Emergency data recovery tips & tricks

Your hard drive is already crashed? Looking for emergency data recovery help or data recovery freeware?
Or
You want to prevent data loses and looking for advises on how to protect your hard drive and data?
What ever is your situation you will find solutions in this page.

recover simple data losses by yourself by simply using a data recovery freeware tool.
Are you in a hurry and no time to read? Then we highly recommend this tool for data recovery.

However, in a major crash such as a physical damage, you may need to send your hard drive to emergency data recovery services that have experts of emergency data recovery.

Symptoms of an unhealthy Hard Drive

Hard drive is clicking
Drive is not formatted message
No operating system found message
Hard drive not spinning
Computer keeps re-booting
System freezes or hangs
Drive or device not found message while booting
System "blue-screens"Computer won't boot
If you see any above, shutdown your computer immediately. If you already have a reliable hard drive recovery software installed then use their instructions to recover your hard drive.

The Essential emergency data recovery report

Greg Duffield is an expert of emergency data recovery and the founder of ACS Data Recovery. Below is his report and advises on emergency data recovery.
Your worst nightmare just became a horrifying reality. You keep hearing that little voice in your head mockingly shout "you should have backed that stuff up" The voice keeps echoing throughout your head as you perform a quick inventory all of the important information that you just lost.....your client database, a years worth of e-mail, your entire inventory database, even your family photos. Even worse, you've got a deposition in two-weeks and key information needed to help win the case were also lost. You quickly call a service technician and have them come over to check the computer out, only to hear the worst news of all....your data has been lost. When a hard drive crashes, it's too late to worry about what you "should have done."

What To Do In The Event Of Data Loss?
Around 44% of all data loss is caused by hardware failure. It's important to make sure that you immediately shut your system down if you suspect that hard drive has crashed. Don't even try to go through the shutdown procedure, just pull the plug from the wall. Do not try to run off the shelf data recovery software or drive utilities. Many times these applications will assume the drive is functioning properly and will increase the risk of permanent data loss.

Types Of Hard Drive Failures

When we discuss data recovery in this report, we will primarily focus on issues surrounding hard drive failures; since these types of failures are most common. There are really two primary forms of failure in a hard drive, logical and physical. Logical failures are usually a result of file-system corruption. This can occur due to a virus, accidental deletion of key files or registry components, and in some cases even electro-static discharge. In most cases where a logical failure has occurred, the drive is still recognized by the system BIOS, but it will not boot. In most cases, your data should still be intact on the drive, even though it may appear to be inaccessible.
If the system BIOS does not detect the presence of the hard drive, then chances are a physical failure has occurred. Physical failures can result from a wide variety of causes. There are really two sub-categories for physical hard drive failures; mechanical and electronic. Mechanical failures usually result from a failure of the spindle motor. Spindle motor failure can result from excessive heat due to a bearing failure. The increased heat resulting from the bearing failure will expand the drive shaft and therefore seize the spindle motor. Suddenly, your drive will become inoperative. Occasionally, you will get a warning that something bad is about to happen. You may hear a loud whining, a grinding noise, even high-pitched screeches. If anything like this starts to occur, BACK UP YOUR DATA IMMEDIATELY.
Visit Computer data backup page for useful information on how to backup your valuable data.
Another physical issue that sometimes rears its ugly head is an electronic failure. If you look at a hard drive you will notice a circuit board on the bottom. This board is basically the brains of the drive, and it is where the computer interfaces to the hard drive. An electrical failure can occur unexpectedly at any time. Even brand new hard drives are not totally immune to having electrical failures.
Sometimes it's just a faulty component, sometimes it's improper installation (i.e. electro-static discharge, grounding out the board, damaging circuitry during installation). It's important to also keep your system clean and well ventilated, since excessive heat can damage the electrical components on the drive. If you have a system that is in a somewhat contained area, you may look at adding an additional 80mm fan to cool the internal components of the system, especially the hard drive. No other component of a computer works as much as the hard drive, and therefore it is vitally important not to overlook it when cooling issues arise.

How Is My Data Recovered?

One of the most often asked questions that customers ask is, "how do you get my data back?" Well, it's really not black magic or rocket science. It's just a matter of having the right tools and the knowledge necessary to know what to do, much like a surgeon performing heart by-pass surgery. Many prominent data recovery facilities have a large array of hardware, software and tools for recovering data.Generally speaking when a hard drive is received by a data recovery firm, the first thing they do is evaluate it, and determine what recovery solution will be necessary.
If the drive failure is a logical issue as mentioned earlier, then a scan of the drive will be performed to try and repair the file system corruption. Sometimes a partition can be repaired and the drive restored to the status that it was before the failure. If this is not possible, then a very low-level scan will be performed that essentially searches every sector of the hard drive for files. Once the files are located, they can then be copied to the media of choice, i.e. a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or another hard drive. Logical recoveries can take up an enormous amount of time, especially if the drive is on the verge of physical failure. It's not uncommon to allow for one day of scanning and a day for recovering the found files.

If the drive has suffered a physical failure, then the recovery procedure is quite a bit more challenging. As mentioned above, there are really two sub-categories of physical failure; mechanical and electronic. An important element in recovering data from a physical failure is having the necessary parts to get the drive functioning again. Unfortunately with hard drives if you have a 20GB Maxtor Hard Drive for example, then you will need another identical 20GB Maxtor Hard Drive for salvaging parts. In cases where the electronic circuit board has failed on the hard drive, then you have to have the exact same circuit board on hand in order to retrieve the necessary circuit components for replacement.
Many times you cannot even exchange circuit board for circuit board. These repairs generally require soldering skills and a thorough knowledge of electronics to be successfully completed. You will most likely hear "Class100 Clean Room" thrown around a lot when talking to data recovery professionals. Simply stated, a Class100 Clean Room maintains exceptional air purity, and contains less than 100 airborne particles larger than 0.5 microns in each cubic foot of air. This is vital in protecting sensitive internal components of hard drives. Anytime a hard drive is having an invasive procedure performed on it, a Class100 clean room or better is needed.
The time frame for emergency data recovery is generally 5-10 business days for physical issues and 2-4 days for logical issues. Sometimes if components are not readily available, then it may take weeks to complete the recovery. Some firms offer expedite service and you definitely pay for this added attention.

What about emergency data recovery software

This is one area where you really do get what you pay for. Try to stay away from software in the $20-$60 range, since these utilities are generally very limited in what they can do. Also make sure that you NEVER and just to emphasize, NEVER EVER get data recovery software that writes anything at all to the damaged disk. You run the risk of overwriting data that may otherwise have been recoverable, but will be lost forever. If you are fairly computer savvy, then there are a few good data recovery software solutions available.

What To Look For When Shopping For emergency Data Recovery

There's an old saying, "you get what you pay for." In most cases this is true. However, just because a company with a fancy website quotes you $3,500 for data recovery, does not mean that they are any better than a company that quotes you $1,500. Also, try to stay away from companies that want to charge $50-$300 for evaluating your drive.
There has been a movement in the emergency data recovery industry over the last couple of years to offer a number of free services. Most reputable data recovery companies will evaluate standard IDE drives free of charge; so don't let the word "free" this or "free" that stop you. The emergency data recovery market is quickly becoming saturated, and a company does not necessarily cheapen itself or lack expertise by offering free evaluations.
You will find as you shop around for emergency data recovery that prices vary greatly. You will get quotes that range from $300 to $5,000 for standard hard drive recoveries. It's not uncommon to literally get quotes that have at least a $1,500 high/low spread.
We shopped one prominent emergency data recovery company where we gave them specific indicators of a physical hard drive failure. We were eventually quoted a price range of $600 to $2,900 for the recovery. Many times this is a bait and switch type tactic. They get you to send in the drive with the low-end $600 price, then they let you know it's going to cost $2,100 for the emergency data recovery. You end up being well under the $2,900 high-end price, but well over what other reputable companies would charge. Since most customers won't go through the pain of having the drive sent back, only to have to send it out to another company, these bait and switch companies end up making huge profits off of unsuspecting customers.
Try to find a company that will give you an up front cost for either a logical or physical recovery. Most companies will be able to tell you within a couple hundred dollars the cost of a emergency data recovery. However, don't misunderstand a company that gives you a price for two different procedures. For example, some companies will give you a price if the failure is logical and a price if the problem ends up being physical.
We called one firm and were told that if the drive had a logical failure the price would be $400 and if it ended up being a physical issue the price would be $1,600. This is not a high/low spread as mentioned in the earlier example, this is simply quoting a price for two different types of recoveries.
On average you can expect to pay anywhere from $400 to $600 for logical recoveries, and $1,200 to $2,000 for physical recoveries on standard IDE hard drives. If you have RAID drives, SCSI, etc. depending on the configuration prices can be as high as $15,000. Remember, backup backup backup backup backup!!
Visit Computer data backup page for useful information on how to backup your valuable data.

Can My Data Be Recovered?

In most cases the answer to this question is yes. On average, the success rate for emergency data recovery professionals is about 75-85%. However, there are times when the data is just lost, either due to extensive damage to the platter or unavailability of replacement parts.

How Do I Get Started?

If you have a hard drive that has crashed, the most important thing you can do is contact a emergency data recovery professional immediately. Make sure you aren't being charged an evaluation fee if you have a standard IDE hard drive. Most companies only charge evaluation fees for complex RAID and network server drives.

It is important to do your homework, call and talk with the companies. When you find one that you feel comfortable with, give them a chance. Your hardest job, may be finding emergency data recovery firms that actually have someone available to answer the phones. Ask questions and be sure to have the following information available:
Size of the drive
Operating system (i.e. Windows 98, Windows XP, etc.)
Situation of failure (what happened just before the drive stopped working)
Is the drive recognized by the computer's BIOS or not?

Make sure you always backup your important information on a daily basis. For more information visit Greg’s site: http://www.acsdata.com

Computer Tips

Easy to follow computer maintenance tips for average PC users

This page contains different levels of Computer tips. Some are very basic and some are very advance Computer maintenance tips. However, anyone with basic computer skills will be able to follow these computer tips.
Some Computer maintenance tasks are depending on your operating system and its version (XP, 2003, Windows 7 etc). However, most of the computer maintenance tips on this page are common and valid for many operating systems.
Regular Hard Disk maintenance tips
How to use Sysedit utility to speed the hard drive access
Confused about antivirus products? Visit anti virus help page for useful tips
How to use MSCONFIG for Computer maintenance
Computer hardware troubleshooting tips
How to take a backup?

Computer security help

I have spent weeks to build this Computer security help and tutorial page and its sub pages. Computer security is a very important subject. It is also a part of general computer maintenance. Please read these pages carefully. I cannot express more how important these information are.

I will show you how to implement a good home computer security system in this Computer security help and tutorial. You will get a blueprint of a solid home computer security system at the end.
Do you know you are exposed to the whole world as soon as you connect to the Internet? Then your PC become a paradise for hackers, people who spread Spyware and viruses, waiting for an opportunity.
Most people misunderstand that computer security is only about viruses, spyware or intrusion detection. But there are many other things falls under the computer security umbrella.
With my experience, the most common mistake most of the PC users are doing is installing lot of free utilities. If you are one of those, see how many of them are useful and you are actively using? Do you know most of the Spyware have been spreading through these free utilities? It does not mean that all of them are spyware. But try to avoid using them.

First step of computer security – configure Windows to update automatically.
Microsoft updates all MS operating systems regularly to fix bugs as well as to apply security patches. You can configure Windows to download them automatically when you are online.
To do this, click START and move your mouse pointer to the top of the START MENU and click on WINDOWS UPDATE.
Lets see what are the major home computer security threats for today’s PC users and what can we do about that.

Virus attacks

This is the number one threat in the modern world. Any home computer security system should first address this. There are a lot to talk about viruses and how to protect your PC from possible attacks.
If you want to read a very comprehensive guide on how to prevent from Computer viruses then visit Antivirus Help page.
Otherwise visit Computer Virus Protection Software page to read a short antivirus guide and take action. Then come back and continue reading this computer security help guide.

Computer Hackers - computer security intrusion detection

Computer Hackers are PC users who access other computers and take information such as credit card numbers, bank details etc. Not only that, they may crash your hard disk and destroy all your data. The worse thing is that you will never know whether somebody is hacking your computer unless you use good computer security software.
Is it secure to use my Credit card on the Internet?
We are in the 21st century and the Internet has become a part of everybody's life. Sooner or later we will have to uses our Credit or Debit cards for Internet transactions. Main credit card companies and Banks are working on more secured methods to use transactions over the Internet. You cannot avoid using Internet for financial transactions. The solution is to follow a good home computer security strategy.
So what is the solution for hackers?
The solution is to use a personal firewall. I have more information on firewalls in a separate page. Please visit Computer Firewall page, read and take action. Then come back and continue reading this computer security help and tutorial.

Spyware

Spyware and Adware, also called "Malware", are files made by publishers that allow them to spy on you. I have built a separate page, which has everything you should know about Spyware. Please visit Fix Spyware page, read and take action. Then come back and continue reading this computer security help guide.

Computer Network Security

If you have a small network at home or a small to medium network at your office or business then you must know how to protect the network from security attacks. Visit Computer network security software page for useful information.

Secure privacy

This is an area that has less attention. But the results can be disastrous. How to secure your privacy while online or offline? I have built a separate page for this. Visit Internet privacy protection page to learn more.

What are the best computer security products?

This depends on each user. Visit Computer Security Products page to find the best solution for you.

Important computer security help tips.

Do not depend only on your security software. Use common sense.
Do not download ANYTHING from untrustworthy web sites.
Do not open unknown emails and attachments.
Do not install free computer utilities unless experienced people recommend them.
Avoid sharing your hard drive or folders. To check whether you are sharing, go to Windows Explorer > write-click the drive or the folder and click "sharing".
Take regular backups of important files and emails to an external media such as a USB stick.
Be careful when using CDs, diskettes and other external media. Use your virus scanner to scan them before using.

Learn Computer problem troubleshooting in the comfort of your home

Computer problem troubleshooting is a step-by-step process. Some PC problems are easy to troubleshoot and some are very complicated and should be done with care. This page will explain most common Computer problems and how to troubleshoot and repair these problems.

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Computer problems can cause due to a software issue or a hardware issue. Hence the Computer troubleshooting can be divided in to these two categories.
However, when there is a problem it is hard for a novice PC user to understand whether it is software or a hardware problem. The best option is to visit the relevant pages that I have listed below and see whether you can match your problem with any of symptoms described on those pages.

Computer problem troubleshooting - Hardware errors

Majority of the Computer problems are due to one or many devices (physical failure) or software (driver) of the hardware device.
Below is a list common hardware problems. Visit each page to find out how to troubleshoot and fix the related problem.
Computer memory problems and how to fix them.
Computer monitor problems and how to fix them.
Computer keyboard problems and how to fix them.
Computer mouse problems and how to fix them.
Computer audio problems and how to fix them.
Computer display problems and how to fix them.
Please visit Computer hardware troubleshooting page for more Computer hardware troubleshooting tips.

Computer Troubleshooting – Software problems

There are many computer problems due to software, especially due to issues with the Operating System. Here are some of the common issues and how proper Computer troubleshooting can be used to repair those issues.

Computer has become very slow

Blue Screen error

If your screen becomes Blue and an error message in White fonts then you have got the Blue screen of death error. Visit the Computer Blue screen page to see how to troubleshoot and fix this problem.

PC is rebooting automatically at start-up

The main reason for this problem is a program, which is causing your PC to re-boot as soon as the program is loaded. That program may be corrupted or not installed properly, which is causing the issue.
To resolve this, you must run the Windows Regedit utility in the safe mode. Here is how to do it.
1.) First, boot into Safe Mode. After a reboot or two, you’ll probably be given that option, but if not, just tap the F8 key a few times once you see the Windows logo pop up on your screen. 2.) Once you're in Safe Mode, go to Start, Run and type in MSCONFIG Then visit MSCONFIG page for detail explanation on how to use MSCONFIG utility for Computer problem troubleshooting.