Hard Drive Recovery: Uncovering Hidden Data

Generally when people use the term “hard drive recovery,” they are referring to a hard drive that has suffered physical damage or failure or has encountered a software problem that prevents it from running properly. However, hard drive recovery in Philadelphia is also performed on devices that are still operational. That is because hard drives store data that is not readily noticeable to the untrained eye. There are 3 main types of this data:

1. Automatically Stored Data – Computers automatically store large amounts of data, typically saving it to a different directory than the active file. Have you ever had your laptop die while working on a document only to realize you forgot to hit save? But when you turn your laptop back on, Word recovers your document – under a different name. That is because your computer had automatically backed up the file in an alternate directory.
2. Deleted Files – Contrary to popular belief, deleting a file does not actually destroy it: this simply tells the computer the physical space the file occupied is now available. The data itself remains on the hard drive until it is overwritten. This can also result in “partial” files if the data is overwritten by a file that is smaller than the original.
3. Residual Data – Also known as “ghost” data, this is information that can be recovered from the hard drive even though it doesn’t appear to be accessible when performing a file or directory command. It includes deleted files, file fragments, file slack, and unallocated space. Often it is data that is unintentionally left behind after attempts to delete it because the user didn’t know it existed. Residual data is found in:
   • Discarded computer systems
   • Deleted partitions in hard drives
   • Deleted files that have not yet been overwritten

Essentially, hard drive recovery refers to recovering any and all possible data from a device. Even with physically damaged hard drives, a trained Philadelphia hard drive recovery technician can generally still recover some data. With society’s reliance on technology, hard drives can be a treasure trove of evidence when it comes to litigation. Especially since most people don’t have the technological savvy to permanently destroy data and cover their trail. Precise’s Philadelphia hard drive recovery services can help you recover data that you thought was gone forever.

Precise, Inc.: Hard Drive Recovery in Philadelphia

At Precise, our digital forensics technicians are experts at navigating hard drive recovery. Call us at 866-277-3247 and discover what Precise can do for you.