Common Hard Drive Issues and what to do?

Head Crash:

Clicking, grinding or scraping noises indicate a head crash the read/write heads have come into contact with the media surface, causing severe destruction.

Situation/Symptoms
Unusual noises - clicking, grinding, metal scraping.

What to Do
1) If booted up, back up any critical files.
2) Shut down the computer and DO NOT reboot.

Why
Extensive physical damage and permanent data loss can occur in a short period of time if a drive is left running.




Power Supply Spike / Surge:

Of all the natural disasters, power outages are the most common cause of data loss. Since the most severe damage to your drive occurs when power returns, follow this advice "If the power suddenly goes out, drop to the floor and pull the plugs!"

Situation/Symptoms
Power Outage/ Surge sparks, smoke, drive won't spin, drive spins but data is inaccessible.

What to Do
1) Unplug all cords to your computer to prevent further damageIEEEe., AC/power, modem, printer, network).
2) After the power returns, wait at least 30 minutes for the power to stabilize before turning your equipment back on.
3) Purchase auninterruptedlyle power supply (battery back up) and surge suppressor to protect your computer from future power failures.

Why
Extreme power fluctuations can damage electronic components and cause thdrives's read/write heads to write erratically to the media surface, resulting in data corruption.



Viruses:

Situation/Symptoms
Virus blank screen, unusual messages, unusubehaviorour

What to Do
1) Use anti-virus software to remove the virus.
2) If your data is not accessible after removal, do not run a commercial utility. Contact DATR for professional recovery.

Why
1)Software may remove a virus, but it does not always reverse its damaging effects on your data, which may remain inaccessible.
2) Virus damage can be severe enough that a commercial utility can cause further damage and make data recovery more difficult.

Fire:

While the computer's plastic components may be melted, the data encased in the metal hard drive may be recoverable.

Situation/Symptoms
Fire

What to Do
1) If the computer is wet from fire hoses, remove the wet hard drive, DO NOT dry, and place in a plastic bag with an airtight zip closure.
2) If the drive is "sealed" in a melted computer, leave it intact.

Why
1) Extreme pressure changes during a fire can pull water and contaminants inside the drive through small air vents.
2) Dried water leaves mineral deposits and other contaminants on the media surface that can lead to a head crash if powered on

Water Damage:

Only one drop of water can short out your computer. Whether an errant spill from a coffee cup, or act of god, we have the technology to recover your data.

Situation/Symptoms
Water damage

What to Do
1) Immediately turn computer off and DO NOT reboot!
2) DO NOT dry the wet drive or media; place in a plastic bag with an airtight zip closure.

Why
1) While the drive may seem dry, small amounts of water may linger on internal or external components causing a short when powered on.
2) Dried water leaves mineral deposits and other contaminants on the media surface that can lead to a head crash when powered on.

DATR - Specialists in Data Recovery - www.datr.co.uk