracks run in concentric circles which are further divided into sectors. These sectors help the hard drive to locate information easily.

When the Head Crashes

Several things can go wrong with a hard disk and a head crash is a specific type of hard disk failure. A head crash occurs when the read-write head of a hard disk drive touches a rotating platter. This leads to damage of the magnetic media on the surface of the platter, which can be catastrophic.

The head rides on a thin film of moving air. This air is trapped at the surface of the platter. A Teflon-like material, which acts like a lubricant, makes up the topmost layer of the platter. The layer underneath, is made up of sputtered carbon. These two layers protect the magnetic layer which stores data, from most accidental touches of the read-write head.

The tiniest particle of dirt can cause the head to bounce against the disk, which will destroy the thin magnetic coating on the disk. The read-write head is hard enough to scratch through the protective layers.

Most modern drives spin at rates between 5,000 and 15,000 rpm which is why when damage is caused due to a head crash, it can be extensive. The edge of the platter travels at over 74 miles per hour. When a head crash occurs, it drags over the platter surface, the read-write head generally overheats. This makes the drive unusable until such time that it cools.

If a user continues trying to use the drive, particles of material can increase the chance of further head crashes. This can lead to extensive data loss and will be very difficult to retrieve.

After a Head Crash

When a head crash occurs, a strange noise might emit from the computer and the screen may go blank. The average user might panic and try to restart the computer and worsen the situation. The best thing to do when there are obvious signs of a head crash is nothing. A head crash requires the intervention of experts to prevent permanent data loss.

Data recovery experts will take the hard drive off-site to a Clean Room and through a painstaking process, retrieve the data that has been lost.

Backup

Considering that head crashes can happen without too much provocation, it is extremely important for users to take regular backup of data. Regular backup ensures that a user will not suffer data loss and work can go on as usual. The market is flooded with various backup media options -- from floppies, CDs, DVDs, flash drives to remote or online backup options.

It is important to make backup a regular routine, as one cannot tell when a disk might fail. If backup is not taken seriously, the resulting data loss from a head crash can lead to serious consequences.

Maintaining a Hard Drive

It is important that a hard drive is kept in a clean and dust-free environment to maximise its longevity. Extreme temperature fluctuations or great heat can also lead to things going wrong with the hard drive. Therefore, it is important where a computer is kept. A hard drive comes with a definite shelf life of about three years, after which it behaves in an erratic manner.

While it might be tempting to try cheaper DIY methods of data recovery, a hard disk is a serious problem and requires an expert. Therefore, it is important not to meddle with the hard disk when the head crashes.

Conclusion

A head crash is problematic but does not cause irreversible damage. It is advisable for computer users to make themselves aware of the problems that can arise with a hard disk. This will help them deal with a problem and to be always prepared. As long as one is prepared, the world of information technology is extremely user-friendly.

A Hard Disk Crash - Cause and Identification

Hard disks fail due to logical or physical reasons. File system corruption, virus attacks, accidental deletion of files and electro static discharge can be categorised as logical failure of the drive. Logical failures get indicated when the drive is recognised by the BIOS but it does not boot. Recovering data from the logical failure of a drive is comparatively easy and can be attempted by downloading the data recovery software.

Physical failure of the drive can be indicated by the system BIOS not detecting the presence of a hard drive. Physical failure can either occur due to the mechanical or electronic failure of the hard disk. Mechanical failures occur due to component failure, while electronic failure occurs due to the failure of the circuit board. The computer interfaces the hard disk at the circuit board and its failure results in data loss. Electrical failure can occur unexpectedly at any time and it either occurs due to faulty components or electro static discharge.

Physical problems of the hard disk are indicated by:

•Peculiar noises that emerge from the hard disk drive
•Crashed hard disks might also become dead silent
•The pc might restart on its own
•The BIOS may not recognise or access the disk
•The hard disk might also show a boot failure and indicate that the boot records have to be updated.

Hard disk crashes occur due to varied reasons. It can be a power surge, software corruption or other hardware failure of the system that has caused the crash. Natural calamities (though rare) lead to a failure of the maximum number of computers simultaneously, while human error accounts for the maximum number of data loss situations.

After a hard disk crash, the prime fear of any computer user is that of losing valuable data. Quite frequently, the data contained in the disk is much more valuable than the monetary cost of the computer. However, the vast innovative strides in data recovery industry are making it possible to recover inaccessible data from crashed hard disks.

Recovering Data from Crashed Hard Disks

Data from crashed hard disks can either be recovered using the data recovery software or soliciting the services of data recovery professionals. At times, wrong handling by the computer user might damage data permanently.

A few precautionary measures by the user prevent permanent data damage.

•Hard disks should never be opened, to retrieve data.
•Data recovery software should not be used in event of a head crash
•No new software should be installed on the damaged drive
•Panic reactions like hitting, shaking or dropping the system should be avoided

These precautionary moves will enable recovery work; however, it is better to prevent data loss situations rather than searching for a recovery expert. Though we cannot prevent a hard disk crash, we can prevent data loss scenarios by creating a regular backup for all the generated data.

Computerised offices usually lack hard copy versions of their data. Even if they have a hard copy backup, it is not an effective protection against data loss due to natural disasters. For adequate data protection,

•Important data should be identified
•A backup must be created on a regular basis
•These reliable backup devices should be placed off-site to be really effective

Creating a data backup every night is highly recommended. Encrypting the information enhances the security of it. The right backup media should be selected according to each individual requirement. Though tape drives have been traditionally in use, the optical disks are fast turning the most favoured data storage devices as they have a long life and enable random data access.

As hard disks crash, usually due to events beyond our control, it is necessary that we protect the digital data we generate by creating adequate backup. In the absence of data backup, the crashed hard disks can be retrieved from the computer and shipped to the data recovery experts.

Article Source : Pc Data Recovery Software

About Author

Both James Walsh & James Wallis are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

James Walsh has sinced written about articles on various topics from Small Business, Binding Machines and Divorce and Infidelity. James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you are concerned about data loss and would like more information on see. James Walsh's top article generates over 368000 views. to your Favourites.

James Wallis has sinced written about articles on various topics from computers and the internet, Data Recovery and Infidelity. . James Wallis's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.