Showing posts with label Data Recovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Data Recovery. Show all posts

How to Recover Data from External Hard Drive (Free Data Recovery Software)

Can I Recover Data from Broken Hard Drive

It’s one thing when your system corrupts and starts throwing an error message but things absolutely go south when your hard drive gets broken. This means that all your important data has been shattered and all the bits are gone. But the important thing here is to not panic and handle the situation calmly.

How to Recover Data from External Hard Drive

And if you think that just because your hard drive is broken it is dead and you really cannot do anything else, you are absolutely wrong. A broken hard drive can be repaired and data can be accessed from it in most of the cases. We will discuss several methods to try and restore your data but before starting you should remember dealing with your hard drive can be risky and it can also take away your hard drive’s warranty. In fact, if your hard drive is still in warranty we strongly recommend taking it directly to the service centre and not tampering with it.

Confirm that your Broken Hard Drive is Indeed Broken

1. Check for noises

Check and see if the hard drive is spinning, not spinning, making noises or stopping in between. If you find your drive making noises then that means a serious damage has been caused to your hard drive. To fix the issue, hard drive would have to be opened neatly and the head assembly part of it would need to be replaced. Another important thing is to power off your hard drive until it can be sent for repairs because if you keep switching it on then it will end up getting even more damaged.

2. Visual check

If your drive is broken then there must me some signs of damage on it, check for them. If there are indeed scratch marks on it then you can finally relax because there is no internal failure or breakage, your hard disk stopped working because of your own fault.
  • If your PCB has stopped working, you can get a replacement for it. The PCB is the main green circuit board on the hard disk. Make you to get an exact match replacement and you would have to move the ROM chip
  • If your drive isn’t spinning at all then that means one of the two TVS diode has shorted because of overvoltage. You can fix your hard drive by removing one of the short circuited diode. 
3. Check the connections

Check to see if all the cable connections to the system and the hard drive are done properly and there is no connection lose in between. You can also open up your system to check if the internal connections aren’t lose. But you should only do that when you have an idea about the internal connections.

4. Connect to the system to see if the hard drive is getting detected

Obvious thing to do, but sometimes we can forget that in a state of panic. Even when your hard drive isn’t showing up on the screen, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t recognized by the system. To check that, go to the BIOS settings or Windows Disk Management.

How to fix a broken hard drive

There are some steps that you can definitely take even when you are not a professional. But you should remember that these steps should only be taken as a last resort, when you have already exhausted all your options.

Also, do not try to self-repair your hard drive if you are data is too crucial and you cannot risk losing it. If you do have some really important data on it then we strongly suggest going to a professional.

One step that is often recommended by people is to warm up the hard drive in an oven for 2-3 minutes. Yes, it does sound a bit strange but it can definitely be used as the last resort. Try heating the hard drive at regular intervals and then connect it back to the system to see if the drive has started working. Also, check for the noises that it’s making and if they have changed. You need to listen for the spin noise of the drive that is the indicator that your drive is indeed working properly. If you do hear it, remove the drive again and put in the oven for another 2-3 minutes.

Free Data Recovery Software

Check for software failure

There can be times when the hard drive is so damaged that we might assume it to be broken. May be there are a lot of failed sectors on the drive that are making it hang endlessly. Even if you think your hard drive is broken, you should try running it through a data recovery software just to check if it is able to retrieve. Remember to use a reliable data recovery software like Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery so that all your data is recovered properly.
 

Is Linux better to Access or Recover a Partially Corrupt Drive than Windows?

Is Linux better to Access or Recover a Partially Corrupt Drive than Windows?

Linux systems are more capable to read or recover partially corrupt drives as compared to Windows. Many people who have experienced both the systems have stated it. A general consideration is Windows is feature-rich, technical, and robust in comparison; however, its capability to deal with half-corrupt devices lets the users down. Here, we will go in details in the following section, continue reading to know the exact scenario.

Loss of a single piece of business critical information leads to downfall. In this case, it is important to rely on a robust operating system that minimizes such risks. When you insert a new drive in Windows, it will detect the disk, read partition table, and attempt to access the file system. It is just that the OS mounts the device; however, if during the process, any block causes the failure of your affected drive, Windows fails to read it. When it comes to Linux OS, it may be possible that it does not mount all the partitions, or while mounting, it reads some other set of sectors, as the way NTFS is implemented in Linux is very different from that of Windows. However, if it is about better half-corrupt disk accessibility, Ubuntu is same as Windows and is not bundled with any extra mechanism for accessing the device or recovering it. Windows may consider reading secondary copy of Master File Table or targeting other data. As per such analysis, it is your luck that you got access to a partially corrupt drive. Therefore, if you have accessed the data once, it does not mean that you will be privileged every time with the same as the drive may get worsen next time.

While the drive is partially failed, its complete failure depends on usage. The more it will be used, the sooner it will get corrupt. Consequently, Windows may encounter blue screen of death error (BSOD), and during boot process, MBR or missing file messages will occur.

It is something great about Linux that it always catches and pays attention on the indicators showing that something is going wrong. Besides, Linux also encounters the SCSI errors, as Windows or even the kernel log on the corrupt disk throws the same errors. However, users, particularly who are from Unix environment, choose Linux over Windows and the most prominent reason for such inclination is cost. Well, the response after accessing a disk depends on the program that accesses it. For example, a recovery utility may read one sector repeatedly or may leave it. It is a good idea to consider the concept of imaging for your drive; the image must contain all the clean sectors. It will help if you use the image to recover data, as it works as backup and provides data while you are going through bad times.

Well, with the recommendations given above or the adverse cases that sink you into loss of data, in any case, you need to recover all the lost information at the earliest. As you saw above that OS throws errors and the drive gets worse when used more and more, there is no guarantee that you will get the data back. In such cases, you need to choose a commercial Linux data recovery application that will dedicatedly repair the corrupt drive and recover all the data. In addition, such software programs offer a long list of features that are capable to perform many other tasks than just recovery. You may also choose to image the drive; however, these facilities are available only if you get an efficient and reliable application.

Author Bio: Abhay Jeet is a contributor and providing support to Microsoft Help Community and guiding users to fix problems on their PC. You can explore more about him on Google Plus.
 

Do You Need A New Function For Retrieving Your Electronic Data?

Do You Need A New Function For Retrieving Your Electronic Data?

When dealing with large amounts of electronic data, it’s worth being aware of the different functions that are now possible when retrieving information. Depending on the amount of data that you have to work with, it’s practical to divide content depending categories, while also using search queries based on full text or metadata. If you are having problems with accurate data retrieval, it might also be a good idea to investigate new search functions such as Intelligent Voice, which can help you to more rapidly process your data.

Most companies can benefit from more effective data retrieval, and particularly when it comes to legal cases and auditing processes that require a high level of precision. In terms of legal companies, for example, e-disclosure and being able to produce records and detailed documents at short notice is crucial; failure to achieve this can be disastrous for cases when accuracy is required, and can lead to problems with being able to prove arguments.

There are a number of different data retrieval strategies that can be used, which range from simple database queries through to more elaborate efforts to store data and retrieve it. One of the more recent, and unusual, methods for storing and retrieving data involves DNA coding, where information can be theoretically attached on a cellular level to a person. Around 2 petabytes of data can be connected to one gram of DNA, resulting in the potential for significant linking of important records to individual cases.

While DNA coding is still mostly at a theoretical stage in terms of functionality, there are other methods that can be used to rapidly sort through records and identify the most important files. Companies that have large archives can run algorithms that remove duplicated information, and remove redundant files, making it easier to use tags and categories to process records. In this way, queries can be run that rely on comprehensive tags and can speed up the process of e-discovery.

Again, the quality of data retrieval can depend on the amount of work that has gone into optimising a database, as well as whether a clear division has been made between meta and other forms of data. Businesses that want the most efficient search functions will need to create rules and source objects that can be easily read by a computer, as well as an output for users that is straightforward to use. Regularly reviewing the strength of a database is consequently crucial to maintaining good records.

Other options for improving your data retrieval include using voice recognition and data processing services that can break down digital records to find keywords; these services can use high end algorithms to work through large amounts of data, and can provide software solutions for automatically filtering out the records that you need. One of the particular advantages of using audio recognition software is that you have an extra tool beyond searching written data, which can be invaluable when working with long transcripts of meetings and cases.

Author Bio: Piter Thomas blogs about the best ways to manage your data. Herecommends looking into the keyword sensitive software available from Intelligent Voice. He also regularly writes about the latest news on network security.
 

Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is Really Worth Your Money

Given the steep surge in data loss incidents every year, the trend of data recovery has managed to remain in vogue. Data is an easy prey and may disappear in a flash only to let you face the harshest consequences. If you are not prepared for this likelihood, then you are creating yourself trouble. If you are plagued by similar things, this is the time to opt for professional data recovery aid. Fortunately, data recovery software are there to do this job for you in a more astute way. Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is one of these utilities that include a good deal of functionality to give you the best shot at recovering all your salvageable data.

Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is Really worth Your Money
Download the App

Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is available in three editions – Home, Professional, and Technician. These three editions target different spectrum of users who have varied requirements. For having your hands on them, you need to navigate to the Stellar Data Recovery official website and choose the desired edition. To reduce your trouble, each of these editions has 'Demo' and 'Full' versions. You can download the Demo version without spending a single penny for analyzing the software for functionality. This version limits your recovery to previewing all recovered data in the interface. You need to register the Demo to take advantage of the Full version and recover all the files you previewed using the Demo.

We will discuss about the 'Professional' edition of the most recent launch - Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery 6.0.

Interface

The main screen of the software is detailed, colorful, and packed with plenty of functionality. The interface is responsive and is designed in such a way that it minimizes your learning curve. You are provided with three tabs once you launch the tool – 'Data Recovery', 'Recovery from Image', and 'Advance Option'. The company claims a lot to offer with this tool. Let us brief the basic as well as advanced functionality integrated into this data recovery application.

Data Recovery

The 'Data Recovery' tab brings to you four different recovery modules:
  • Drive Recovery
  • Photo Recovery
  • CD DVD Recovery
  • Email Recovery
Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is Really worth Your Money

'Drive Recovery' lists all the logical volumes in a section. You can choose any volume here and start recovering your data using the displayed options on the flying pane. You can also search volumes lost or deleted on your hard drive or any other removable media. 'Photo Recovery' takes care of your photo loss or deletion mistakes. With this module, you can recover every type of image and multimedia file without investing much of your time and effort. With 'CD DVD Recovery', you can retrieve inaccessible files residing on an incorrectly burnt or damaged optical disc, including CDs, DVDs, HD DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. In the bottommost corner, you will find 'Email Recovery' that can be used for recovering lost email data in MS Outlook and Outlook Express data files.

Advance Option

The software also comes with built-in data backup and drive monitoring tools. 'Create Image' under 'Advance Option' facilitates you to image your hard drive or volume to keep a copy of your data. The image replicates the contents of source and excludes a bad sectors if found. You can dig further and select a specific region of the media to be imaged.

With the 'Clone Drive' option, it is easy to clone any of your internal or external Mac drive to another media. 'Drive Status' is another feature that adds to the usability, giving you the ability to have a closer look at your hard drive status. With this add-on feature, you can sense when your drives are about to crash and need a replacement.

Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is Really worth Your Money

Recovery from Image

This is one of the major highlights in the feature's list. 'Recovery from Image' lets you load any media image created earlier with the software to recommence the process of recovery at a later time. It is a much flexible approach allowing you to perform recovery in two phases conveniently.

Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is Really worth Your Money
Features

This Windows file recovery application helps you stay in control of the entire process of recovery, no matter how your data has been compromised. The software offers the following list of salient features:
  • Precise recovery of data from Windows hard drives, removable disks, and optical media
  • Recovery of lost photos from memory cards, hard drives, and other storage media
  • Retrieves inaccessible files stored on damaged or corrupt optical discs
  • Recovery of deleted emails and other data in MS Outlook and Outlook Express
  • 'Raw Recovery' feature to find data on your drive using file signatures
  • Supports imaging and cloning Windows hard drives and volumes
  • Supports FAT, NTFS, and ExFAT file systems
The Verdict

The software brings a number of options at your disposal to provide you a scalable environment for recovery. However, it may be frustrating to use for those who are uncomfortable with advanced settings. Overall, this multifaceted utility can get the job done for all cases of data loss, including simple accidental deletions to system crashes and similar catastrophic disasters.
 
 
Copyright © 2012 - 2016. TechSemo - All Rights Reserved.
Techsemo Facebook Techsemo Google Plus Techsemo Twitter Techsemo Stumbleupon Techsemo Linkedin Techsemo Pinterest Techsemo RSS