Data Recovery

Data recovery is the process of extracting data from damaged, failed, or corrupted storage media when it cannot be accessed normally. Often the data is being salvaged from storage media formats such as hard disks, storage tapes, CDs, DVDs, RAID data recovery, and other electronics. Recovery may be required due to physical damage to the storage device or logical damage to the file system that keeps it from being read by the host operating system. Although there is some confusion as to the term, data recovery service can also be the process of retrieving and securing deleted information from a storage media for forensic purposes or for spying.

A wide variety of failures can cause physical damage to storage media. CD-ROMs can have their metallic substrate or dye layer scratched off; hard disks can suffer any of several mechanical failures, such as head crashes and failed motors; tapes can simply break. Physical damage always causes at least some data loss, data recovery and in many cases the logical structures of the file system are damaged as well. This causes logical damage that must be dealt with before any files can be salvaged from the failed media.

Most physical damage cannot be repaired by end users data recovery. For example, opening a hard disk in a normal environment can allow dust to settle on the surface, causing further damage to the platters and complicating the recovery process. Furthermore, end users generally do not have the hardware or technical expertise required to make these repairs; therefore, costly data recovery companies are consulted to salvage the data. These firms often use Class 100 clean room facilities to protect the media while repairs are being made.

Despite this, there are many accounts of users getting a bad disk going long enough to pull their data recovery off, often via slightly odd tricks. These include making the drive cold (in the freezer) or spinning it manually on the ground, both actions being used to unstick a jammed platter. Most data recovery professionals recommend against the use of tricks such as these, as they can cause additional physical damage to the drive if done improperly (and in many cases, even when done properly).

Data recovery from physically damaged hardware can involve multiple techniques. Some damage can be repaired by replacing parts in the hard disk. This alone may make the disk usable, but there may still be logical damage. A specialized disk imaging procedure is used to data recovery every readable bit from the surface. Once this image is acquired, the image can be analyzed for logical damage and will possibly allow for much of the original file system to be reconstructed.

Copyright 2008 Harriman Systems

HOME Computer
Donate Car
Education
Finance
Insurance
Legal
Medical