| Data Recovery is the process of rescuing the data | | | | primarily caused due improper maintenance where the |
| from the spoiled or inaccessible storage media when | | | | file system structures are prevented from being |
| the media reaches a situation where it cannot be | | | | completely written to the storage medium. This |
| accessed in the normal manner. The data often can | | | | results in the inconsistency in the state of file system |
| be rescued from the storage media formats such as | | | | and can cause variety of problems such as system |
| Floppy Disks, Hard Disks, Tape Drives, CDs, DVDs | | | | crashes, operating system checking for the boot file |
| and RAID Drives. The data is lost either due to the | | | | for more than one time or there can also be an |
| Physical damage to the storage disk or the logical | | | | actual data loss. These inconsistencies up to a limited |
| damage to the file system in the disk that prevents | | | | stage can be repaired and there are various |
| it from being accessible by the operating system. | | | | programs that are accompanied with the operating |
| Physical Damage | | | | software and can be used to overcome the problem. |
| Physical damage is the corruption of the physical | | | | For instance there is chkdsk with Microsoft Windows |
| parts of the storage media. There are a variety of | | | | and fsck with Linux and also some software available |
| possibilities like the improper working of a Hard disk | | | | to overcome these errors when the operating |
| due to the mechanical failures such as head crashes, | | | | system is unable to correct these errors. |
| failed motors or insufficient power supply. CD Rom | | | | While most of the logical damage can be recovered |
| drives can have their layers scratched off, the tape | | | | by the operating system or a good data recovery |
| drives can simply break when kept inside a bag while | | | | software. This usually happen when during a |
| traveling are a few to name and there can be many | | | | recovery process two files claims to share the same |
| more reasons. Physical hard drive damage always | | | | allocation unit and in such case, data loss for one of |
| leads to some kind of Logical damage as well as | | | | the files is essentially guaranteed. This can be |
| there are some clusters destroyed which are | | | | lowered by use of journaling file systems, such as |
| inaccessible. The logical damage must be recovered | | | | NTFS 5.0. These file systems can always be rolled |
| before any files are salvaged from the media. | | | | back to a consistent state, which means the data |
| The physical damages cannot be repaired by the | | | | that will be lost will be likely the one in the drives |
| user himself as it can cause further damage to the | | | | cache during the system failure. However, regular |
| media and moreover the users generally are not | | | | system maintenance should still be followed to avoid |
| trained to handle such extreme processes like | | | | any kind of data loss. This not only protects from |
| opening a hard disk in a normal room can further | | | | the data being lost but also from the file system |
| damage the disk as it leads to dust settlement on | | | | being infected by the virus. However, one |
| the surface of the disk. To overcome these | | | | incompatibility still remains where the disk controller |
| difficulties the Data Recovery Companies are | | | | reports that the file system reports of structures |
| consulted where clean room facilities at 100 percent | | | | being saved to the disk when it has not actually |
| are maintained to protect the media when the repairs | | | | occurred. This can often happen during a power loss |
| are being carried out. This helps in rebuilding the logical | | | | where the data is stored in cache. This problem can |
| damage before the data is being rescued. However | | | | be solved by using a system that is equipped with a |
| the data recovery success rate is below 100 percent | | | | battery backup or an Uninterrupted Power Supply |
| in case of a physical damage but most of the files | | | | (UPS) so that the waiting data can be written when |
| are recovered. This kind of recovery can also be | | | | the power is restored or at least to give enough |
| carried out for other media such as Tape drives, | | | | time to the system to shut down properly. |
| memory cards etc. | | | | For more information on most typical data recovery |
| Logical Damage | | | | cases and various data recovery software available |
| The Logical damages occur more commonly when | | | | click on the respective links. |
| compared to that of the Physical damage. This is | | | | |