Abstract
This paper helps in Anticipating and planning correct measures of to minimize data disaster. It will explain most of the aspects attached to this unsolved baffled piece of threat. It also hinders out to concise data recovery matters.
Introduction
Today every industry which is keen about its business efficiency and cost evaluation matters know the importance of data and equally keen about its protection strategies. The threat associated with the disruption of data is sufficient enough to outshine business activities; on the other hand consolidation of data must be available to ensure true regional, national and international activities.
Loss of information is a great threat but its protection and of course revival needs high cost and expertise. The question is then how to consolidate data over networks with confidence. The one line answer is by ensuring highly integrated security features and commendable data protection and revival strategies.
According to the Gartner Group,
"Two out of every five enterprises that experience a disaster go out of business within five years."
(Gartner, Disaster Recovery Plans and Systems are Essential,
Robert Witty, Donna Scott, September 2001)
Anticipation of these events, planning corrective courses of action, preparing an organization for the unexpected disaster threat and disaster recovery planning is now a prerequisite to business success.
Media of Storage
Modern Information technology has not only progressed in software industry but also prepared most modern and efficient tools and devices. Storage Media are one of those most demanding computer essential parts which are based on established science and well acquired knowledge and expertise. Several different types of storage devices are available in the market. The development of these devices took very long time and the change of their size, shape, durability and efficiency has made different classes of these storage devices. Sharp and sound knowledge is well required to correctly handle different storage devices in different surroundings and environments. These storage mediums have different formats hence different reasons to choose one. Some are given below
- CD-ROM
- CD-RW
- DVD
- DVD-RAM
- Hard Drive
- Magnetic Optical Media
- Tape-DAT
- Tape-LTO
Many of us don't even know about the data loss issues attached to CDs, DVDs and other storage media. The main purpose of this paper is to ensure data recovery from hard disk that's why I will concentrate only on the topic.
Value of Data
It was felt recently after some serious damages in the industry that data should be stored and preserved very carefully because if mission critical data will be lost and fail to recover in a reliable condition, within a reasonable timeframe then top possibility is that data holder apprehends severe disaster. Suitable and applicable recovery plans are keenly desired with most developed means i.e. Procedural action and events, Disaster recovery software and hardware; to support adequate and reliable revival of data. Moreover, effects of environmental flux must be known to encourage data life.
Sources of Threat
Data can be lost due to one or more then one reason. Some reasons are given below.
Virus
Virus is a program which can enter into the system and can destroy the important data and is capable to raze system hardware. It is also observed that the percentage of data loss is greater in those systems which are more venerable to viruses. More virus attacks can also result into hard disk failure. It should be realized that all sorts of hardware or software failure are not due to virus infection. The question is how to know about virus attack on the system. Common symptoms are given below.
- Continuous system boot failure
- Invariable restarting
- Ill execution of exe and com files
- Problematic Antivirus
- Memory outflow
- Data corruption activities
Loss of Power
Data may exhibit serious damages due to uneven flow of current. The sudden power loss can bear frustrating results. This sort of damage sometimes results into more then one problem, which usually are resistant to experience recovery professionals too.
Bad Sectors
A bad sector is a flawed memory potion which makes it unusable. If the hard drive develop bad sector and is known in time then it's quite intelligent to have some backup plan because data present on bad sectors cannot be retrieved by ordinary means. It is also observed that bad sectors can spread by time and if image of a bad hard disk having bad sectors is placed on healthy hard disk; even healthy hard disk will show bad sectors in it however formatting well and repartitioning of the healthy drive can eliminate the problem.
Many tools present on internet can be used to find and scroll off bad sectors. Windows and Dos also offer these sorts of tools with their initial shipments i.e. CHKDSK and SCANDISK.
CHKDSK is a tool which checks the hard disk for any hard drive errors.
Scandisk is a utility designed to check significant issues related to system data. The usage of utility in DOS is same; one can use this utility while working in windows however some performance differences make DOS utility somehow more attributed.
Software Conflicts
The uneven nature and flawed design of software can corrupt data. This issue was observed many times in the past due to operating system failure; however one can even observe less critical disaster today.
Operating System Problem
Sometimes people usually think that some particular software failure mean problem in OS and they without knowing anything reinstall all the stuff along with operating system. The possibility of problematic operating system is only applicable when you are having problem with more then one software and this situation will be confirmed if different trouble making software belong to different vendors. Operating system problems result into complete crash or stoppage of activities of system.
Loose Cabling
Inactive work result into loose cabling which certainly effect proper transfer of data and sometime lead to total hard drive crash.
Improper Shutdown
I have seen many times that people shutdown their system by direct power cut off; some adventure loving champion restart system again and again without using restart utility provided by OS. This situation leads toward OS corruption, Data loss or Hard disk failure.
Overheating
Overheating happen due to two things. One is improper assembling of a system and second is system area; I mean where system is placed, if system is placed near some object which emits heat then you need high luck to favor you.
Hardware introduction into working system
Never try to connect or disconnect any hardware to in working system. It will also result into serious data or/and hardware disaster.
If you try to fun with electricity, it will end you with comic story
(Muhammad Irfan Basharat; May 10, 2006)
Magnetic device harm
Strong magnetic rays are harmful for hard drive, so it's advisable to work away from correlated environment.
Odd assembling position
Care is better then Cure. Never panic while assembling the hard drive or any other system part. Take your time, be relaxed and concentrate well on the process. Place the drive properly and fix it by screwing firm so that it will not vibrate, vibration can take things away from you.
Bad hard disk circuit board
For a better taste, I usually eat French fries along with fried fish; however I am sick from fried circuit boards. In older days I replace boards with the 100% same working board but today due to vast change in technology, it is almost impossible to find cent percent same board. Sometime partial or complete file structure goes down along with circuit board and the situation creates havoc. It is possible to repair file structure as many utilities like Norton disk doctor are available in market but sometimes repairing may happen in more disastrous results.
Bad RAM
Bad RAM will result into periodic system crash and corruption of supported applications. The working documents may also suffer from serious corruptions.
Immediate Safety Concerns
Negative things usually happen due to panic and careless attitude; sometime people don't know how to react. In case of system or data disaster, immediate reaction usually worth positive. Let's discuss some of the key immediate safety concerns.
- If you smell find mysterious smell around you and you are even 10% sure that its coming from system then go for immediate shutdown and disconnect the power supply. Let it be very clear that smelling more require instantaneous disconnection of power supply without waiting for system shut down.
- Nasty noise coming from hard disk mean system hard drive is working with difficulty and need to be verified for bad sectors. Shutdown you system, connect another hard drive with the system and boot from it then check for bad sectors in the noisy hard drive, if bad sectors are less then flag them and continue your work but more bad sectors demand immediate data transfer to other media. There are many tools available in market and they can be used to remove logical bad sectors. Working with physical bad sectors need more expertise and knowledge and I will recommend that in the case of physical bad sector; try some professional or contact to your vendor. If your hard drive is in warranty then don't wait and claim your warranty immediately.
- Fire or sparking happen very less but need extra careful attitude. Disconnect power supply immediately.
Data Recovery
You have lost some important data; let me prepare you for recovery process. Recovery of data from different media is different and need sound knowledge, skill and care. If you have already lost data and need to recover it then don't use that hard drive any more, the more you use the hard drive; the more data you save and more data safety means less chances of recovery.
People sometime argue; OK we will not save any more data but I am unable to spare the hard drive. I like to answer those innocent folks that don't argue with the professionals. Moreover even if you work with hard drive without saving any data the I/O operations can even corrupt recoverable file. Now without boring you anymore I like to jump to different data recovery, data security and drive image software.
Data-Recovery Software
Some important recovery softwares are given below.
- R-Studio
- R-Undelete
- GetDataBack - Data Recovery for NTFS/FAT
- Ontrack Data Recovery
- Stellar Phoenix FAT & NTFS
- Recover My Files
- Restorer2000
- Active@ Partition Recovery
- Active@ UNDELETE File
- Tiramisu
- RAID Reconstructor
- ZAR
Step By Step Data Recovery from Hard Drive
Follow simple steps to recover your data back. I like to direct a logical situation before moving toward steps.
"Abu-Bakar is working in the office as System Administrator, during a lunch time he was listening religious lecture of a good scholar, suddenly electricity fluctuated and system went down. He tried to reboot the system but it fails. System is not recognizing hard drive"
Follow the procedure.
- Take off hard drive (Disk A) and map some other drive (Disk B) in the system and check whether Disk B works or not (If Disk B work fine then go to step 3 else follow in sequence).
- Troubleshoot entire system and try finding problem making part.
- Boot from Disk B and try to make sector by sector image of Disk A by using some good image making software (If you fail to find a Disk A other then Disk B; then go to step 4 else ignore step 4).
- Use hard disk regenerator or any other dos tool to recover any logical bad sectors of Disk A, it will regenerate your hard drive; after having success message go to step 3 again (After having step 3 and 4 again and again, if Disk A do not work then go to step 11).
- Save the image to other media i.e. Disk B (You will work on this image to recover data because working on the Disk A means serious data kill).
- Remove Disk A.
- Install appropriate recovery software on Disk B.
- Choose recovery drive (C, D, E, F etc) different i.e. if corrupted data is present in D drive then choose E or F as recovery drive.
- Start recovering data. If you did something shabby then go back to step 3.
- After recovery, choose appropriate data and save it.
- If the process fail to help then check circuit board of Disk A. You may seek some professional help to check the board. If board is dead then arrange 100% same board ……….. I will repeat 100% same board, one may use magnifying glass to ensure 100% similarity. You might destroy all chances of recovery by using bad or dissimilar board. After having board, replace it softly and try to boot from Disk A, if it work then go for data backup strategies else go to step 3.
- If you feel shaky or do not like to take risk then seek some professional help.
Conclusion
A wise person always plan for his bad time so plan today and bestow us an opportunity to call you wise. It's very intelligent to go for data backup plan and always exercise your expertise in peace time.
Seeking hope is a tough job but your hope sounds half success.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment