Computers and digital devices store data in a variety of ways. The most popular storage media is the hard disks which use a magnetic surface to record data digitally. Recently, a new type of hard disk ? the hybrid disk ? has hit the market. It offers USB storage along with the traditional magnetic storage to deliver phenomenal functionality at a very cheap price.

Optical disks are very popular these days for removable media storage. These are very cheap to produce but can store a huge amount of data. Tape drives that store information on a long length of narrow and soft magnetic tape are mostly used for archival data storage and backups by companies. The USB drives are a new technology that leverages flash memory to offer a huge storage capacity squeezed in a device that is no larger than a human thumb.

Though all these devices use different ways to store data, there is one thing common to all of them. They can lose all their data abruptly due to a variety of causes. The hardware causes include cases where the recording surface or device components have been physically damaged. These may range from the crash of read / write head over the platters in a hard disk to scratches on an optical disk's surface. The software causes relate to cases such as file corruption, virus attack or accidental deletion of a file or reformatting of the storage media by the user.

Data loss due to any cause is a serious issue and the first priority of the users is to get it back as soon as possible. In recent years, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) recovery software has become the rage among computer users. An entire industry has emerged that develops this software and offers it to users for download through the websites.

On the face of it, the DIY software seems to be a very convenient option compared to getting the data extracted professionally. It allows you to recover your data from the comfort of your home or office. You just have to browse the Internet, zero in on a DIY software of your choice, pay online and download it to your computer.

You can then immediately start recovering your data in a matter of minutes. Compared to professional recovery which may cost a fortune, DIY software comes out to be very cheap. It is also very fast because the storage device does not have to be physically delivered to the premises of the professional recovery outfit. However, DIY recovery is not as safe and easy as it sounds. There are some serious drawbacks associated with it.

When you choose to recover data yourself using DIY software, you are basically on your own with no one to guide you or clarify your doubts. Therefore, you should have a minimum of technical skills to operate the software. Many users are not computer-savvy and run the software improperly, thus worsening the problem and making any future recovery a much harder job.

Lay users browsing the Internet to buy a DIY recovery software lack the knowledge to judge which company and product out of the dozens vying for their attention are better. The credibility of the manufacturer matters a lot as that has a direct bearing on product quality. All DIY data recovery websites look alike and showcase their products in a positive way, with an aggressive sales pitch. Before downloading the software, it is essential to enquire about the reputation of the company. One should go for the software recommended by friends, relatives and colleagues who have already used that software and can vouch for its quality.

The biggest danger while using a DIY software to extract missing data is overwriting. The software files get installed on your hard disk so that you can begin the process of recovery. If you are unlucky, the operating system of your computer may store them exactly at the same location where your lost data is residing. Overwriting of your missing files will make data recovery a very difficult task. Indeed, it may become unrecoverable even by professional companies. If you are afraid of this eventuality, you may want to order a CD of the software, which you can run from your CD drive, thus leaving the hard disk untouched.