| Have you heard of data/file recovery? The definition | | | | dollars) for businesses. |
| of the term Data Recovery is "..Making previously lost | | | | How to deal with data loss? |
| or damaged data available again.." A data recovery | | | | Losing files is easy but recovering them can be |
| software or method can help us recover destroyed | | | | difficult. If the loss was due to physical damage then |
| data e.g. an accidentally deleted file. It happens all the | | | | you need someone with experience, a hardware |
| time. You delete an important file on your PC and | | | | technician or something. It wouldn't be wise to try to |
| send it to your recycle bin by mistake. You realize | | | | overcome hardware failures alone unless you are a |
| what you've done only after you've cleaned the | | | | professional. |
| contents of the recycle bin. | | | | Now, if the loss of data was due to logical failure or |
| What do you do now? | | | | human error then the solution is data recovery |
| That file you deleted was so important. Fortunately | | | | software. The data recovery software should be |
| there are lots of methods (Data Recovery Methods) | | | | able to: |
| and software (Data Recovery Software) available to | | | | - Undelete files even after you've shred the contents |
| help you get your lost files back. | | | | of your recycle bin |
| Let's start by mentioning some possible reasons for | | | | - Recover files after you've been infected from a |
| the loss of data: | | | | malicious threat (trojan, worm or other virus) |
| * You accidentally delete an important file. Then you | | | | - Recover files from reformatted hard disks or after |
| immediately shred the contents of your recycle bin | | | | your system crashes or your hard disk fails |
| * During today's system crash some files just | | | | - Recover all types of files (all kinds of documents, |
| disappeared and cannot be located or accessed | | | | images, music, videos, email messages, zipped files |
| * You format your hard drive but then you | | | | etc) |
| remember those important .zip files previously stored | | | | - Recover data from all types of storage mediums |
| in the newly formatted empty medium. | | | | (hard disks, external drives, CD-ROM, usb drives, |
| * A power outage prevented some files from being | | | | floppy disks etc) |
| written to the hard disk. | | | | - Recover files easily and successfully. Should be |
| * Data loss can also occur due to physical damage of | | | | user-friendly allowing someone with no data recovery |
| the storage media. For example the surface of your | | | | skills to use it |
| CD-ROM may be scratched off or your hard disk | | | | - Take/create backups of critical system files or files |
| may suffer from all kinds of possible mechanical | | | | you choose |
| failures. | | | | The best way to avoid data loss is to start taking |
| ..and the list goes on. | | | | backups of your important storage mediums. Either |
| Is Data Recovery Important? | | | | create backups of data on CD-ROMS or use an |
| Data recovery is a very misunderstood concept. A | | | | external drive or zip drive to back up your critical |
| lot of people may not even be aware of the | | | | files. If you want to go further look for software |
| existence and the importance of data recovery. | | | | that automates the process of backing up and |
| Maybe they think of it on a personal level. The truth | | | | storing your data. These programs are kind of "set |
| is, lost data causes financial disasters to companies all | | | | and forget". You set it up to take backups every |
| over the world. The cost associated with computer | | | | hour or every day or month etc. and let the |
| downtime and lost data is enormous (several million | | | | software do the rest. |