| Lost data? Your next steps are critical to | | | | If you've lost critical data, our recovery |
| complete a hard drive recovery! | | | | service is your best and safest option for |
| | | | you. Never assume data is unrecoverable. We |
| To avoid permanent data loss, follow these | | | | have successfully recovered data from |
| important guidelines: | | | | hundreds of thousands of drives with extreme |
| | | | physical and logical damage. Preventing data |
| If your drive is making clicking, grinding or | | | | loss |
| whirring sounds. Shut down your computer | | | | |
| immediately. These sounds could be the read | | | | Everyone should adopt strategies to ensure |
| write heads hitting or scraping the platters. | | | | critical information is protected from |
| Severe or complete data loss could result. | | | | corruption and loss. |
| | | | |
| Unplug the power to the computer then remove | | | | Best practices: Never upgrade any system |
| the hard drive. Handle the drive carefully. | | | | without a verified backup. |
| Hard drives are extremely sensitive to static | | | | |
| electricity and physical jarring or jolts. | | | | Use up-to-date hardware and software |
| | | | utilities for data security, such as |
| If your data is critical, make sure you | | | | firewalls and virus protection. Make sure you |
| choose a reputable recovery firm that can | | | | scan all incoming data for viruses, including |
| properly recover data from physically damaged | | | | packaged software. Use ventilation, fans and |
| drives. Even the simplest recovery attempts | | | | or air conditioning to keep servers at the |
| on a physically damaged drive could render | | | | proper operating temperature. |
| your data unrecoverable. | | | | |
| | | | Connect systems to an uninterruptible power |
| The first recovery attempt is always the best | | | | supply (UPS) to protect against power surges. |
| recovery attempt. Our engineers use the | | | | |
| safest methods available to insure your data | | | | Power down and take extreme caution when |
| is not lost from repeated recovery attempts. | | | | moving computers. Avoid static discharge when |
| | | | touching or handling the media, especially in |
| When disaster strikes: | | | | excessively dry environments. |
| | | | |
| If possible, back up the data immediately Do | | | | Backup strategies: |
| not use utility software if the drive makes | | | | |
| scraping, tapping, clicking or humming sounds | | | | Invest in redundant backup systems: |
| | | | |
| Do not power up a device that has obvious | | | | Establish a structured backup procedure to |
| physical damage or is making unusual sounds. | | | | make copies of all critical data files, using |
| Shut down Turn off the drive and its data. | | | | software compatible with the operating system |
| Do not attempt recovery yourself on severely | | | | and applications. |
| traumatized drives (i.e., turning the | | | | |
| computer off and on, using over-the-counter | | | | Periodically test the backups to verify that |
| diagnostic tools). This may cause further | | | | data, especially databases and other critical |
| damage or permanent data loss. | | | | files, are being backed up properly. Keep at |
| | | | least one copy of critical data offsite. |