Hard drive recovery: Gives you a second chance!

Hard drive recovery can help you reclaim lost data that would otherwise be impossible to restore. While hard drive recovery sounds promising, you still have the task of choosing the correct solution for your particular problem, and then following through with the appropriate steps to get your data recovered.

Finding Your Solution

There are two basic directions you can go when it comes to hard drive recovery: Using a professional recovery center, or a do-it-yourself utility. Software are much more economical to use than a service company, but they are less reliable than using a professional for obvious reasons. My part is to help you determine which one suites you best.

Software verses Service

What I have found out over the years is that almost everyone wants to try hard drive data recovery software, because it is cheaper, quicker, and private. That being said, some users have no business using hard drive recovery software, because they make matters worse by not understanding the fundamental setup and recovery steps.

The cry from technicians to make more sophisticated hard drive recovery tools has also caused an increase in the number of hard drive casualties. This is because the more powerful the solution, the more damage that can occur. Yes, these powerful programs can recover more data, but if you do not know the proper procedures, they can also destroy data.

Research and Development

I have had many conversations over the years with colleagues from various hard drive recovery centers about what level of software they want us to develop, and how much of the program should be offered to the public. There have been two reasons I have researched this topic:

First, is for economical reasons. Obviously, the cheaper the software, the more people will use these hard drive recovery tools. On the other hand, the more powerful the utility, the less need the public has for sending their drive to a hard drive recovery service. Because we also develop tools for these firms, we have to balance pleasing both groups of users, which at times can be a challenging task.

The next reason for this research is for data safety. In other words, how much do we need to protect you from yourself? We truly want you to recover your own data, and helping you prevent undoable mistakes is part of the process. I say this because invariably I (and other service companies) get drives weekly that have been trashed by misusing software utilities. As a consequence, many of these drives are considered unrecoverable.

Defining the fine line between offering you cutting edge technologies in the form of software, and making you send your drive to an expert to protect your data from your possible fatal mistakes, is a difficult decision. I say this because I know you want to try the recovery yourself - at least as the first step.

Your Next Step

While you do not want to delay in getting your data back, you also want to take the right steps to protect your data. I want you to be asking yourself, "Can I do this myself, or should I use a hard drive recovery professional?" If you are not sure, get help. You know your capabilities, and by reading this information, you will probably know which solution is best for you.

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The Desktop Personal Computers

It, however, was a big leap forward from computers which existed then and were large, costly systems owned by large corporations, universities, government agencies and similar sized institutions. The end users did not interact directly with the machines and instead prepared tasks for the computer on offline equipment such as Card punches. Such assignments were then processed collectively in batch mode and the results were collected by the users afterwards. This at times was very time-consuming.

A more interactive form of computer use developed commercially by middle 1960s in which a time-sharing system and multiple computer terminals let many people share the use of one mainframe computer processor. It was commonly adopted in business applications and in science and engineering.

A different model of computer use followed in which one user had exclusive use of a processor. Some of the first computers that justified the label ‘personal’ were the early ‘minicomputers’. Going by today’s standards they were still very large (size of a refrigerator) and expensive (approximately 10,000 US dollars) and were, therefore, rarely purchased by individuals. However, compared to the mainframe computers, they were much smaller, less expensive and generally simpler to operate. Their main contribution was towards giving organizations freedom from the ‘batch processing’ and the bureaucracy of a commercial or university computing centre.

The invention of integrated circuit technology (microprocessor) and advances in development of solid state memory instead of magnetic core memory helped reduce the size and cost of the personal computers drastically. Personal computers can be categorized by their size and portability. These include:

1. Desktop Computers

2. Laptops or Notebooks

3. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA)

4. Portable Computers

5. Tablet Computers

6. Wearable computers

7. Cell Phones

Out of these, desktop computers are the most popular owing to their size, performance and value for money. Simply put, desktop computers are those computers which are made for use on a ‘desk’ in an office or home. They are also known as Microcomputers. They are currently the most affordable computers found in businesses, schools and households and are being used to perform a variety of tasks such as office tasks, organizing digital photos, video editing and internet access.

There are four types of desktop computers: Home Computers or Personal Computers, Workstations, Internet Servers and special Communications Computers. The most useful feature of a desktop is that the hardware in a desktop is modular with components that can be easily replaced or upgraded. Anyone with an intermediate knowledge of a computer can modify one. The main components of a desktop computer include:

1. Motherboard or Mainboard: Links all components together and routes data.

2. HDD (Hard Disk Drive): Location where all the information can be stored even when the power is off.

3. ODD (Optical disk drive): Reads most or all types of CDs and DVDs.

4. Processor: The main brain of the computer.

5. CPU Cooler: Cools the processing unit. Typically a fan combined with a heat sink.

6. RAM: Short term data storage, volatile (erased with power).

7. Modem: Used to access data via telephone.

8. Network Card: Allows connection to a computer network and also used as a means of accessing internet via broadband connection.

9. Computer PSU (Power Supply Unit): Provides power to the rest of the computer parts.

10. FDD (Floppy Disk Drive): Reads and writes floppy disc etc.

All desktops have ports that plug external devices into the computer such as monitors, keyboards, printers and scanners.

Besides desktops, laptops or notebook computers are much in demand. Desktops, however, win hands down in comparison:

1. Desktops provide better performance because they have more powerful components than laptops.

2. One can also choose the components as per requirement and build the desktop PC from the ground up with mass amounts of memory and hard drive space, TV tunes, high end graphic cards and more.

3. They are more affordable considering the performance to price ratio. The cost is also low as no extra effort is needed to minimize the components or to manufacture components that use less power.

4. One can customize the configuration in terms of features, sizes, shapes and colours to fit your digital lifestyle justifying the term ’personal computer’.

5. Its modular feature allows upgradeability and additional features as and when you want it.

The only upper hand that the laptop has over a desktop is its mobility, portability and anywhere connectivity and hence the evident presence of desktop PC in our lives.

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Taking Care of Your CDs

The growing use and popularity of digital gadgets such as Digicams and Handicams are generating a lot of data requiring an increase in storage capacity. CD-R is one of the best ways to take your data around. CD writers are cheap and CD-ROM drives (that read discs burned on CD writers) are ubiquitous. Best of all, an entire disc can be burned in a matter of minutes. CDs are not quite enough to accomplish a one-click backup of your entire hard drive but they can be very useful for carrying your documents around.

Like all other digital storage devices, CDs also need to be handled carefully so as to avoid data loss. Any sort of mishandling and physical damage can lead to corruption or complete data loss of the stored information.

The plus points of CD are that they are sturdy and last longer than most media. In addition to this, they are not affected by magnetic fields. As they do not use magnetic technology to store data they remain unharmed by x-ray machines in the airports.

However, like other storage media they can lose data too and hence require special care. Recordable CDs, CD-Rs and CD-RWs are more delicate than regular CDs and should be handled more carefully. Here is some information necessary for the right care of CDs:

1. Temperature: Store your CDs at room temperature. As they are made from plastic, exposure to direct sunlight or to temperatures higher than 48 degree Celsius can warp the CD rendering it useless.

2. Labelling: Avoid putting stickers, labels and tapes or writing with regular pens on the CDs. The misuse of label side can damage the data layer right under the top surface. Use soft, felt tip markers on the label side to write anything on the CD.

3. Contact: Be very careful while handling CDs. As their media is exposed they are very vulnerable to any wrong physical contact. Do not hold CDs by the rim with the fingers splayed out. It is very easy to drop a CD this way. Hold them by putting your thumb against the rim and one finger in the central hole. Even while taking the disc out of a player, catch your finger in the central hole first and then lift it out.

4. Dust and Dirt: Accumulation of dust and dirt can hamper the reading of a CD. Dirt and grit can scratch your CD and destroy your read and write head as well as all the other CDs subsequently played on it.

5. Moisture: Do not expose your CDs to liquids and humidity. Use only warm water to rinse them and then wipe them gently with a soft cloth. It is imperative to make sure that your CD is absolutely dry before you run it.

6. Flexibility: Bending a CD can be dangerous and can break the CD. It is made up of plastic and tends to shatter.

7. Cleaning: Do not use any solvents or harsh liquid detergents for cleaning as they can harm the plastic casing. Never rub the label side of a CD. This can cause more damage as the data is stored right under the label of the disc.

There are some real-life situations also that one is faced with while working with CDs. Here, we discuss some of them.

What if you drop something sticky on your CD? A sticky substance tends to settle in the grooves and running such a CD will make it stick to the innards of the drive. This can make all other discs run on the drive unplayable too.

If you spill something on the CD, then rinse it in clean lukewarm water. Wipe it in a straight motion from centre to the rim with a soft, lint-free cloth. Cleaning in circles can cause long scratches over a single section of the data track causing signal loss. Small scratches across many tracks can be handled by the error correcting capabilities of the drive.

People should not take out CDs that they have just played and lay them on a gritty surface like the top of a TV set. The sensitive side of the CD opposite to the labelled side gets scratched causing data loss. The sides of the CD get damaged when people push the tray in without making sure that the CD is in the centre. It pinches the sides and ruins the CD.

So take care of your CDs and they will take care of your data.

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Computer security: a matter of concern and tips to avoid trouble

With so much of today’s business being transacted online, computer security is a major issue affecting businesses and consumers. For online businesses, there can be problems in the form of stolen credit card information, mailing or personal information. If you are selling information, your content may be hacked into and copied. This affects the business and customer adversely, since the customer is likely to blame the online business. This erodes the image of your business and discourages other customers from trusting you with their information. No one likes their email inbox to be bombarded with viruses and spam. If they feel that your site has something to do with it, your business and reputation will suffer long term damage. To avoid problems with your business’s computer security, follow the guidelines listed below.

Never allow external storage devices – Do not permit anyone to take data out of your system in any form of external storage device, such as floppy disks, CDs etc. for any reason. Obviously, this compromises your safety and that of your customers.

Limit employee access – Restrict employee access to files, folders and areas within the system that they require in their day to day work. Do not allow anyone to gain access to any information that they do not require. Make sure that you install systems that lock out employees who do not have authorization.

Third party outsourcing – Outsource your payment system to a third party such as PayPal, so that your liability is reduced in case of any computer security problems. This third party will have the necessary technological support to ensure that the customer and your business are safe. But to be sure of this, you will need to do a thorough check on your selected provider or choose a reputable one.

Check on your technology vendor – It is important to ensure that your technology vendor has taken steps to protect the server and the software in your system appropriately with firewalls etc. If it is possible and affordable, look into getting a third party security audit of the system from both ends – the server provider & the software at your end since leaks may be from either end. Pages that contain sensitive data should be appropriately protected with software security locks.

Newsletter email lists – If you have a newsletter, make sure that your online business keeps its mailing list secure and that no recipient can tamper with it or gain access to the list. This is essential in protecting the privacy of your customer information.

Affiliations with reputable associations – Form affiliations with trusted business and computer security organizations, such as BBB online, to ensure that customers feel safe coming to your site. The additional benefit of this is the identification of any flaws in the security through a check up.

Educate customers – It is imperative to educate your customers about computer safety. Ensure that they know your online business will not send them emails soliciting information and that if they receive any such mail, they should report it to you at once.

Content – Protect your content by ensuring that it is safe behind firewalls and other applications that prohibit unauthorized entry. As for public content, simply provide your visitors with updated and informative content regularly since good quality cannot be copied.

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Computer security: a matter of concern and tips to avoid trouble

With so much of today’s business being transacted online, computer security is a major issue affecting businesses and consumers. For online businesses, there can be problems in the form of stolen credit card information, mailing or personal information. If you are selling information, your content may be hacked into and copied. This affects the business and customer adversely, since the customer is likely to blame the online business. This erodes the image of your business and discourages other customers from trusting you with their information. No one likes their email inbox to be bombarded with viruses and spam. If they feel that your site has something to do with it, your business and reputation will suffer long term damage. To avoid problems with your business’s computer security, follow the guidelines listed below.

Never allow external storage devices – Do not permit anyone to take data out of your system in any form of external storage device, such as floppy disks, CDs etc. for any reason. Obviously, this compromises your safety and that of your customers.

Limit employee access – Restrict employee access to files, folders and areas within the system that they require in their day to day work. Do not allow anyone to gain access to any information that they do not require. Make sure that you install systems that lock out employees who do not have authorization.

Third party outsourcing – Outsource your payment system to a third party such as PayPal, so that your liability is reduced in case of any computer security problems. This third party will have the necessary technological support to ensure that the customer and your business are safe. But to be sure of this, you will need to do a thorough check on your selected provider or choose a reputable one.

Check on your technology vendor – It is important to ensure that your technology vendor has taken steps to protect the server and the software in your system appropriately with firewalls etc. If it is possible and affordable, look into getting a third party security audit of the system from both ends – the server provider & the software at your end since leaks may be from either end. Pages that contain sensitive data should be appropriately protected with software security locks.

Newsletter email lists – If you have a newsletter, make sure that your online business keeps its mailing list secure and that no recipient can tamper with it or gain access to the list. This is essential in protecting the privacy of your customer information.

Affiliations with reputable associations – Form affiliations with trusted business and computer security organizations, such as BBB online, to ensure that customers feel safe coming to your site. The additional benefit of this is the identification of any flaws in the security through a check up.

Educate customers – It is imperative to educate your customers about computer safety. Ensure that they know your online business will not send them emails soliciting information and that if they receive any such mail, they should report it to you at once.

Content – Protect your content by ensuring that it is safe behind firewalls and other applications that prohibit unauthorized entry. As for public content, simply provide your visitors with updated and informative content regularly since good quality cannot be copied.

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Offsite Data Storage is Crucial to Small Business

Over the past 20 to 30 years, most business data has been converted to digital form. Previously businesses would keep records on reams of paper. Now it is common to keep documents strictly on a server.

This practice is effective because it allows the business to keep records organized while also being practical.

But what happens if the information stored on the server is somehow lost? There are two possible conclusions.

The first is that the files were not backed up and is therefore lost. This is a devastating situation for the owner.

The other conclusion is that the business had its files backed up and can use the backup information now. The latter is obviously the more appealing ending, but why? And what is offsite data storage in the first place?

Basically, offsite data storage is a means of storing important information in a remote location. Suppose you have all of your information stored on your own web server. If something were to happen to the server, the information is gone, unless, of course, it has been backed up at a remote location.

To use remote electronic file storage is to ensure that there is a readily available second copy of your files should something happen to the original.

The concept sounds nice, but is there really a reason to use offsite data storage? The answer is a resounding yes! It is, by far, one of the best things you can do for your company.

It is absolutely crucial to have an offsite backup, as not having one can result in having to start over from scratch when you lose the original files. An online backup service provides the best means of remote storage.

An obvious reason for storing your files offsite is that it provides you with peace of mind.

Have you ever spent time worrying about the potential of losing all electronic information your business has collected? It is pretty likely you have, as it is a major concern among business owners.

Offsite data storage provides you with the opportunity to back up your documents in a secure location so that, should something happen to your server, you will still be covered.

Purchasing a back up web server to store all of your necessary information can be very expensive. It can cost a business thousands of dollars, not to mention the fact that you will have to hire more people to take care of the additional web server and keep it from failing.

Even if you have a good web server and skilled employees taking care of it, there is no guarantee that all your files are fully backed up.

That is a clear disadvantage to managing your own backup, which is why it is a great idea to use an expert online service instead. You will be saving money and getting more secure data storage than you would be able to create on your own.

The barrage of storms in recent years that have destroyed many homes and businesses has shown many that it is vital to back things up. Disasters can completely destroy all of your documents and leave you with no way to recover essential information.

When you get your files backed up at a remote location, you are disaster-proofing your business. Should a storm, natural disaster, or some human action occur that devastates your company, you will still have your files to access via the internet.

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Offsite Data Storage Works for You

In the Information Age, it has become necessary to have constant, immediate and unlimited access to the information relevant to our lives. The same holds true in the business world. With advances in data storage, particularly offsite and online storage, it is almost impractical to continue storing your company files as onsite hard copies.

The many tasks required to maintain an onsite data storage facility or service can be eliminated through offsite data storage. Instead of diverting your employee efforts or hiring staff only for the task, you can subscribe to an online backup service that will take care of saving, archiving and storing your documents for you.

With offsite backup, your data storage is hassle free. Your information is saved, backed up and stored digitally, virtually eliminating paper storage headaches and costs.

Additionally, with your information stored offsite, you no longer need to direct your workforce for the task or hire employees to spend their time solely on information management.

Another benefit of offsite data storage is greater protection for your files. In the event of a disaster striking your business, your files are preserved via two buffers. First, it is stored offsite, at a facility equipped to handle disasters that may damage your site. Second, your information is stored online, preventing any data loss due to electronic or even manmade disasters.

For you, this means that you still have access to your secure documents no matter what takes place. All you need is a computer with internet capabilities and your username and password. You can retrieve your files (which are encrypted until you electronically access them) from any secure terminal twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Following a disaster, it is important that your business start its recovery process as soon as possible. With access to your information at any time from any location, you begin your recovery at an advantage. There is no need to reestablish your consumer network, employee or business files. They are already available to you through the online backup service.

In the long run, offsite data storage pays for itself with the money you save on time, paper goods and file management employees. Offsite backup is a cost effective way to ensure that your business never looses critical information. It is also an effective way to keep track of your important business documents. The service allows you to digitally store and retrieve files daily. It also allows you access to several previous versions of current files, an invaluable benefit in the event of an audit, investigation or internal review.

Storing your business data offsite is a reliable way to keep your documents secure from disaster or data loss. By subscribing to this kind of service, you have the peace of mind that comes from knowing your documents are safe and secure should the unexpected happen.

Selecting a cost effective option for protecting your business files means that while other business are stalled by disaster or information loss, you are still moving forward.

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