Computer Hard Drive Failure Recovery Processes

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If your personal or business computer suddenly stops responding to your commands, or the hard drive simply crashes, what can you do?


Of course, you can run down to your neighborhood electronics store and purchase a replacement hard drive for your computer, but what about your data on the failed hard drive? How important was it? Did you save it or back it up?

Unfortunately, most home users, and many business users, do not back up their systems. Moreover, many small businesses have older back-up procedures that are often ineffective for recovering files.
If you need to
recover data on the hard drive
, the first thing to do is avoid trying to reboot or doing anything that involves the hard drive. Doing so can actually do more damage to your data.

In the case of actual hard drive failure, only a data recovery professional can get your data back. And the fact that you cannot access your data through your operating system does not necessarily mean that your data is lost.

The only irreversible data loss is caused by overwriting bits, physical damage to the drive platters or destruction of the magnetization of the platters, which seldom happens in the real world. In the majority of cases, the malfunction is caused by a damaged circuit board, failure of a mechanical component and crash of internal software system track or firmware.

As a "rule of thumb," if you hear a clicking sound emitting from your hard drive, or if the computer's S.M.A.R.T. function indicates an error during the boot process, something is wrong. You should immediately stop using the hard drive in order to avoid causing further damage and, potentially, rendering the information on the hard drive unrecoverable.
After receiving your failed hard drive, a
data recovery
specialist's first step will be to try and save an image of the damaged drive onto another hard drive. This image drive, not the actual damaged hard drive, is where the data recovery specialist will try to recover the lost data.

The next step in the imaging process is to determine if the
hard drive failure
was an actual malfunction, a system corruption or a system track issue.

System corruption and system track issues are normally fixed by using a specialist's data recovery software. System corruption or system track recoveries do not require processing in a clean room environment.

Unfortunately, damage to a hard drive's circuit board or failure of the head drives is not uncommon. In each of these failures, a data recovery specialist should work on the system only in a clean room environment. There, the specialist can substitute parts such as drive electronics, internal components, read/write arms, writing/reading heads, spindle motors or spindle bearings from a donor drive in order to gain access to the data on the failed hard drive. In most cases, the data recovery specialist is able to retrieve and return the lost data.

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Exchange Server Database Recovery?

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E-mail servers are an integral part of business success in today's environment. A critical services database that changes very often, such as messaging and collaboration data, should be fully protected by a well-tested back-up solution.


However, back-up devices can also fail - leaving the client with serious problems. Standard repair utilities within the mail applications can cause further problems if media failure or structural damage has occurred.

First Advantage supports Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.5, 2000 and 2003. Our Microsoft Certified Engineers are able to recover the mailboxes located in the Information Store from just about any kind of "Jet Engine Error," "Read Verification Error," database corruption, over-sized files or other file problem.

Typical situations that our experts can address include:

* Inconsistent Information Store state
* 'Dirty' shutdown
* Corrupted header information
* Damage from ESEUTIL
* Duplicate keys (identifiers)

First Advantage's standard services include recovery of:

* E-mail addresses from Active Directory storage
* Folders, messages and file attachments
* Notes, contacts, tasks and appointments
* Creation dates for all objects
* Formatting for RTF and HTML messages

First Advantage's
data recovery
engineers have the capability to recover your Exchange Server Information Store Files from many forms of backup tapes.

Critical Information:
Widely available recovery utilities can delete valuable data. First Advantage's recovery experts suggest that you make a copy of your .EDB, .STM and .LOG files prior to:

* Attempting to attach or repair a damaged Information Store
* Opening a tech support case with Microsoft
* Sending your database to any other company

After determining what steps will be necessary to complete your recovery, we will contact you for approval. No work will be done without your consent. As soon as you approve the quotation, our engineers will continue with the recovery process.

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How Is My Data Recovered?

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One of the First Questions You Need To Ask About
Data Recovery - "How Is My Data Recovered?"


It's one of the most often asked and necessary questions about data recovery - "How do you get my data back?"

There's really nothing magical about it, although sometimes recovering data can seem almost miraculous.

The Right Knowledge and the Right Tools
Proper data recovery requires two things: knowledge about the proper procedures for data recovery and the right tools, i.e., technology.

Not all data recovery companies offer the necessary knowledge and technology. So in choosing a data recovery company, ask about both. Find out about the credentials and accreditations the people who'll be working on recovering the data.

Then find out what type of facilities (more on that in a moment) and technologies they use.
The first thing a
data recovery
firm should do is
evaluate the hard drive
and determine if the data is recoverable. While doing this, they should also determine what recovery process will be necessary.

Two types of failure in a hard drive
Generally speaking there are two primary forms of failure in a hard drive: logical and physical. Logical failures are usually the result of file-system corruption. Physical failures can be either mechanical or electronic.

The determination of the type of failure will determine the next steps to be taken.

If the drive failure is a logical issue, an evaluation of the file system will be performed to try and repair the corruption. If this doesn't work, then a very low-level scan will be performed, searching all sectors of the hard drive for files.

If the files are located, they can then be copied to a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or another hard drive. Be aware that logical recoveries can take up an enormous amount of time, especially if the drive is on the verge of physical failure.

If the problem is a physical failure, recovery can be more difficult. Again, there are two categories of physical failure, mechanical and electronic. Physical failure usually necessitates having matching parts to get the drive functioning again. So it's important to find out if the data recovery firm has access to parts that match your hard drive.

Clean Rooms
If the firm you are working with has bona fide expertise in data recovery, they should also have a "Class100 Clean Room." A Class100 Clean Room is designed to maintain exceptional air purity, containing less than 100 airborne particles larger than 0.5 microns in each cubic foot of air. Such an environment is vital for protecting the sensitive internal components of hard drives. If it is going to be necessary to perform an invasive procedure on a hard drive, a Class100 clean room or better is needed.

Ask questions
A data recovery firm should be prepared to answer your questions about how they will recover your data. They should have no problem with evaluating the problem and discussing the procedure for recovery.

Ask about the availability of a "Clean Room." Ask about the type of failure they've diagnosed.

Doing so can help you determine how legitimate a data recovery company they are. For instance, if they don't have a Clean Room, it may mean that can't properly deal with physical failures in the hard drive.

Get answers that satisfy you that the company has the necessary knowledge and tools to do the job right. If they don't, you need to find another data recovery company fast.

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Data Recovery - A Sea of Confusion

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Your hard drive stopped responding and you don’t know what to do or what not to do. You call the OEM of your computer for support. After a couple of hours on the phone with tech support, it is determined that indeed the drive is failed. They tell you that you will have to seek professional data recovery services.

You do a Google search for “data recovery” and find yourself drowning in a sea of confusion. You search website after website and see options and pricing ranging from $179.00 to $4000.00. Who do you call, who do you trust? Right now you’re feeling what I have coined as “Data Loss Anxiety” and the symptoms are many. I would like to help you through this chaotic period by briefing you on some basic do’s and do not’s, a few industry misconceptions and why you should use First Advantage for your data recovery requirements.

Can I Fix It Myself?

Firstly, don’t panic, you have almost a 100% chance of getting your data back so relax. What we don’t want to do at this time is hinder any chances of recovery. Most importantly, if your drive is making any strange noises and the system BIOS does not see it as being physically present, do not try any further. There is no software or hardware available to the public that will allow you access to the drive. If your system does see the drive being present and it sounds normal but it won’t boot, try slaving the drive into a working system. This may give you complete access to your data. One more thing, please don’t put your drive in the freezer, any amount of condensation will destroy the media when you spin it up. Please see our tips page for more info on what you can safely try.

The Industry Today

Data recovery companies are popping up like mushrooms all over the web. The vast majority of these companies are not able to recover from physical failures. They are software only shops that advertise full service. Their MO is to advertise super low flat rate pricing and cherry-pick what they can handle with minimal effort. All other jobs beyond their capability are tagged as failed. They will contact the client and tell them that the drive is not recoverable when in fact it is. This discourages the client from pursuing any further attempts for recovery...it’s an absolute crime. There are only 4 true full service cutting-edge companies in this industry and we’re the best of them. A big shake-down is occurring right now in this business and only those that can produce will survive.

Why Pick First Advantage?

If you've ever required data recovery in the past you may have used us. We are the original Data Recovery Services, Inc. headquartered in Dallas Texas. Established in 1981, DRS has remained the authority in the data recovery industry serving a global market. In March of 2005, DRS was acquired by First Advantage Corporation (NASDAQ: FADV), a global risk mitigation company looking to expand their service offerings. First Advantage offers a range of recovery services from a simple floppy disk to the most complex fiber channel RAID configurations. All of our procedures are done in house by engineers handpicked from around the world. We develop and manufacture hardware solutions that our competition would die for. Our facilities are cutting-edge with ISO class 5 or better clean rooms. When it comes to pricing, we offer a value added hourly model that our clients agree is the most attractive in the industry. We have a REAL 96% success rate and hear it from new clients all the time “I’ve been told that if First Advantage can’t get it, nobody can”...it’s true.

Please Ask Questions

When you’re doing your due diligence don’t be afraid to ask questions. Put the representative through their paces. Here are some FAQ’s that you really should ask and the answers that you should be given and why.
How Much Will It Cost?
Data on computer storage media can be lost physically, logically or a combination of both. A comprehensive diagnostic must be performed in order to give you a firm, fair price. Typically, you should be given a range on your initial call. The more detail you have of the symptoms, the narrower the range will be. If a company gives you a flat price on your initial call, hang up and go to the next. After a free comprehensive diagnostic, First Advantage will give you a firm price quote with no hidden fees.
How Long Will It Take?
Modern hard drive recovery is very complex and the final result is all based on the success of one routine. This routine involves acquiring a physical sector dump (image) from the drive. Typical turn time for a single drive recovery is 2-5 business days if the drive responds normally to procedures. It can however take longer than this if there are hard to find parts or the drives media is degraded. All firms in this industry have had the occasional drive that reads for three weeks before completion. If a recovery company guarantees you a timeline over the phone, they’re blowing sunshine up your skirt. First Advantage will never guarantee a completion time for any project...we can only estimate. We work as quickly as we can to get you back up and running in the shortest period of time. We do offer critical response and expedited processing to shorten turn times. These premium services push your project to the front and dedicate resources to your project until completion.
What If you’re Unsuccessful?
Some companies will charge you an “attempt fee” if they fail your recovery. This is another reason to stay away from the mushrooms described earlier in this article. Most reputable companies, as is with First Advantage, will not charge you anything for a failed project. Sometimes there are recoveries that are marginal due to unreadable, damaged areas of the drive. Unread areas can cause everything from file corruption to data that is completely missing. We have implemented a Value Assessment Program for just this reason. We will work with you on the cost of your project to give you a fair price on the data that is viable.
How Will I Get My Data Back?
Typically, when a user has a drive failure they will remove the bad drive and go ahead and install another to reload and get going again. You should receive back a universal media that is compatible with your system so you can easily copy the recovered data back to your fresh system. We make sure that that’s exactly what you receive. Most of our clients will receive DVD or an external USB drive free of charge.
Is My Data Confidential And Secure?
A data recovery facility should be secure physically and logically. By this I mean having a monitored security system on the facility, secure electronic connectivity with the outside and data storage management and recycling. All First Advantage Facilities are ISO 27002 certified. First Advantage will not disclose any client information to third parties except (i) pursuant to a final, non-appealable court order or (ii) as required by federal, state or local law.
What If My Recovery Gets Lost In Shipment?
This is good question. First Advantage, as other industry leaders do, creates a “sector-to-sector” image of all incoming hard drives to prevent further possible data loss and keep your original drive unchanged. We retain your image/data for 5 business days after you have received the recovery to insure completeness and reintegration of the recovered data. “Budget” data recovery companies are working directly from problematic drives. Good luck getting any post recovery support from them.

The Bottom Line

Data recovery is not for everyone. You must weigh the cost of recovery against recreation of the data. In cases such as lost photos or video footage, the data cannot be recreated so easily if at all. At First Advantage, we have a genuine interest in recovering your data. We are on a quest to prove that we are the best in the industry. If you really and truly must have your data back, you’ve come to the right company. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call and ask for me directly, I’ll be happy to chat with you about your project. Remember, back up early, back up often.

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How To Survive The Credit Crunch

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The credit crunch has been with us in the UK for over a year now and, even though a lot of people tried to deny that it existed and was just a term invented by the media.


Whilst other individuals claim that they have not been affected by the slow down in the economy, a large percentage of individuals and families are now starting to feel the full impact of the crunch, even if they haven’t done so previously, particularly those people who have debts through mortgages, personal loans and credit card balances.

It is not only individuals who are suffering however, many businesses are going through particularly tough times at the moment, leading to increased fears over job security. We have all seen the devastating effects on a large number of the high street banks and other financial services companies, such as loan companies, but the current economic slow down is now having a knock on effect on many businesses in other sectors as well, as many people are starting to cut back on their expenditure.

So if you’re one of the many people who are feeling the pinch and perhaps struggling to keep up with the monthly mortgage and loan repayments, or seeing you credit card balances increasing at an unhealthy rate, or maybe you’re just worried about job security and the possibility of unemployment in an uncertain future, what can you do to avoid falling victim to the credit crunch, or at least limit the damage done to your own personal financial situation, before we see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Budget Planner

The first stage in sorting out your financial situation and creating a bit of stability is to organise a budget planner by carrying out an income versus expenditure exercise.

Firstly, write down your total take home pay and other income from things such as any state benefits for which you are eligible, plus any overtime or bonuses (although you should be careful when including overtime or bonuses as these tend to be the first things to get cut by employers when times start to get tough).

You should then list all your regular expenses, including luxuries and non-essential items, not just bills. Be honest with the list, if you leave things off you are only lying to yourself and the exercise will not be effective. It’s also important to write down each expense so that you can see exactly where all your money is going.

Cut Down On Unnecessary Expenses

Once you have completed your budget planner and have a full breakdown of your income versus expenditure, it may become immediately obvious where it is possible to make monthly savings.

Sadly, it is normally the luxuries in life which are the first things which must be cut back on, such as going out for an evening, gym membership and even (dare I say it?) cutting down on smoking and drinking. Other savings can be made by perhaps changing where you shop for food and planning meals before you go to the supermarket and only buying what you actually need once you get there.

This can make a big difference to the cost of the weekly shopping trip. Another idea is to leave the car at home for short journeys and walk instead, saving on petrol costs and getting you fit at the same time!

Build Up An Emergency Fund

It is important to have an emergency fund of money which you are able to fall back on in the event of difficult times, such as redundancy, sickness or unemployment.

Ideally the amount of this fund should be in the region of at least three times your committed monthly expenditure (the things every month which you have to pay, such as personal loans, mortgage and utility bills) to help you get through until you get back on your financial feet. A larger sum is or course better, but even a small amount of money put to one side can make a difference to the situation and reduce the potential of increased levels of debt.

Maintain All Protection Plans

One area of your monthly expenditure which you should definitely not cut back on is the regular payments made on any type of protection plan, or insurance policy you may have. This could include payment protection policies, income protection, or life and critical illness cover.

At times when money is tight, these are often the first things to be cancelled, but they were all taken out for a reason, usually this is to protect your family and mortgage or loan repayments in the event of anything untoward happening to you and it is vital to maintain these contracts in order to keep the benefits and peace of mind which they offer, particularly in an uncertain world where unemployment is increasing and high levels of debt can lead to health problems.

If you do not have any such policies in place, you should contact an independent financial adviser who can offer suitable advice on the cover and type of products you need. Even if you already have some policies in place, it is worth while reviewing exactly what benefits and level of cover these offer, to make sure they are still adequate to meet your requirements.

Maintain All Loan Repayments

It is essential to keep up to date with all the repayments on your personal loans, mortgage and credit cards bills, as this will keep your credit score at a higher level.

Falling behind with loan repayments, or even making them a few days late of the due date, can have dire consequences for your future ability to be accepted for any type of credit or loan, as each missed or late payment will leave a mark on your credit record, reducing your overall score.

In addition to this, late payments and arrears on loans and cards usually incur a penalty charge and in some cases, additional interest. In the worst case scenario, getting into arrears on your mortgage, or a secured loan, can eventually lead to your home being repossessed and even with unsecured loans and other debts, a build up of arrears and missed payments can lead to County Court Judgements (CCJ’s) and stop you from obtaining future credit.

Clear Credit Card Balances And Overdrafts

Credit cards are, in most cases, undoubtedly one of the most expensive forms of credit available, along with bank overdraft facilities.

Both of these methods of borrowing charge one of the highest rates of interest around and even when times are good, these should be the first things to be paid off, but in the current economic climate this is even more important.

It may be all very well to say just pay off your credit card debts, we all know that it’s not that easy, if it was, nobody would have any debts at all and you wouldn’t be reading this article! But there are options to get rid of credit card balances.

Ideally you should concentrate on paying more than the minimum required monthly repayments, in order to clear the balance quicker and save further interest. Other options available would be to transfer your credit card balance to a new card which offers zero per cent interest for a certain period, allowing you to clear the debt over a period of time without paying exorbitant levels of interest.

If this is unavailable to you, another option could be through a debt consolidation loan. Although this option would still charge interest, the amount charged is likely to be considerably less than that of a credit card. Check the rate payable both on the loan and your card to ensure this is the right thing to do, before you sign up.

Debt Consolidation Loan / Remortgage

If you are in a situation, as many people are, where you have several different loans and credit card balances with a number of providers, all paying reasonably high levels of interest, it may be possible to cut your monthly expenditure by bringing all your various debts together with just one provider by taking out a debt consolidation loan.

This option could work out significantly cheaper and also much easier to manage every month, as the interest rate charged is likely to be less than that of the debts being repaid, particularly if you opt for a secured loan and you will only have to make one payment each month.

As an alternative to a debt consolidation loan, you could opt to re-mortgage your home to consolidate your various loans and cards that way. If you have early redemption penalties which would be applied to your existing mortgage, this may not be a realistic option, however your existing lender may be able to offer a further advance on your existing loan.

You should take care with either of these options however, as by consolidating existing debts, in many cases you will also be extending the term of any existing commitments and although the monthly repayments may be considerably lower on the new loan, these will be made for a longer period, with interest also being charged for longer and you could actually end up paying significantly more over the long term than you would have done on your original debts.

Still In Difficulty?

If you are still struggling to keep up with the repayments on loans, mortgages and cards and are worried about falling into an arrears situation, you should always contact the provider in the first instance.

A lender will look favourably on someone who approaches them when financial problems first arise and will take a sympathetic view to your problem, offering help and a solution wherever possible.

The worst course of action is to bury your head in the sand and hope the problems will go away, this is the most likely route to having a CCJ issued against you, or even the possibility of repossession.

Help on financial matters can also be obtained from places such as the Citizens Advice Bureau and debt counselling services. Before taking out any new plans or loans, it could well be beneficial to seek professional advice from an independent financial adviser (IFA), who is able to select products and offer advice across the whole of the market.

Finally, you should think very carefully before committing to any particular one course of action, as it is often difficult to undo something once you have started. Weigh up all the pro’s and cons of the various options and make sure that the one you take is the best possible route to meet your own personal needs and requirements.

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