Working with large amounts of information? You know the panic moment when you realize that you need some data that you deleted a long time ago. This is the subject of this post : Do you need to recover permanently deleted files. First lets start with some general data recovery advices, valid for all type of data devices, PC’s, Mac’s, phones.
Never used a damaged or faulty storage medium more than you have to. It sounds obvious, but, in reality, we as people love to procrastinate on things that are unpleasant to deal with, such as purchasing a new hard drive or SD card when the old one starts showing early signs of failure. However, by postponing the replacement of your storage device, you increase the chance of it failing catastrophically each time you use it. When that happens, there’s often little you can do.
You should be familiar with how your computer typically sounds, thus keep an eye (and an ear) out for any unusual noises that may point to a damaged internal mechanism. For example, atypical clicking could indicate an issue with the read-write arm, while persistent grinding could foreshadow potential problems with the spindle motor or bearings. The sounds may be subtle, so don’t hesitate to lean in and take a good listen if hear anything unusual. Check out data recovery company Data Cent’s heart-wrenching collection of failing hard drive noises if you need a better idea of what giving up the ghost sounds like from a strictly audio standpoint.
So what should you immediately do if you find yourself in such a situation one day? While screaming might sound justified, there are a few things you can try out before thinking of running to a hard drive service center. And what are those few things? Well, you’ll have to read on to find out. Starting with the basics – there are 2 ways a hard drive can be damaged. Yes, this is required. You need to understand what kind of damage has struck your hard drive in order to know how to deal with it.
If you want to replace the PCB then you’ll need to fine a matching replacement and have the ROM chip moved. There are many online providers that will sell you a matching PCB. Some of them even offer to move the ROM chip for you, saving you the hassle of soldering and possibly damaging the chip. If the PCB was the only damaged component and the drive’s internals are OK, then after the replacement and ROM swap, your drive should be up and running again. Another PCB-related item to check are the head contacts. Sometimes they corrode with time, but are easily cleaned with a rubber eraser.
Before you bring out the heavy guns, make sure that it’s not a connectivity problem. First, swap USB cables and ports to rule them out. Still no dice? Now, check if it’s a problem with the external drive’s enclosure itself. Eject the external USB drive from your computer, and if it’s powered by an adapter, unplug it from the wall outlet. It’s highly recommended that you ground yourself with an anti-static wristband before attempting this to avoid injuring yourself or damaging your drive further. Next, crack its case open then check the physical cables that connect the hard drive to your USB output. Note: The connections can either be IDE (wider connectors) or SATA (small connectors). Check for any loose cables and make sure that they’re firmly connected.
Sometimes, when we go to look for information in some of our hard drives and we do not find it, we believe that we erase it and we cannot recover it. In most cases, if you delete information from a device, it is not possible to recover it without the proper tools. The good thing is that we know that tool and we can help you, so we show you how to recover deleted files which were deleted long time ago – even you deleted them 2 or 4 years ago. Read extra info on Recover permanently deleted files.
