Main Ways in Which Data Can Get Lost or Damaged

Such procrastination can probably be a result of manufacturer claims that speak of the mean time between failures (MTBF) for hard disks, to be between 500,000 to 1,000,000 hours. In other words, hard disks have an unbelievable life span of 57 years!

 

These figures have lulled pc users into a false sense of security. Rarely do they translate to practical reality, for these numbers have been arrived at, without taking into account the real usage circumstances. A hard disk life is thousands of hours below the quoted rate and data loss is bound to occur at any unexpected moment.

 

However, it is not the life of hard disk alone that determines the life of disk contained data. Many other factors could also lead to a loss of information; but hard disk problems happen to be the primary reason. 

 

Hard Disk Problems

 

A hard disk failure occurs when the (thin wire made) read/ write head collides into the magnetic platters. As these platters move at 150 miles per hour, the speed aggravates the force of the impact. Thus, the collision is hard enough to enable the read/ write head contact the data-containing magnetic layer after dislodging the matter from the protective Teflon coating and sputtered carbon layers. Such an occurrence can be possibly averted by placing computers in a dust-free environment. Computers are sensitive and any external damages can also result in a damage of the internal components leading to a loss of data.

 

Impact Trauma

 

If your computer has ever been dropped, run over or hit by something hard, do not attempt checking its condition by rebooting it. Upon booting it, you may be greeted by clicking, grinding or scraping noises. Switch off the computer immediately, otherwise it might result in an instantaneous loss of data. The trauma caused by the impact might have resulted in a misalignment or would have damaged the read/ write head.

 

Careful handling of the computer is mandatory.  However, at times, even in the absence of any physical damage, the normal wear and tear of the moving parts might lead to data loss.

 

Routine Wear and Tear of the Computer

 

You may feel that this process of gradual deterioration can be delayed if the computer is switched off at night and rebooted the next morning, but modern day computers require no such precaution. They are differently designed. For example, the fan inside the computer remains dormant and switches on only after particular temperature levels are reached. Even if the computer is left powered on the entire night, the power saving mode hibernates the hard disk and it does not spin when not in use.

 

Natural wear and tear of mechanical devices cannot be avoided despite the best of precautions. Any loss of data you experience by the physical problems of the hard disk is difficult to retrieve. However, if you happen to lose data due to its accidental deletion or similar such human error, its retrieval is easy.

 

Accidental Deletion of Files

 

If you have ever accidentally deleted a file and even emptied the recycle bin thereafter, your data is not lost; it has merely turned inaccessible and remains in the hard disk. Did you know it is hard to obliterate data from the hard disk? Emptying the recycle bin merely translates to freeing that space for fresh data to be written over. Whenever, you delete a file accidentally, never enter fresh data into your computer. Use the DIY software to access the seemingly inaccessible data.

 

Another potentially avoidable threat to your computer that results in a loss of data occurs by virus infections.  

 

Computer Viruses and a Loss of Data

 

Viruses result in about 7% of all data loss cases. This is a self-replicating computer program that spreads by infecting the computer files and documents. You can protect your pc against possible virus infection by updating your anti-virus programs periodically and checking all email attachments before opening them. You should also disable the auto opening of emails for its inherent risks.  

 

Data contained in a hard disk is thus highly volatile and prone to loss. Apart from the reasons explained, data loss can occur due to a plentiful of other factors also. Its protection purely rests on your effort. Create a regular backup for your data.

 

 

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