Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Linux Data Recovery

Linux is valuable not only as an operating system but also as a gateway to all of the codes used to create it. This means that it can be adapted to suit your particular needs. However useful and valuable Linux systems may be, they aren't infallible. They are just as vulnerable to data loss as other computer operating systems.

A unique new technology is being used in Linux data recovery. During a scan, IntelligentScan reads data directly from the disk to determine the extent of the damage. It analyses the data and attempts to sort it into different record categories. Some of the categories include: MBR records, FAT Boot sector records, MFT records, HFS/HFS+ Volume Header, and HFS/HFS+ Btree+ Node.

Each record type has a unique structure that is known to data recovery specialists. Specialists also have knowledge regarding the values of record fields and the relations between the fields for each record type. This knowledge allows them to determine a record type for the data. If data can't be assigned to a specific record type with any certainty, it can be assigned to the type that is the most likely option. If it's difficult to identify only one probable type, it's possible to assign data to several record types, all of which will generate possible files.

The standard practice for data recovery companies is to create a list for each record type. The list includes the records that have been assigned to a type, along with their assignment probability. Different lists can be created, many of which will contain the same data. The information on all of the lists will be analysed and used to generate a list of found partitions. The new list will include information regarding partition parameters such as probable size, cluster size, existence probability and file system type.

Recovery specialists use the file and partition lists to reconstruct file systems and files on the found partitions. It's possible to assign one file to several different partitions. On completion of the hard disk scan, the technicians are able to show all of the found partitions. The parameters can then be manually corrected, provided enough information is available to do so.

IntelligentScan technology enables the recovery of files on new and existing partitions. Data can also be recovered from partitions that have been deleted or reformatted.

In the biological world it can take thousands of years for a species to evolve and climb one rung up the evolutionary ladder. In the technological world, especially the world of computers, evolution seems to occur on a weekly basis. Technology advances at a rapid rate, which allows us to do more with it, which in turn leads to more advanced technology. As we continue to develop, and as data recovery methods evolve, it will soon be possible to reconstruct every move ever made on a computer, no matter how bad the damage. This is bad news for those who use their pcs for nefarious means, but for those of us trying to earn an honest living, it sounds like an outstanding safety net against data loss.

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