Why You Should Avoid DIY Data Recovery
By Matt Brennan
If there is one truth about computers and hard drives, it’s that they eventually fail. Programs will unexpectedly quit and leave you with no access to critical files. Computer viruses, natural disasters, or accident-prone employees may eventually make their way into your workplace. It’s important to have backups ready. If that’s not possible, knowing what to do next can be a big plus.
The first thing to understand is that time is of the essence with data recovery. It’s important not to wait to address the issue. If the hard drive was impacted by water damage or a virus for example, waiting that extra time can make the data in question more difficult to recover. Waiting and continuing to use the computer in question can also complicate recovery methods and reduce the chances of success.
Don’t Be Lured by DIY Data Recovery Methods
A Google search on data recovery will provide you with all sorts of software options for attempting DIY data recovery. While in some cases these methods might be successful, it’s what happens when they are not successful that should be a concern.
When your data goes missing, it’s often still on the computer, just in a location that’s not immediately findable. Downloading anything, and that includes data recovery software, increases the chance that your computer will write over the data that you are trying to recover, in which case it’ll be much more difficult (and more expensive) to recover on a second attempt.
Attempting any sort of physical recovery can be damaging, too. Opening a hard drive can result in dust or air particles getting stuck to sensitive equipment, complicating the problem as well. This equipment remains extremely sensitive to the outside elements.
Determine What Happened
Sometimes it’s easy to tell what happened. The signs of a power surge or some sort of physical damage to the drive might be obvious. But a virus or files that are simply missing might be a little more subtle and nuanced. Once you determine what occurred, you can take note of what files are missing. The more you understand at this point, the better.
Stop What You’re Doing and Shut the Computer Down
If you try to work through a hard drive malfunction you may risk doing more damage to the computer and making files more difficult to recover. This is why it’s important at the first sign of trouble to stop using it and power it down.
The Best Thing You Can Do Is Contact a Data Recovery Specialist
Look for a data recovery specialist with a clean room, and that values research and development. These are signs that they are serious about creating the right environment for sensitive computer repairs and understand that the field is constantly evolving with new equipment and new threats. At We Recover Data, we are constantly doing everything we can to stay on top of this evolving field. If you have a hard drive that’s stopped working or lost access to vital data, shut down your equipment and contact us today!
