The first step in recovering data from a broken hard drive is determining why the drive failed in the first place. Hard drive failures typically fall into one of two categories, physical or logical, although hard drives can experience simultaneous failures in both categories. The type of failure determines what steps a hard drive recovery NJ team must take to retrieve the data.
Physical Failures – Hard Drive Recovery NJ
Physical failures in a hard drive can be either mechanical or electronic. Due to a hard drive’s complex construction, it is not uncommon for a hard drive to experience both mechanical and electronic failure more or less simultaneously.
Mechanical failures typically involve a head crash or a breakdown of the internal moving parts. These failures are often preceded by unusual noises (clicking, beeping, scraping, grinding, etc.), so if your hard drive starts to make noises, shut it down immediately. This can minimize the damage and increase the chances of a successful recovery. Allowing a hard drive to continue operating with mechanical failure often leads to permanent, non-recoverable loss of data. This is also why it is important to hire a data recovery firm instead of attempting self-retrieval with data recovery software.
Electronic failures occur within the hard drive’s circuit board. The circuit board facilitates communication between the computer system and the drive, controls the position of the read/write (R/W) heads, oversees the recording or writing of new data, reads back stored data, and much more. Ambient heat is the largest threat to this critical piece of equipment. Keeping your computer system cool and well ventilated – away from direct sun and heating vents – will help protect your hard drive’s circuit board from failure.
Logical Failures – Hard Drive Recovery NJ
One type of logical failure is when previously recorded data becomes inaccessible or (in severe cases) improperly organized. This can occur through accidental formatting of the drive, deletion of registry keys or other critical files, power outages, system crashes, user error, and viruses and “malware.” A physical failure in the R/W heads can also damage critical information on the drive, leading to a secondary logical failure.
Another type of logical failure occurs over time from fatigue of the recording medium. The magnetic plating on the platters which spin inside the drive – upon which the data is recorded – can corrupt or suffer physical damage as they age. This is the least common type of hard drive failure, as mechanical failure typically occurs before the magnetic medium can deteriorate.
For Hard Drive Recovery, NJ Lawyers Trust Precise Discovery
If you are looking for an experienced hard drive recovery team, look no further than Precise’s computer forensics experts. Whether your hard drive has suffered physical failure, logical failure, or both, our skilled technicians can recover all retrievable data. We also offer a full range of computer forensics services, from hard drive recovery and forensic imaging to data culling and remote collections. Call us today at 866-277-3247 to learn more.
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