Malfunctioning Nodes in HP P4000 & HP P4500 Storage Servers

Here at Easy Data Recovery we have developed an innovative way of recovering data from the malfunctioning or failed nodes that go to make up HP P4000 and P4500 storage servers as originally produced and distributed by Hewlett Packard.

Setting up these ‘nodes’ requires that the system itself is attached to something along the lines of the HP StoreVirtual Centralized Control Management Console which allows for the multiple ‘nodes’ to run in tandem with each other and also manages how the information is accessed and stored across a network that will invariably include an ‘application server’ from which all of your network-based programs operate.

At Easy Data Recovery our engineers have designed and implemented an series of bespoke methods by which it is possible to recover the data from these ‘nodes’ after they have failed. This is in contradiction to Hewlett Packard as a manufacturer who said that this is not possible. Our engineers can attest to the fact that it is and have been asked to reconstitute large volumes of data from said ‘nodes’ by customers just like you who are dependent on the information contained on them to keep your business running smoothly.

The ‘nodes’ in question are normally made up of a set number of hard drives which themselves are of a set volume. With the HP P4000 the original volume of the hard drives in a ‘node’ was 300GB (this was back in 2008 we might add) and since then HP have increased the size to 450GB although only 300GB is accessible. The failure of drives within a ‘node’ can lead to the ‘node’ itself ultimately becoming unstable or unrecognisable by the HP StoreVirtual Centralized Control Management Console and therefore no longer accessible.  Potentially this means that large volumes of data are lost if, as HP said, they were unrecoverable after the ‘node’ had failed.

Using forensic measures and a process based on reverse engineering our engineers can restore the data from said drives to a new medium with a high rate of success and in doing so can not only save you time but money. The replacement of a SAN such as the HP P4000 or P4500 (which are now both discontinued) can be a costly exercise in both financial and information terms. Many man-hours can be lost in the pursuit of recovering such data by calling upon out of date resources such as hard copy and old back-ups.

Using our data recovery method Easy Data Recovery engineers can recover the data to a new media until such times as you purchase a new SAN or recover it to a new ‘node’ in an existing SAN if that is applicable.

To find out more about how Easy Data Recovery’s engineers can help retrieve your data from a malfunctioning or failed ‘node’ contact us today on 01 6859007 and a member of our engineering team will discuss the options available to you as well as giving you a run down on the services we offer which are tailored to suit both budget and timescale when it comes to recovery.

Rating how data loss affects a business can be more important than some realise

Many execs may not be familiar with data loss projections and how these will truly impact their day-to-day operations, but it is an important thing to consider. When these data loss problems have a direct result on timely delivery to customers or even timely delivery to the company’s warehouse, it can affect a company’s performance and productivity. Why has the supply chain grown into such a risk for many businesses who may struggle to make it from start-up to establish? Gone are the days when UK companies largely exported more finished goods than they imported. With a reliance on outsourced companies to make those same finished goods today or at least deliver the materials need, it can pose a challenge to UK companies who are fighting to more than balance their bottom-line cost with demand.

Disruptions can hurt a company and keep it from being productive or profitable among its competitors. In a 2010 IBM report on UK email downtime, hardware failures, lost connections, and database corruption caused businesses to lose their ability to be profitable in the area of supply chain and demand.

Take time to locate the source that may cause a data loss Risk

Some companies may be concerned with only finding the greatest data loss risk, but  executives need to be aware about all key data loss risks equally.  Why be concerned about a factor that any cause data loss, but is not a main key factor for data loss?  Those factors that are not main key factors can be major headaches for companies that do not keep a close enough watch on business’s operations.

A Business Impact Analysis needs to be completed and  included in a data loss disaster recovery program because it is essential for helping a company’s IT professionals or execs determine their potential problems, probable costs, and what levels of protection are needed to  help the company operations continue smoothly. Does your company need maximum protection? Depending on the nature of the business, some companies may need heavy protection so that there are very few interruptions in their business operations. Other business execs may determine the company can operate with minimum protection needed.

Here are key factors to consider when developing a BIA:

• Time needed to recover data from a previous state
• Financial value of critical business processes
• Minimal number of staff needed to conduct business operations
• Dependencies on internal and external organisations
• Data requirements
• Technology needs to operate efficiently (minimum and maximum needs)

Knowing this information can help an executive and IT professional increase profitability and effectively develop a plan to avoid data losses that could cripple operations.  Unexpected data recovery costs may cost executives the ability to execute their plans well and rise above their competitors. 

Why newly acquired businesses can increase data loss risks for a UK Company

Did you know that for some UK companies, data loss may not be caused by hackers or viruses? It may simply be a sign of a company not understanding the best way to use the data give across their entire infrastructure. One insurance company grew and acquired several centres as a result. But, no one had any idea of the risks they faced because of their acquisitions. Why should a UK company know their risks when it comes to data?

It is hard to prevent data loss if you do not know how to best minimise the damages or worse, deal with the threats that may cause data loss. How can UK companies’ best calculate their risks and take steps to safeguard computers from fire damage, water damage, electrical outages, and accidental data loss caused by an IT professional imputing code incorrectly. One of the best ways is to calculate the likelihood that the event will happen in a numeric figure. Do you know what the impact would be for the company and calculate that figure? Once you know the likelihood and the impact, it is easy to calculate the risk factor by simply multiplying the likelihood and impact together.

Breaking down the Risk

If a UK company wants to do well in the business market, they must adjust to change and assure customers that their data really is safe in the company’s database. Is a risk minimal if looking into the risks divided by certain sectors? How much is a UK company boss able to trust computer analysis and charts made by human estimates?

No risk assessment is going to be 100 percent accurate. But, the trick is to best assess the likelihood of occurrences by predicting the probability. The goal is to use these four categories to narrow the error margin. High probability is for those risks that are the most likely to occur and you could prevent. For those threats that are low-risk and may require low maintenance, it is best to accept. Containing is for those risks which have the highest probability of happening and they aren’t much of a security threat. The last category may be the most important when it involves data loss and recovery efforts, planning. Without a clear plan, the smallest data breach can become a sizable threat. This is why even the largest companies need a data recovery loss plan and risk assessment not only for themselves, but whatever is acquired.

Hot swaps or cold swap hosts: Does it matter with a Raid system using Mac?

Businesses can lose money if they have to shut down their operations, even for part of a day. But, they lose less than if a company was out of operations for weeks because Apple hard drive recovery or hard disk recovery was needed from a professional. How can businesses salvage a bad situation before it reaches the point Mac hard disk recovery is needed? One way is to use a hot swap host to repair the malfunctioning drive that is connected to your Raid system.

What is a hot swap host? Smaller companies may not have the budget or the manpower to have a dedicated IT team, let alone an IT professional. However, business owners can hire hot swap hosts. These hosts are a third-party vendor who will provide you with another driver that is close to the same configurations, it is patched and updated so very little changes may need to be made. It allows a business to still operate and not shut down any services while changing out a failing drive. It also may reduce the chances of needing Apple hard drive recovery or hard disk recovery.

Should I switch to a cold swap Host?

What is a cold host swap? Smaller companies cannot afford to lose money by being down for weeks while a professional provides Mac hard disk recovery. Though it is similar, how does a cold swap differ from a hot swap? A cold swap is matching a drive for other drivers in Raid. A replacement is simply kept on hand until needed. Why keep a cold spare on hand? A cold spare can help restore Raid to a fault-tolerant state and you can use Raid to rebuild, if changes are made to a Raid system. Having a spare on hand helps move the process along quickly, as it can take days if your vendor do not have a hard drive to cold swap already in hand.

A driver failure means a Raid 5 system reverts back to a Raid 0 state. If two drives go down, a Raid system has completely lost its volume. This is why it is smart to have a cold swap on hand. It minimizes the chances that something will go wrong with a Raid system or a company may lose a whole Raid volume because two or more Raid drivers fail. Ideally mounting a cold swap to a drive carrier, having it already tested and initialised may save time and plenty of headaches.

Some Raid solutions may seem unRaid-unlike, using Apple Mac data recovery Options

If you use Apple software and run a Raid 5 system using a Mac, solutions for formatting Raid arrays may not be the same for PC Raid array solutions. If you have a PC and it is running a Raid 5 array, Raid 5 recovery may be much simpler. Many PC systems may consider a Raid system to be offline if it is unable to be read. However, Mac computer may need different Apple Mac data recovery solutions because these systems running Raid 5 will still recognise the software. The Raid system only needs to still be plugged in. Using a Mac, Raid recognises a system as long as it is attached to a computer. This is what makes Apple Mac data recovery more of a challenge and may cause many business owners to need data recovery in Ireland from a professional who has special knowledge of Mac and Raid systems.

What is the best way to “fix” this type of Raid problem? Did you know that it may require shutting down a Raid system in this instance? The drivers on an Apple may not be able to read if there is a Raid system online if the computer is offline. Though it is true a trained professional who does data recovery in Ireland may be able to remove the drive, reboot, and reformat. This may not be the only option to solving Raid 5 problems before needing Raid 5 data recovery.

Erasing drives may solve Raid Apple recovery Problem

It may not seem like much of a Raid 5 recovery solution to purposely erase Raid drives, but it is one way to damage a Raid array so that it will go off-line. Once the drives that were part of the Raid array are wiped clean, they will no longer be recognised by a Mac and it will be easier to perform Apple Mac recovery on a computer running a Raid system.

Since every Raid system is different, it is best if business owners stop assuming this solution of Raid works every time data recovery is needed in Ireland. However, it is best to take it to a trained professional before attempting data recovery yourself. Though a specialist in data recovery in Ireland may not be able to use the same solution every time, they will also be able to keep from further harming sensitive data. Having a professional wipe the drives will keep from further damaging a Raid system and erase any previous problem a business pro had because a Raid system would not go off-line. 

Why USB flash drive users may need data Recovery

USB flash drives can have any uses other than using storing photos or files? Did you know that a USB flash drive can be used to add start menu for launching applications. Applications can be added to a USB flash drive and customised. This allows a user to start what programs or applications they want, stored safe on a flash drive. However, this is only one use for a drive that users may not realise.

Most people are not aware that you can create shortcuts of root folders of USB drives. Having a shortcut on a flash drive allows you to easily execute the application. However, USB drives only work best when data is not lost.

What can cause data loss and lead to the need for fast Recovery?

Some computer viruses can infect a USB flash drive? This is why you need a recovery specialist to clean the virus off a USB drive before they may be able to recover files off a flash drive.

Because viruses may be easily transferred from machine to machine, you may not know you have a virus before files are infected.

However, sometimes, the age of flash drives may simply be the reason a flash drive fails. After so many uses, drives can fail. A single flash drive can be used at least up to 500 times of reading and writing before it fails, as a general rule. But, the process of making USB flash drives for users is not even an imperfect process as even a small flaw in the design may hinder a user from being able to access important files?

Best way to protect data on USB flash Drives

Though it is always a good idea to turn to a data recovery specialist to recover data, data recovery is not fool proof. A USB flash drive is not all fool proof. USB flash drives can fail. The only way to truly prevent data loss 100 percent is to have a backup USB flash drive at all times.

If your backup drive is older, it may be best to transfer the data to a new USB flash drive. Even if they are unused, older flash drives can fail. However, this isn’t any reason why a USB flash drive shouldn’t stop be used for data recovery. It is a cheap way for computer users to keep sensitive safe and it can be formatted to protect data.

EU regulation changes do not mean companies have to worry data is Lost

While EU data protection regulations may be changing how IT companies may use customer data, it doesn’t mean a company cannot gain from data that is collected and used in a new way. Though the EU regulations allow customers to ask their data not be used, it also allows for businesses to use information in a B2B capacity.

The data protection regulation may require companies to change their protection for their data, as well. It may also require companies to put into place security measures so that there are no security breaches and company data is not lost.

Why companies must protect data from security Breaches?

Data loss doesn’t just mean companies suffer from hackers using their data for ill gain. It also means companies may have to pay stiff penalties for lost data. How can companies protect themselves and their employees from high fines? Did you know that USB flash drives for individual employees may protect data? Should USB flash drives use an in-house authentication?

Security breaches can also cost a company sometimes millions, or at least five percent of customer profits. By making sure employees understand security breaches that can cost the company and how better to guard against them, it can help a company focus on their strategy to create a better environment to protect sensitive data. Many times, companies may be unable to accurately estimate how much business was lost through missed sales, an internal investigation, and costs lost through monies spent on potential lawsuits. Did you know that when asked in an investigation, 25 percent of business heads did not know how to predict their business losses?

Why businesses fall victim to Breaches

Many business breaches are never reported in a timely manner? This is why some businesses cannot adequately protect company secrets or data. However, it is more than unreported data that causes businesses to be at risk. However, if a business uses a third-party supplier, it could put them at risk to security breaches.

How can a business best protect their sensitive data? They may have all the data security measures in place to protect company and customer data. However, a company’s best way to protect itself is to be aware and act quickly when data breaches do occur. By having security measures in place, a company can be prepared for EU data protection regulations.

Why all is not lost when files are accidentally Deleted

It may be easy to accidently erase files off a hard disk drive. But, even files are deleted it does not mean all is lost. Did you know data recovery specialists can perform data recovery on those computer files that you thought you were lost? Professionals have computer programs that can identify files have been deleted. However, this may be helpful if you do not overwrite any files before dropping off a laptop hard drive or desktop computer hard disk drive for data loss recovery.

How do these professional computer programs find deleted files? Professionals who are familiar with Windows operating systems know that this type of computer operating system keeps track of files on a hard disk drive by reading “pointers.”  When you delete a file, it may delete the pointers. But, it doesn’t mean the files are really gone. Your computer may then consider those files as “free space,” in which it marks sectors.

Only with a solid state drive is data recovery not Possible

Did you know that only if you use solid state drive are files immediately erased? This is why amateurs must be careful when deleting files on a TRIM-enabled SSD.  You may not have to worry about files being duplicated and stolen. But, it also means that your files cannot be recovered.

Are you looking to add new files to a flash memory drive? Did you know that files on a flash memory drive must be deleted before new files can be written? This is why it may be good to ask a professional before you delete any files.

What can a data recovery expert do for You?

Why should you take your hard drive to a data recovery specialist, as soon as possible? The longer that you wait, there may be a possibility that Windows or another operating system will overwrite files on a hard disk drive.  Once overwritten, deleted files may not be recovered.  Having files recovered immediately is the only way to insure most of your important data is saved.

Use your hard drive as little as possible. The best way to recover data after you delete it is to power down your computer after you accidently delete a file. A professional has the expertise to take your hard drive and install it into another operating system. This can quickly help you recover your deleted files, as quickly as possible.

Why overheating is your computer’s invisible Enemy

Overheating can be a problem before you may even realise it. Did you know that a computer that gets too hot internally can cause hardware inside your unit to fail? What can cause a hard drive crash other than an extremely high heat that drives up the internal temperature inside hard drives? Did you know that the heat inside a hard disk drive may be unevenly dispersed? With temperatures rising, platters on hard drives malfunction, your computer files may be lost if your hard drive overheats.

If your computer is running slow, it may be a sign that heat is affecting your computer’s performance.   Did you know this is one sign that a computer data recovery specialist looks for while they are trying to retrieve data? Does your computer constantly have a hot spot that you can feel when you have your wrists on the keyboard? It may simply be a common problem with certain computer designs.

Data recovery specialists may be able to recover files from a Bios System

Why is flashing a bios system not the best option, sometimes, for recovering your most important files? Did you know that a data specialist may be able to perform computer data recovery on a hard disk drive by restoring your Bios system to another point? However, this isn’t an option an amateur should try. Errors in a Bios system can cause a CPU unit from functioning correctly.  This is why it is best that only a professional try to restore Bios to another point or restore files lost because of computer data loss.

However, there can be many ways heat can damage your computer. Since dust is an insulator, dust may cause fans to stop working correctly and overheating to take place quickly.  A data recovery specialist can recover data from platters that aren’t turning correctly.  Did you know that a specialist can use special software to check how hot a computer’s CPU is running? This can be a better method rather than holding your hand near the fans that are blowing to cool down your computer.

Specialists will examine all Options

• Does a motherboard need replacing?
• A specialist can open the casing around a computer to check for damage
• A specialist knows the best way to cool an overheating computer or battery
• Does a compute simply need a professional cleaning before files are retrieved?
• Does your computer need a new computer fan to cool a desktop or laptop?

Unusual data loss problems that can spell trouble for Mac and PC Users

Did you know there can be reasons why a computer suddenly suffers a data loss for no explanation? If you have a Mac Pro Book for example, did you know an overcharged battery can cause data loss? Many times it is good to plug a battery in. However, sometimes, the battery may receive more charge than it needs. It is not good news for any Mac Pro book because it damages a hard drive and causes users to need Mac hard disk recovery. Called battery blast, an overcharged battery occurs for several reasons. A battery may be faulty or simply charged beyond its limit.

For Mac and PC users, water splashed on a computer can short-circuit motherboards and cause the need for hard disk recovery or data recovery in the Dublin area. Accidents do happen, but it is best to avoid this problem that may cause unusual data loss problems by keeping liquids far away from computer screens and keyboards.

Six other factors that can make users lose their Data

• Data loss can occur because your machine runs out of disk space. A cache is not emptied before space is filled completely.
• Your machine’s cache memory can be corrupted.
• A power failure causes a network server to crash and fail.
• Your machine has a number of delay-write errors, causing errors to data that is written in caches,
• It may cause delay-write errors that allow a hacker to an application that tricks a user into allowing gaining hardware access. From there a hacker only needs to create a hardware abstraction layer in order to gain remote control of a user’s individual computer. This can make it hard to perform data recovery or hard disk recovery in the latter case because of the control a hacker can gain from an unsuspecting user.
• A computer may not be installing the hotfixes that are needed to fix recognised problems, such as system files have less data in them than they are supposed to contain. Computer users may be able to get data recovery in Dublin by calling the computer manufacturer’s number and discussing the problem in detail.

None of this answers the bigger question of what you do if you do need hard disk recovery or Mac hard disk recovery because of data loss. It is best for users to check the performance of a system and if it is constantly under the strain of too much load on a system’s memory, and cause system errors that can spell major failure.  A professional can recover any data that was accidently deleted.   

Five things you need to know before choosing any Raid System

Raid is used every day by businesses who want better data storage solutions, faster read and write options and better options to protect a company’s sensitive data. However, what should any company consider before buying a Raid system or calling a professional for Raid 5 recovery? Raid stands for a redundant array of disk drives used to store data, but it also means data can be replicated over multiple data drives.

Aside from the fact that support for Raid 5 systems is ending, Raid 10 may be a better option than Raid 5 because it offers faster read and write options. It doesn’t need to manage parity. What other things should you consider about Raid systems?

Is Raid 5/6 dead because of the need to store more and more Data?

Here are four more reasons businesses may want to rethink using Raid 5 and should switch to Raid 10 before they need Raid 5 recovery or hard drive recovery of any type.

• Raid 5 may not have the same tolerance compared to Raid systems of similar sizes. This may mean that data recovery cannot be done on a Raid 5 system if it has faults and a business owner is trying to rebuild a Raid 5 system with faults and all. It may be better to have a hard disk drive that can serve as a secure backup if a Raid system does fail. It may be easier to seek hard drive recovery than try to rebuild a failed Raid driver.
• What is the cost if business is lost due to a data malfunction and data loss of any Raid 5 system? Data can easily be stored on a Raid 10 system and read and written almost 10 times faster. It may help drives that provide space, enough if it is need more space to store sensitive data and small businesses cannot afford the downtime that a data loss ( without data recovery) may provide. Did you know that one out of every five businesses will suffer a data loss in 2015?
• Is Raid 5 really a great deal when it cannot compete performance-wise with Raid 10? Raid 10 has faster read and write capability, allowing it to write and protect new data faster than a previous Raid system. While this does not mean a business won’t ever need hard drive recovery or need a Raid 5 recovery, it may mean a business may have to choose between a cheaper “now” option or paying more than £3,000 for a Raid system that has a higher fault tolerance.
• Raid 5 may not be able to handle the data capacity needs of a larger company as easily as a Raid 10 system will. There is more room for a company to store redundant files and larger data files. It also may lessen the chances of Raid 10 not being as flexible when it comes to data recovery options.

Aside from price, have you ever had to do a cost analysis on which Raid systems was the best for your company’s data needs? While there is no Raid system that is not perfect, (even Raid 5 recovery may be needed at times), there are better Raid options to choose. 

Troubleshooting: Data Recovery for Parents

Your child has told you there's something wrong with the computer. You don't know how to fix it. How should you proceed?

Keep Calm

First and foremost, keep calm. You will need your child's help if you're going to find out what the problem is. Don't get angry. You want your child to be honest with you, so don't make the situation worse by letting your temper flair up.

Figuring Out What the Problem Is

Write down what the computer is doing. Record any noises it makes, anything that appears on the screen, and/or what happens if you press certain buttons.

Next, ask the child exactly what happened. Find out what they were doing when the computer started to act up. Ask how long it's been going on, and if they tried to fix it. If they did, write down what they did.

Should You Restart Your Computer?

Your first thought may be to turn it off and back on again. Ask the child if they did this first. If they did and it came back on, that's a good sign. If they didn't, it's up to you as the parent to decide if that's what you want to do.

If you turn it off and it doesn't come back on, it's time to call a professional. You may need hard drive recovery services.

If you're afraid to turn it off, call a professional and tell him everything that's going on. You may have to bring your computer to them to get looked at. Follow the technician's instructions exactly. Bring in anything they may ask for, including a backup drive. If they need to perform PC or Mac hard disk data recovery, you will need somewhere to store the data they recovered.

Communicating with the Technician

The purpose of the visit it twofold. You have to get your computer fixed. The second thing is to find out what happened and how you can prevent it from happening again.

Listen to the technician. Ask questions. If you have to, write down what he says so you'll remember.

Incorporate what he says. Tell the child what happened. If it was his fault, tell him what to do so that it won't happen again. This is how you save money and future incidences.

Practical Data Backup Tips For College Students

As a college student, your entire life is probably wrapped up in electronics. It's understandable. You are part of the millions of human beings who use electronics to make their lives easier. Everything you consider important is probably enhanced by a computer or mobile device.

This is why it's important to take care of your electronics. You need to be careful with them. You also need to back up data on a regular basis. This way if something does happen to your device, you will be able to restore all of your data without worrying.

Find an Affordable Option

There are several affordable backup options available to you. The most popular options are the cloud, an external hard drive and flash drives.

The cloud is the virtual way to store all of your files. You may have to pay a monthly price for cloud storage. You can save a little money by paying for your storage on a yearly basis.

An external hard drive is a hard drive that is not inside of your computer. You can store your files on this device and use it as a backup in case your hard drive fails.

Flash drives are small drives that can store a lot of data. They're easy to misplace, so be sure you're careful with them.

Compare Prices

You need to find out which of these options is best for you. Start by comparing prices. An external hard drive may be expensive, but it will last for years. A flash drive is affordable if you catch it on sale. The cloud is affordable too, but it comes with all of the problems of any virtual property.

Be sure you weigh the pros and cons before you decide. Remember, you want to pick the option that is right for you. If you have a Mac, think about which device would be easier to use to restore your computer after data recovery. Would you hand the technician a flash drive, external hard drive or tell them your files are in the cloud? Which option are you most comfortable with?

If you do need Apple Mac data recovery services, consider Easy Data Recovery. 

Why tiered data may be an effective data storage method for some Institutions

Many businesses and institutions may need effective storage, but not want to spend the money on a Raid system. Having a tiered data system may be an option for some businesses that cannot afford a dedicated IT professional to manage a Raid system. Similar to Raid array, a tiered data structure offers data protection. Why may a tiered data system be a better option for some institutions and businesses?

Unlike a Raid system, where data is mirrored and sensitive data protected over a number of disk drives, a tiered system has anywhere from two to six tiers. Sensitive data is stored on higher tiers and information that is accessed every day may be stored on a lower tier. This allows businesses and institutions the ability to access what they need and still keep safe their sensitive data. Did you know that tiering can cut capital expenses by expanding the life of expensive hardware. It also reduces the cost of operating costs by lowering the cost managing for expensive drives. Customers can pay for expensive data storage just for their most sensitive data that needs the tiered space.

What is the true cost of tiered Storage?

Did you know that tiered storage can be used to save solid state drives, hard drives, and also backup that tape data? It can cost the most to backup solid state drive data because this type of data takes up the most room. Did you know that it can cost a few hundred thousand pounds a year for hard drive storage. It only costs around £19,000 to protect tape data. Why is taped data less than other types of data? Tape data takes less up less than space to save data than a solid state drive or hard drive. This is why this type of data takes up less storage and costs less.

For institutions who have aging data systems and data stored on several different devices, in a number of places. By using a tiered data storage, this allows colleges and other institutions to easily protect their data without costing an arm and a leg. In some instances, a tiered system may be cheaper than a Raid system.

It’s best to speak to the professionals when you have questions about recovering lost data and which way is the best way to protect important data. 

Why malware is growing along with the different types of Drives

There are many more drive types available than there have been in the past 15 years. As technology grows, driver types expand, and malware becomes a bigger threat to security and a greater need for data recovery is felt. Following record-breaking losses from hackers stealing sensitive data, businesses and consumers have a deeper understand of how critical it is to have a disaster recovery plan and be more proactive about the threat of data loss.

As the prices for SSD and flash drives continue to fall, these options may cost close to the price of a hard drive. With dozens of different manufacturers and different types of flash and SSD drives, customers today have cheap data storage options available. Some data recovery centres are seeing an increase of 10 percent of customers bringing in their USB flash drives for data recovery.  Given the sophistication of today’s scammers and hacking schemes, it makes sense there is a greater need for data security and data recovery. As new spinning drives components and new drive formats come on the market, data recovery teams may be facing a new type of malware attacks and viruses.

Why malware threats are growing and ultimately costing More

As cyber crime increases, the number of malware also rises. Thanks to a new Trojan horse dubbed “CryptoLocker,” computer users may be paying more to unlock their own data. This virus, discovered in 2013, focuses victims to pay a ransom to have their own computer data unlocked. While some victims have been able to get their data unlocked after the deadline, the amount of the ransom substantially increased. This begs the question whether viruses and malware are becoming more dangerous and expensive overall.

This also is opening new challenges for data recovery experts. They may need to learn new techniques to repair some drives that use more spinning disk components or are filled with helium. This is why trained professionals need to not only have a disaster data recovery plan, but also watch new technologies closely. The only way to stop new emerging threats, is to closely follow their development. Would data recovery specialist benefit from taking classes to learn new emerging threats? It would be a good idea, especially if a data recovery expert wants to build their reputation for recovering data.

Disk Failures and Non-Functioning HP P4000/P4500 Storage Servers

At Advanced Data Recovery London we pride ourselves on our ability to help customers just like you recover data that under other circumstances would be lost. One such instance when it would be easy to consider your data lost for good is in the use of a HP P4000 or P4500 StoreVirtual Storage server or SAN (Storage Area Network).

If you are the owner or IT professional responsible for the overseeing of such a device you will know that they do not come cheap and more so neither does the time and effort spent trying to reclaim data by reconstituting it from old sources if it has been lost. Many man-hours can be lost with both a loss of productivity and financial implications when the disks within a ‘node’ or the server itself fail.

Our engineers at Advanced Data Recovery have perfected a way of retrieving data from the HP P4000/P4500 range of SANs that was previously unthinkable even by their manufacturer Hewlett Packard who have said openly that failure of such ‘nodes’ and their drives will leave you with a system that is unrecoverable.

It may well be that the system itself is no longer functioning and will not function again but using our bespoke methods of data recovery based on forensic recovery and reverse engineering, we can help businesses just like yours get back on track by recovering the data from drives.

You may be wondering how it is that, if Hewlett Packard say it can’t be done, we can do it.  But with over 16 years in the business of data recovery with a whole host of technology and experience at our fingertips our engineers are well versed in dealing with myriad devices such as the HP P4000/4500 range of StoreVirtual SANs and the likes of the HP StoreVirtual Centralized Control Management Console that allows it to work in conjunction with other ‘nodes’ and devices on an Ethernet or IP-based network.

Disk failures within such a setup can lead to the loss or reported deletion of LUNs (logical unit numbers) against which data is stored and allocated; these LUNs are important to a ‘node’ in the same way each drive is important within a smaller RAID setup such as RAID 0 (where each drive is allocated). Failing disks can impede the flow of information as well as its safe storage if the LUNs that the data is allocated to are no longer recognisable.

Likewise a non-functioning ‘node’ be it because of issues with the firmware or ability to communicate with software controllers like the HP StoreVirtual Centralized Control Management Console, can leave the data on-board inaccessible and without the aid of our bespoke data recovery, lost forever.

The Unrecoverable HP P4000/P4500 Is Now Recoverable

Here at Advanced Data Recovery London we pride ourselves on being able to recovery your data from a variety of different devices and storage media and to be able to do so with a very high rate of success.

From hard drives to USB storage devices our engineers have honed their craft over the last 16 years and are now leaders in providing cost effective data recovery solutions to individuals, small to medium sized businesses and large corporations with the emphasis on reuniting you with your data in the shortest time possible at the best possible price.

We are now pleased to be able to add to this commitment, the ability to be able to recover data from what has for a long time been considered to be the Holy Grail of storage devices; the HP P4000/P4500 range of StoreVirtual servers.

The HP P4000 and P4500 StoreVirtual storage servers have long been known as being the beast that couldn’t be tamed in that it was not possible to be able to recover the data from them once the ‘nodes’ or drives within the ‘nodes’ had failed. This was also the case with issues involving the accompanying software controller the HP StoreVirtual Centralized Control Management Console and VMware vSphere.

Even Hewlett Packard themselves as manufacturer and distributor of the Left-Hand server range (purchased from LeftHand Networks in 2008) have openly said over the years that it has not been possible to recover from these SANs (Storage Area Networks).

Our engineers here at Advanced Data Recovery London are happy to be able to say that they are wrong and we can offer our customers who use such devices the ability to recover what would have previously been considered lost data.

We do this using a bespoke set of recovery methods based around IT forensics and reverse engineering. We can also do this without a need for the whole rack-mounted setup or case enclosed system to be sent to us. We simply require the hard drives that go to make up the ‘nodes’.

Using a series of methods that we can discuss with you if you call us on 0203 0868633 (Monday to Friday 9am-6pm) we can produce recoverable images of your data from these drives. We can then recover your data to a new media that can be installed onto a new ‘node’ or other drive of your choosing.

Our engineers know the expense involved in replacing a setup such as the HP P4000 or P4500 Storage Server and as such our data recovery service is cost effective both in terms of finances and also the amount of man-hours that can be lost whilst trying to retrieve data by rebuilding it using old backups or inputting from old hard copies. Our recovery services not only provide value for money but go to ensure that the most recent data on your P4000 or P4500 is recovered so that your staff can start working again from the most up to date information.

For more information and advice on how we can help you recover your data from the P4000 or P4500 range of servers contact us today on 0203 0868633 and a member of our engineering team will take you through an initial assessment of the situation. We will offer you a range of solutions to suit both pocket and timescale and can guarantee a first class data recovery service every time. 

Why file sharing increases the chances of getting hacked and what you can do about it

It is called File Transfer Protocol and it hasn’t changed much in the 40 years since its development in the 1970s. It may be a testament to a design that has been so useful that it has been preserved. However, with concerns over data privacy and new security issues with hackers, FTP may no longer be the best way to share file or information at all.  With hackers able to intercept data en route, new protection measures may help UK businesses stem the tide of data they lose annually to hackers.

One way UK businesses can keep their data private is by blocking peer to peer sharing and avoid using P2P networks or sharing technology. According to one 2011 study, a marketing research firm found 9 percent of users downloaded files from a peer-to-peer network. If using these programs such as BitTorrent, FastTrack, or KaZaa, users unsuspectingly give hackers an opportunity to gain access to sensitive information through a shared file.

How to stop viruses that act as peer-to-peer programs

While some applaud the Internet for allowing people to communicate across continents, it has opened the door to viruses being spread on P2P networks and increasing the chances that a UK business may receive an infected file. It may not take a virus to gain access to sensitive data.  In 2009, researchers at one college found 45 results for “birth certificate,”42 results for “passport, and ”208 results for “tax return.” it is  no secret P2P programs are a “common avenue” to submit viruses.

What is the best way to stop unintended data sharing and curb data loss? It may not be enough to simply have antivirus protection anymore. Companies need a platform that allows them to keep information private and solely for the email recipient the email is intended.  Businesses do need to look into encryption of emails and other files. However, they also need to consider having STF features that allow a user interface between customers and company employees, having policies that fall in line with the company’s sharing policy and technology usage, and allowing fast sharing of any suspicious activity or possible hacking within the network.

Whether your data loss is because electrical outages or because of physical hardware problems, experts can help. Let us recover your data before you attempt your own data recovery.

More testing, upgrading software and rebalancing needs may curb UK Company’s data Loss

With the introduction of the new data privacy laws, only 26 percent of UK businesses admitted that they thought they were in full compliance of the data privacy laws. Some UK businesses are still struggling to understand fully if they are in compliance and what the steps are to become so. In addition, many UK companies are using newer technology to keep sensitive customer and company data safe from hackers and thieves. Through a series of rigorous testing, companies ensure their systems are safe. But, are there enough tests a company can run on their equipment worth millions of pounds?

Some experts are of the opinion that it isn’t newer technology that is causing data losses and power outages. The culprit, they argue, is some companies buying cheaper software to run systems. More expensive software, with fewer bugs, may be available. But companies must decide if they are willing to pay more to have a developer work out the software bugs. Software development and testing is not cheap and it can take time to work the bugs out. While some business owners may be saving upfront to buy cheaper software, they may not be saving as much as they think. Some bugs can lead to vulnerabilities and open a company’s network up for an attack.

Is the ‘buggy’ software program really a human problem?  

A chief information officer at the London-based oil and gas exploration company, Tullow Oil, cites human factors are the reason for most system failures. Some employees may not fully be following testing procedures 100 percent.

This may be part of the reason why UK companies are experiencing a high number of data loss and might play a role in some of the ‘system failure.’ However, in addition to not running enough tests, human error for failing to comply all testing at some companies, and trying to save upfront costs, UK  companies may have a hard time preventing data loss because they set themselves up to fail.

The link between running outdated software and data Losses 

Some UK companies may think it is cheaper to buy the outdated software than buy the newer, more expensive software. But, they may not be ready for the cost of owning software that the manufacturer now longer supports or offers updates. Third-party vendors may be the only option some UK businesses have to keep their systems running. Why not simply upgrade to the newest technology and open the door less to hackers and the possibility of data loss?  Then, a company may increase spending by needing a specialist to recover any lost data when a system shuts.

Data storage solutions are expanding, but what does it mean for data Recovery?

With the amount of data growing, new ways to store data is needed. No longer is it enough for companies to store data NAS or SAN. Today’s newer machine use SMR or shingle magnetic recording to boost storage needs in a world of seemingly endless data. What do these changes mean for data recovery specialists and external hard drive data recovery? It may mean taking new courses to learn how to retrieve compromised data off a machine that is running SMR, for example.

Many specialists may not understand how this newest technology works and why it is valuable to external hard drives that store massive amounts of storage. Did you know drives will use perpendicular magnetic recording only is able to store 1 terabyte per square inch? However, by lapping data files the storage space is increased to 1.3 to 1.4 T per square inch. Data files are stored by overlapping each other, similar to how a roofer would put on shingles.

Why retrieving data files may be more Time-Consuming

With the introduction of drivers that use SMR to sandwich and squeeze data onto drives, data recovery specialists may need to rethink their processes of recovering data using traditional methods to restore data. But since it has been roughly six months or less, since data storage solution companies have shipped this new storage solution for hard drives.

It isn’t the only way data recovery is changing, as laptops are also now being shipped with solid state drives. This new technology may also prove to be challenging for laptop data recovery. Less moving parts may mean less time-consuming measures of troubleshooting and using imagery to see inside a drive. However, it also could mean less moving parts to be able to perform external hard drive data recovery or laptop data recovery.

Will deduplication cause headaches when it comes to data Recovery? 

Instead of taking so long to read and write across the entire drive, newer solutions allow read and write solutions that only read and write over part of the drive at a time. This allows for much faster results. But, without reading the entire drive, will this have any effect when a laptop does develop errors? Will it change how laptop data recovery is offered?

Will data be able to be recovered using the same techniques if drives will be having fewer parts and able to read and write at much faster speeds? Will layering of data have any effect on how much of the personal data is retrievable? These are questions which may be answered after people have time to spend with this new technology and data recovery specialists have had time to explore how data recovery changes may affect data retrieval methods.

Why rebuilding a Raid array won’t repair anything using Raid 5

Some IT professionals may misunderstand the purpose of having Raid and need Raid 5 recovery if they attempt to rebuild a failing Raid array. Rebuilding a failing Raid array doesn’t correct any problems that caused the Raid system to fail. Often times, business owners may think that rebuilding a Raid array will repair and fix a problem. But, rebuilding doesn’t fix problems. It only takes the state of the drivers, as they are, and makes them permanent. Then, a problem becomes permanent.

Whether professionals are trying to force Raid arrays or hard drives back online, a driver with an unaddressed problem is still going to have a problem. Companies will still need hard disk recovery. Forcing drivers online after a Raid controller has placed them offline is a bad idea. PC and Mac computers running Raid systems may experience first-hand the effects of failing. Mac recovery will be needed if files are corrupted and transferred onto Raid systems.

Don’t force failed drivers Online 

Failed drives may not be recognized by a Raid system controller for a reason. Worse yet, they may cause healthy drives to fail. It isn’t wise to make a crippled Raid system recognise failed drives because it can compromise the integrity of the entire Raid system. However, failed Raid drivers are not the only problem created forcing drives online. Failed Raid drivers can also affect the Mac computers used to run Raid systems. Without being able to access needed files on a Raid system, a computer may need Mac recovery to repair damage caused by accessing failed drives.

Before making a move that may make all of the data to be inaccessible on a Raid system or through hard drive recovery, call a professional. Data may be able to be recovered if it is not is not told to make its failed state permanent. Professionals may not be able to recover any data from a failed Raid driver or failed hard drive if it has been reformatted or rebuilt.  In a Raid system, (by rebuilding) it may be the equivalent of taking all the drivers out of the machine, switching them around, and putting them back into the machine.  The Raid controller in charge of reading Raid drivers cannot find your drivers. But, the problem runs much deeper. It also means no data can be accessed. For companies with large files of sensitive information, inaccessible information is extremely bad news. It may be best to leave any Raid 5 recovery and Mac recovery to experts that are called at the first sign of Raid system failures, without rebuilding any arrays.

Why Raid 0 may not the best way to protect data for a small and medium Businesses

While it may be true Raid 0 can backup data can protect data, but  is not fool proof.  Raid 0 array can be good for small business to protect their files because they provide high performance transferring of essential files. Did you know Raid 0 has the same tolerance as a Raid 5 level system? Why is Raid 0 a good solution for businesses that need high performance transfer but the business is not concerned with high reliability?

But if a business has a Raid 0 plus 1 array, it can hurt a business if a drive fails. A driver failure turns the Raid system into a Raid 0 system. All drives must move parallel and move on the same track. In the end, this can lower the performance of a Raid 0 system. It can cause a very high cost to a business.

With no redundancy, Raid 0 isn’t a good solution for small Businesses

Though Raid 0 speeds up the amount of time that files can be read and written, it is not a good solution for small businesses to protect their data and prevent data loss. This is because this type of Raid cannot save backup copies over several different drives, in cause a drive fails. Raid 1 can be a better solution because if a drive fails, you at least have a Raid 0 system. However, Raid 1 can be better solution, even if it is expensive for small businesses.

Why is it more expensive, but better for businesses? It provides double the storage space, but it also may cost double the price of Raid 1 because it provides some redundancy protection.  It may be good to protect businesses critical data because it can be used for smaller servers. However, smaller businesses may want to buy a Raid 5 system. A Raid 5 provides redundancy, so sensitive data and files can be backed up and a business will not be out of operation for days. But, Raid 5 systems can be expensive for many businesses. Because it provides at least five drives to save files, it can also provide plenty of space at a much higher expense. However, having redundant drives will mean UK businesses will not lose any sales or have to pay for production costs without making any profit, if files are backed up. This is also why small businesses need a disaster and data loss recovery plan.

Even if a smaller business does have a Raid array failure, a data recovery company may still be able to help smaller businesses recovery data. 

How data loss without any data recovery can cripple Companies

Data is the life of a company. It ensures orders are shipped to correct addresses. Even better, it ensures companies can communicate and function. Data allows companies to interact in a B2C capacity. A UK company that must shut down because of a data loss can easily lose thousands in a single day.  Why are costs so high? A UK business must include their employee costs, their lost sales that the usually make in a single day, how much does it cost them to produce their product? How much is a company losing in extra business costs. For example, will health care costs increase by a company’s employees have lost too many days of work, thanks to a data loss?

This is why a business needs a data recovery plan. Did you know that a tenth of UK businesses back up their data once a year? According to Vanson Bourne, another 1,000 UK businesses admitted they backed up data once a month.  It isn’t just natural disasters that can cripple businesses that do not backup their data regularly.

Why businesses need a disaster data recovery Plan

Did you know that a business’s vulnerability is its weakest link? Did you know that 77 percent of workers leave their computers unattended, according to one study? This opens the door to hackers. This is why companies need a professional that can protect their data and help the company recover sensitive data if they are hacked.

Unchecked cybercrime costs UK businesses up to £ 4,000 a year. However, it isn’t just hackers that can cause businesses to lose money. Companies also damage their reputation with a data loss, that they cannot protect a customer’s data.  This is why it is best for companies needs to have a data recovery plan before disaster strikes.  Security breaches can cause not just businesses to suffer, but also affect the economy. Did you know that breaches can cause losses in the economy, totalling more than £ 27 billion in losses?  It also may open the door for businesses to be sued. Did you know acts of God, such as floods, can signal disaster for businesses that do not have a disaster recovery plans? An estimated 25 percent of businesses do not reopen after a major disaster according to Institute of Business Home and Safety.

Isn’t it nice to know that your business is protected against data loss if you have a data loss recovery plan before you actually need it?  By having your employees cross-trained, this will help a business avoid data loss.  Companies may put their data at risk by simply having one employee in charge of some data. This may prevent data loss if the employee is injured, sick or dies.

Things you might not know about Raid Systems

While many companies may use Raid to back up their most sensitive data, Raid was originally developed as an open source. Long before Raid, there was ZFS. It was ZFS designers that prioritised reliability and scalability. ZFS was developed by Sun Microsystems for their Solaris OS. This technology was then released under an open source for Windows, Mac OS and Linux. Did you know that Raid technology comes from Oracle? Oracle acquired Sun and billed ZFS’s features as ways to solve hardware problems.

If you are looking for speed alone and needing a system to copy and keep your files safe, Raid 0 may be a good option. In order to get the speed needed to keep a company’s data safe; Raid 0 takes data and stripes it across multiple disks that are written in parallel. While this type of system does speed up reading and writing times, it also means that your Raid volume is more likely to fail.

Needing reliability, Raid 1 is Ideal

A Raid system depends on something called “mirroring.” Raid allows data to be duplicated on two disks. This way, if a disk fails, companies do not lose sensitive data. A Raid volume can continue operating and a failing hard drive can be replaced. Raid 1 also has at least one advantage over Raid 0. Raid 0 may speed up the time it takes to read disks, but it doesn’t speed up the write times for disks.

Raid 10 can be even better for companies because it can handle large data files and create reliable volumes of data. Four disks are combined and offer twice the speed for reading and writing of files. With Raid 10, companies can lost two drives and still be able to keep operating. With Raid 10, companies get both speed and reliability. However, many companies would rather operate with a Raid 5 or Raid 6 system.  Does Raid 5 offer a better advantage over Raid 10? With not as many drives for reading or writing, Raid 10 clearly does have an advantage over Raid 10. However, Raid 10 still may take just as much time writing a drive as a Raid 5 system.

No matter what type of Raid system a business uses, Raid is still a good option to protect a business’s sensitive data. 

Four practical reasons amateurs need professionals to handle logical data Recovery

Computers can be advanced machines. If you lose data there can be reasons why data is lost.  There are different types of data loss that may require a professional, such as virtual data recovery, logical data recover, and hard drive data recovery. Professionals can recover your using different methods depending on the type of data lost. For example, an expert can clone your drive and recover files from an image.

While mechanical errors may mean distinctive clicking, it can signal hard drive failure. How can you tell which type of error is affecting your computer? This is why this is a job for a professional. Did you know that a logical error can be so great that it cause a computer to not even be able to boot a drive that is attached.

Power outages can stop logical data from being stored Correctly

If a power outage happens at the wrong time, it can keep data from being correctly written and stored to a storage medium. However, problems with Raid controllers, drivers, and crashes, all have the same effect on a laptop or desktop computer. Why call an expert? The file system is left in an inconsistent state. Problems with logical data can cause recursing directories, drives recording negative free space. These are problems that the average computer user may not be able to fix on their own.

Most of the time, logical problems aren’t caused by physical hard disk drive problems with your hardware. There are exceptions. Sections on a hard drive can be unreadable and unwrittable due to heads being dirty or the platter coating being degraded. Only a professional who has expertise in data recovery can help you diagnose the problems that you may have with your data.

Why running a program to correct errors  with logical problems may cause Damage

• Running any type of program designed to fix problems can make logical data errors worse.
• These programs fix errors by moving files around and they may not repair file system structures. 
• Forget writing anything to a drive that has suffered logical data errors, as it may hinder a professional’s ability to recover lost data.
• If files are are written to a drive that isn’t operating correctly, these files may not be able to be recovered because files are overwritten.

How hackers trick users and ways companies can effectively secure Data

Hackers have ways of effectively stealing data. If hackers can bypass security programs, such as Norton, and other network defences, encrypting emails may not help keep data safe. Company professionals may need Raid data recovery or laptop data recovery. Here are six ways that hackers use to steal customers and also business data from Raid systems and force businesses to pay for Raid 5 data recovery.

• Bad Certificate - It can be one of the easiest ways hackers steal data is to trick users into accepting a bad certificate. Did you know this is a classic strategy for those that use secure sockets layered-encryption data technology?
• Fraudulent Certificates - These may be valid certificates which have gotten past HTTPS security. They may look like legitimate certificates, but they are used for malicious things. Several companies have been tricked by what looked like valid Google certificates. Once hackers have these certificates, they can easily get past HTTPS securities.
• Stripping - All it takes is a single mistake for a hacker to gain control of your computer. For example, a website to say HTTP instead of HTTPS.
• Man in the Middle Attacks - This involves hackers eavesdropping by gaining access to webcams and microphones on your computer. This may leave you a victim and susceptible to the messages a hacker sends to your computer. While this is considered a low level threat, it could over time mean a hacker could gain access of a computer. It also may mean you need laptop data recovery to restore sensitive data.

How can computers keep their data safe so that they are not affected by these attacks? It is no surprise that 40% of companies in a 2010 Gartner survey named patch management, identifying and allowing access to secure personnel only, intrusion prevention programs, antivirus protection and also DLP as the ways to insure a company keeps their most sensitive data safe on laptops, etc. are safe. What can companies do to see these goals are being met, in a world where third-party vendors often have the responsibility of ensuring data is safe? Having a third-party vendor may mean companies do not have to pay extra for Raid data recovery or laptop data recovery, when needed. Having regular checks of a network or security system may help ensure data is safe. However, companies, too, should put into place a plan for improving their security and testing it regularly to ensure no breaches of the system are occurring. By having regular monitoring, companies can better protect their systems by recognising a security breach before it has been rather than months after an attack and sensitive data has already been stolen. By having a detailed plan of compliance, this can help employees know how to react in a situation where a disaster relief and even a day-to-day data plan is needed. They also can also a pro to perform Raid 5 data recovery, if needed.

Generic I/O errors: More reason to call in computer Experts

How can you tell if that message that pops up and says “I/O error” could be code for a number of computer problems, or it is time to call an expert to repair any hard drive problem? If a computer message says “non-accessible I/O error,” the error can be a number of problems. A loose cable can cause an I/O error.  It could occur when a program is deleted, or file deleted. It may be may be more complex, for example, a bus interrupt error.

Why call a computer expert when these errors occur? They may be errors that affect the overall operation of your computer. A computer can recover from many errors. However, if there are errors in the computer’s hardware registry, it may affect the computer’s ability to process complex functions.

Computer experts can test peripherals and hard Drives

Since there are a number of generic I/O errors, computer pro can test if cords connect properly. What is considered a peripheral? A computer keyboard, monitor, mouse, microphone, and a printer may all be considered examples of peripherals. All most all peripherals are also considered I/O devices.

Hard drives can tell users the problem if they are able to decipher computer language. Ask an expert for help. They can decide if a computer problem is caused by a bad or corrupted drive or a disk is not inserted into a hard drive correctly. If the I/O error is because of loose cables in the computer’s casing, it is best an expert oversee the wiring. If not properly handled, there is a risk of electrocution.

Why non-access I/O errors maybe aren’t as Critical?

While these errors aren’t as troubling as the errors that appear because of an I/O error that acquires in the hard drive, any I/O error should not be ignored. It only takes one-I/O error for a computer to not be fully functioning and if left untreated, it may over time affect the machine’s functioning severely.

Depending on the error, it may not cause the entire hard drive crash. But, it still you may not want to wait and do nothing for the computer’s ailing hard drive. With computers, errors do not improve the machines given time. There is time for a hard drive to fail completely and leave the computer user with a costly bill.

Partitioning a hard drive may improve computer speed and give hackers nothing to Steal

Should you partition your hard drive? For home computer users, partitioning a hard drive may be a smart option. By partitioning, critical data that a computer uses is not stored on the same drive. Why is this helpful? There are several advantages; however, the best reason to partition a hard drive is that no one has to lose all their computer data at once. With a partition, even if a person accesses the partition index file and learns where an important file is stored, that file cannot be accessed if the drive has been partitioned.

Your computer cannot boot off that drive, even when using a recovery disk. This means the data cannot be accessed. Since your computer treats the partitions as separate entities, keeping the system and apps in a partition separate from data is safer. Because a recovery disk does not usually include a computer system or its apps, it will take less time to secure valuable data.

Wavering about Partitioning?

Did you know that partitioning is useful in an emergency? If the computer suddenly dies, you still may be able to salvage the data. All you need is a bootable operating system and some diagnostic tools. By doing this, you can save your data and easily retrieve it. It may also be a far cheaper option than having a computer expert recover sensitive data that has sentimental value.

Did you know some computer manufacturers, such as Lenovo, include an emergency drive inside their computers? Homeowners can backup and save their data more easily. Even if the computer does not have an emergency partition, it is easy to create one.

Try other Systems

Have you ever wondered what it was like to use Linux? If you have a Windows operating system, running Linux isn’t possible unless you have partitioned your hard drive. However, you also still need to create a dual-boot drive in order to use Linux while running a Windows operating system on the machine.

However, do partition your drive, first. Otherwise, these two drives cannot co-exist; they would step on toes. There would also be no way of easing into Windows 8 without a dual bootable drive.

Isn’t good to know that if your computer does have an error, you don’t have to try to figure out how to solve the problem yourself? Isn’t it useful to have a bootable drive handy?  It may save you a costly data recovery effort instead.