Data loss is something we have all experienced at some point in our lives. Whether you lost your data to hard drive failure, software bugs, hacking, the solution of data recovery has probably crossed your mind.
A major loss of data can be detrimental to your company, causing you to lose important files or images crucial to the operation of your business which is why it important to understand what data loss is and how data recovery can get your business back on track.
What is Data Loss?
Before you begin looking for ways to recover your data, it is important to understand the different ways data can be lost. Data loss can occur in a variety of instances, including:
- Accidental file deletion
- Data corruption
- Hard drive failure
- Hacking
- Power outage
- Software bugs
It is important to note that data recovery won’t always be possible due to extensive corruption or damage. The methods used to recover data will depend on how the data was lost in the first place.
Data Recovery Methods and How They Work
Data recovery is a process that is designed to help you retrieve your lost data from a storage media, such as an internal hard drive. There are a variety of methods used to recover data depending on how the data was originally lost.
File Recovery Software
This type of software can be used to recover files lost to file deletion, file corruption, and file system format and damage. The recovery software works by uses complex algorithms that look at pieces of information to guess the physical location of the file.
In the case of file deletion and file corruption, the amount of data the software can recover will depend heavily on the system format. When a file is deleted it is recoverable until it is overwritten, so it is important to act quickly. If a file is corrupted, the operating system may only be corrupted and files can be recovered by attaching the hard drive to another computer.
When it comes to file system format and damage, the amount of file recovered will depend on the extent of the damage and what information is still available for the recovery software to use to repair the file system and locate the previous files.
Taking Apart a Damaged Drive
Other methods of data recovery include taking apart the physical drive. When a drive is heavily damaged, by factors such as a crashed head, taking it apart may be the only way to recover the data stored on it. Sometimes these issues can be fixed by replacing a damaged part, but in most cases, the drive will require work by professionals.
Taking apart a drive is a very difficult process and requires a highly controlled environment, free of dust and pollutants to ensure the safety of the data, so it is best left to the experts.
The use of solid state drives has been gaining popularity and since they have not been around for very long, it is much more difficult to recover data from a physically damaged SSD when compared to a traditional drive.
The estimated cost for SSD data recovery will average thousands of dollars without manufacturer support. If the recovery specialist has manufacturer support with tools and specifications, the cost will be lower but could still cost roughly $700.
Allow IT companies in Pittsburgh, such as CMIT Solutions of Pittsburgh South to assist you with your data recovery needs, because taking matters into your own hands, especially with physically damaged drives, can cause more data loss or other issues to occur.
Preventing Data Loss to Save Time and Money
Recovering your data can be an expensive and time-consuming process. As a business owner, your time and money are precious, so it is important to take preventative measures to avoid data loss. These measures include protecting your data from threats and backing up your data in case a loss occurs.
CMIT Solutions of Pittsburgh South, a data recovery expert in Pittsburgh, offers data protection and backup services to help ensure data loss becomes a thing of the past for your business. We can help you form a plan based on your needs. Once you have a plan, CMIT will handle the hardware and software, the backup jobs, and run testing to ensure your data is protected. We will also handle the management of your data and backups and will also resolve any issues that occur.
Contact CMIT Solutions of Pittsburgh South today to learn more about how we can help you protect your data.