There can be a few reasons why your images have been lost or just "disappeared":
Case1. No images on your camera memory card
The first one is that you have not accidentally erased them from your memory card but your playback display states blandly "no images". The second one is that you have accidentally (or deliberately) erased some or all of the images from your memory card.
In both instances, the images have not actually been erased or deleted - they are still there but your camera will simply not display them. However, the camera software may well overwrite these files if you continue to take pictures.
In view of this is necessary to take immediate action to recover the files before this happens.
If you did not deliberately erase the images yourself, the first thing to try is to switch off your camera. Remove the memory card from the camera and then replace it, switch the camera back on and check to see if the images have returned. This is a similar procedure to re - booting a computer when it throws a wobbly. It works sometimes but not always.
If the images do not reappear, proceed as if you have accidentally erased them as follows:
Go online and use a search engine and type in "free file recovery programmes" to find a programme like "Free Undelete". Download it and connect your camera to the computer as you would for uploading images from your memory card. Alternatively, you can insert your memory card into the appropriate memory card slot in your computer if you have one.
I have tried this completely free programme and it works well. However, there are several other non - free programmes you can use if you prefer which may be more sophisticated with more features.
Start the programme, select the drive where the memory card is located and click "Scan". if a folder appears, open it. If the files have not been overwritten, the programme should find them. Note; For Windows Vista users; you may have to right click the program shortcut and select "run as administrator" or it may not work.
Be patient. The programme takes several minutes to completely scan the card and retrieve the files. It lists them with a rating of "poor" or "good". Select the files you want to restore, click "undelete" and then save them to your computers hard drive in a suitable location.
If you try to save to the memory card you may get a warning that the image may suffer loss of quality. If you definitely want to put these files on to your memory card then save them first to your desktop. Copy these files (right click - copy) and paste them to your memory card (right click - paste). I have done this without any apparent loss of quality.
One thing I noticed with this free programme is that if you click the "help" file on the main menu - nothing happens. To access this you will have to locate the "Free Undelete" folder from the Start - Programmes folder.
Case2. Images lost from computer
Exactly the same procedure is used to recover lost or deleted files on any other drives you have on your computer. Just select the drive where the images were stored before they disappeared. But this time specify the type of file you want to recover. In this case it is a jpeg, so enter ".jpg" as your search filter otherwise you will get every deleted file on your computer listed.
Note: As implied above, this programme will retrieve many other types of files as well, including lost or deleted emails and documents. However, Free Undelete is a utility programme so there is no preview available. If you want all the bells and whistles you may have to purchase a more sophisticated version like "Recover my Files". This has a preview window and many other features. It is available for a free trial but the save feature is blocked until you purchase it (about $70/£35). There are many other similar programmes available of varying degrees of sophistication - so take a look and find one that suits you.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Online Backup - A Necessity for Every Computer Owner
Why is online backup important?
Most people have important (if not priceless) documents and files on their computer. The hard drive of your personal computer may be filled to the brim with years and years of personal photographs, MP3 music, financial records. Business PCs can contain documents with valuable intellectual information, finances, client records, and so on. In a society where we are continually evolving to adapt to an electronic business market, much of our most valuable data is no longer in paper form.
Regrettably (as many of us have experienced) computers are susceptible to crashing, online viruses, theft, and damage from natural disasters, all of which can completely wipe away everything instantaneously. Most businesses that experience such a loss do not survive the subsequent year and imagine losing all your personal photographs. Such a loss is often heartbreaking, difficult, and very frustrating. Not to mention expensive; utilizing services to recover a failed hard drive can cost thousands of dollars.
Why online backup over other methods?
Other methods of backup typically include compact discs and external hard drives. The problem with such methods is not only is it time consuming to backup all your data to these, but such tangible methods are typically in the near vicinity of the original copies, so they are still not protected. For example, if your home is ruined by fire and you did not keep backups in another location, then you have lost both copies and your backup efforts were fruitless.
Most people have important (if not priceless) documents and files on their computer. The hard drive of your personal computer may be filled to the brim with years and years of personal photographs, MP3 music, financial records. Business PCs can contain documents with valuable intellectual information, finances, client records, and so on. In a society where we are continually evolving to adapt to an electronic business market, much of our most valuable data is no longer in paper form.
Regrettably (as many of us have experienced) computers are susceptible to crashing, online viruses, theft, and damage from natural disasters, all of which can completely wipe away everything instantaneously. Most businesses that experience such a loss do not survive the subsequent year and imagine losing all your personal photographs. Such a loss is often heartbreaking, difficult, and very frustrating. Not to mention expensive; utilizing services to recover a failed hard drive can cost thousands of dollars.
Why online backup over other methods?
Other methods of backup typically include compact discs and external hard drives. The problem with such methods is not only is it time consuming to backup all your data to these, but such tangible methods are typically in the near vicinity of the original copies, so they are still not protected. For example, if your home is ruined by fire and you did not keep backups in another location, then you have lost both copies and your backup efforts were fruitless.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Outlook Backup - What Is The Best Way to Do It?
Outlook backup is a bare necessity for those who use MS Outlook email client for everyday communication. If you are like most people, who like to start their day with a hot steaming cup of coffee looking through morning mail, you sure can imagine how frustrating it can be to lose your important messages and contacts.
There are several reasons why you can lose your email. First of all, you can lose your Outlook messages as a result of hardware failure. Secondly, there can be a disaster like flood or fire, which is hard to prevent so it is strongly recommended to back up Outlook/Outlook Express to secure against the temperament of nature.
A far more frustrating occurrence of message loss is an accidental deletion by the owner. There is no way to prevent such things, but there are several ways to make sure you do not lose your data, if you get in any of the above mentioned situations.
One ways is to copy your contacts and messages manually each day and record them to some storage media such as a CD. This is a viable solution and it is the cheapest in terms of money, but not time. It is going to be hard to keep track of all incoming and outcoming messages and not to forget to do Outlook backup regularly.
However, with the simple yet reliable Outlook backup software, you can immensely simplify the task of data protection. In fact, for a reasonable fee of 39 bucks you can get a professional backup program with the backup functionality which allows backing up your important messages on a specified schedule with the options of data compression and encryption.
When choosing your backup software, pay attention to the specific features of a program. Some backup programs offer Outlook backup functionality as a default feature, while others may require installation of special plug-ins for doing target backup of email. Also, make sure that the program can do backup of all versions, including backup of Outlook 2007.
There are several reasons why you can lose your email. First of all, you can lose your Outlook messages as a result of hardware failure. Secondly, there can be a disaster like flood or fire, which is hard to prevent so it is strongly recommended to back up Outlook/Outlook Express to secure against the temperament of nature.
A far more frustrating occurrence of message loss is an accidental deletion by the owner. There is no way to prevent such things, but there are several ways to make sure you do not lose your data, if you get in any of the above mentioned situations.
One ways is to copy your contacts and messages manually each day and record them to some storage media such as a CD. This is a viable solution and it is the cheapest in terms of money, but not time. It is going to be hard to keep track of all incoming and outcoming messages and not to forget to do Outlook backup regularly.
However, with the simple yet reliable Outlook backup software, you can immensely simplify the task of data protection. In fact, for a reasonable fee of 39 bucks you can get a professional backup program with the backup functionality which allows backing up your important messages on a specified schedule with the options of data compression and encryption.
When choosing your backup software, pay attention to the specific features of a program. Some backup programs offer Outlook backup functionality as a default feature, while others may require installation of special plug-ins for doing target backup of email. Also, make sure that the program can do backup of all versions, including backup of Outlook 2007.
Deleted Images And How To Recover Them
There can be a few reasons why your images have been lost or just "disappeared":
Case1. No images on your camera memory card
The first one is that you have not accidentally erased them from your memory card but your playback display states blandly "no images". The second one is that you have accidentally (or deliberately) erased some or all of the images from your memory card.
In both instances, the images have not actually been erased or deleted - they are still there but your camera will simply not display them. However, the camera software may well overwrite these files if you continue to take pictures.
In view of this is necessary to take immediate action to recover the files before this happens.
If you did not deliberately erase the images yourself, the first thing to try is to switch off your camera. Remove the memory card from the camera and then replace it, switch the camera back on and check to see if the images have returned. This is a similar procedure to re - booting a computer when it throws a wobbly. It works sometimes but not always.
If the images do not reappear, proceed as if you have accidentally erased them as follows:
Go online and use a search engine and type in "free file recovery programmes" to find a programme like "Free Undelete". Download it and connect your camera to the computer as you would for uploading images from your memory card. Alternatively, you can insert your memory card into the appropriate memory card slot in your computer if you have one.
I have tried this completely free programme and it works well. However, there are several other non - free programmes you can use if you prefer which may be more sophisticated with more features.
Start the programme, select the drive where the memory card is located and click "Scan". if a folder appears, open it. If the files have not been overwritten, the programme should find them. Note; For Windows Vista users; you may have to right click the program shortcut and select "run as administrator" or it may not work.
Be patient. The programme takes several minutes to completely scan the card and retrieve the files. It lists them with a rating of "poor" or "good". Select the files you want to restore, click "undelete" and then save them to your computers hard drive in a suitable location.
If you try to save to the memory card you may get a warning that the image may suffer loss of quality. If you definitely want to put these files on to your memory card then save them first to your desktop. Copy these files (right click - copy) and paste them to your memory card (right click - paste). I have done this without any apparent loss of quality.
One thing I noticed with this free programme is that if you click the "help" file on the main menu - nothing happens. To access this you will have to locate the "Free Undelete" folder from the Start - Programmes folder.
Case2. Images lost from computer
Exactly the same procedure is used to recover lost or deleted files on any other drives you have on your computer. Just select the drive where the images were stored before they disappeared. But this time specify the type of file you want to recover. In this case it is a jpeg, so enter ".jpg" as your search filter otherwise you will get every deleted file on your computer listed.
Note: As implied above, this programme will retrieve many other types of files as well, including lost or deleted emails and documents. However, Free Undelete is a utility programme so there is no preview available. If you want all the bells and whistles you may have to purchase a more sophisticated version like "Recover my Files". This has a preview window and many other features. It is available for a free trial but the save feature is blocked until you purchase it (about $70/£35). There are many other similar programmes available of varying degrees of sophistication - so take a look and find one that suits you.
Happy deleted file recovery
I am a photographer and author who enjoys both digital and film photography. I like writing about photography topics and passing on hints, tips and wrinkles to others based on my experiences.
Case1. No images on your camera memory card
The first one is that you have not accidentally erased them from your memory card but your playback display states blandly "no images". The second one is that you have accidentally (or deliberately) erased some or all of the images from your memory card.
In both instances, the images have not actually been erased or deleted - they are still there but your camera will simply not display them. However, the camera software may well overwrite these files if you continue to take pictures.
In view of this is necessary to take immediate action to recover the files before this happens.
If you did not deliberately erase the images yourself, the first thing to try is to switch off your camera. Remove the memory card from the camera and then replace it, switch the camera back on and check to see if the images have returned. This is a similar procedure to re - booting a computer when it throws a wobbly. It works sometimes but not always.
If the images do not reappear, proceed as if you have accidentally erased them as follows:
Go online and use a search engine and type in "free file recovery programmes" to find a programme like "Free Undelete". Download it and connect your camera to the computer as you would for uploading images from your memory card. Alternatively, you can insert your memory card into the appropriate memory card slot in your computer if you have one.
I have tried this completely free programme and it works well. However, there are several other non - free programmes you can use if you prefer which may be more sophisticated with more features.
Start the programme, select the drive where the memory card is located and click "Scan". if a folder appears, open it. If the files have not been overwritten, the programme should find them. Note; For Windows Vista users; you may have to right click the program shortcut and select "run as administrator" or it may not work.
Be patient. The programme takes several minutes to completely scan the card and retrieve the files. It lists them with a rating of "poor" or "good". Select the files you want to restore, click "undelete" and then save them to your computers hard drive in a suitable location.
If you try to save to the memory card you may get a warning that the image may suffer loss of quality. If you definitely want to put these files on to your memory card then save them first to your desktop. Copy these files (right click - copy) and paste them to your memory card (right click - paste). I have done this without any apparent loss of quality.
One thing I noticed with this free programme is that if you click the "help" file on the main menu - nothing happens. To access this you will have to locate the "Free Undelete" folder from the Start - Programmes folder.
Case2. Images lost from computer
Exactly the same procedure is used to recover lost or deleted files on any other drives you have on your computer. Just select the drive where the images were stored before they disappeared. But this time specify the type of file you want to recover. In this case it is a jpeg, so enter ".jpg" as your search filter otherwise you will get every deleted file on your computer listed.
Note: As implied above, this programme will retrieve many other types of files as well, including lost or deleted emails and documents. However, Free Undelete is a utility programme so there is no preview available. If you want all the bells and whistles you may have to purchase a more sophisticated version like "Recover my Files". This has a preview window and many other features. It is available for a free trial but the save feature is blocked until you purchase it (about $70/£35). There are many other similar programmes available of varying degrees of sophistication - so take a look and find one that suits you.
Happy deleted file recovery
I am a photographer and author who enjoys both digital and film photography. I like writing about photography topics and passing on hints, tips and wrinkles to others based on my experiences.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Outlook Backup - What Is The Best Way to Do It?
Outlook backup is a bare necessity for those who use MS Outlook email client for everyday communication. If you are like most people, who like to start their day with a hot steaming cup of coffee looking through morning mail, you sure can imagine how frustrating it can be to lose your important messages and contacts.
There are several reasons why you can lose your email. First of all, you can lose your Outlook messages as a result of hardware failure. Secondly, there can be a disaster like flood or fire, which is hard to prevent so it is strongly recommended to back up Outlook/Outlook Express to secure against the temperament of nature.
A far more frustrating occurrence of message loss is an accidental deletion by the owner. There is no way to prevent such things, but there are several ways to make sure you do not lose your data, if you get in any of the above mentioned situations.
One ways is to copy your contacts and messages manually each day and record them to some storage media such as a CD. This is a viable solution and it is the cheapest in terms of money, but not time. It is going to be hard to keep track of all incoming and outcoming messages and not to forget to do Outlook backup regularly.
However, with the simple yet reliable Outlook backup software, you can immensely simplify the task of data protection. In fact, for a reasonable fee of 39 bucks you can get a professional backup program with the backup functionality which allows backing up your important messages on a specified schedule with the options of data compression and encryption.
When choosing your backup software, pay attention to the specific features of a program. Some backup programs offer Outlook backup functionality as a default feature, while others may require installation of special plug-ins for doing target backup of email. Also, make sure that the program can do backup of all versions, including backup of Outlook 2007.
There are several reasons why you can lose your email. First of all, you can lose your Outlook messages as a result of hardware failure. Secondly, there can be a disaster like flood or fire, which is hard to prevent so it is strongly recommended to back up Outlook/Outlook Express to secure against the temperament of nature.
A far more frustrating occurrence of message loss is an accidental deletion by the owner. There is no way to prevent such things, but there are several ways to make sure you do not lose your data, if you get in any of the above mentioned situations.
One ways is to copy your contacts and messages manually each day and record them to some storage media such as a CD. This is a viable solution and it is the cheapest in terms of money, but not time. It is going to be hard to keep track of all incoming and outcoming messages and not to forget to do Outlook backup regularly.
However, with the simple yet reliable Outlook backup software, you can immensely simplify the task of data protection. In fact, for a reasonable fee of 39 bucks you can get a professional backup program with the backup functionality which allows backing up your important messages on a specified schedule with the options of data compression and encryption.
When choosing your backup software, pay attention to the specific features of a program. Some backup programs offer Outlook backup functionality as a default feature, while others may require installation of special plug-ins for doing target backup of email. Also, make sure that the program can do backup of all versions, including backup of Outlook 2007.
Deleted Images And How To Recover Them
There can be a few reasons why your images have been lost or just "disappeared":
Case1. No images on your camera memory card
The first one is that you have not accidentally erased them from your memory card but your playback display states blandly "no images". The second one is that you have accidentally (or deliberately) erased some or all of the images from your memory card.
In both instances, the images have not actually been erased or deleted - they are still there but your camera will simply not display them. However, the camera software may well overwrite these files if you continue to take pictures.
In view of this is necessary to take immediate action to recover the files before this happens.
If you did not deliberately erase the images yourself, the first thing to try is to switch off your camera. Remove the memory card from the camera and then replace it, switch the camera back on and check to see if the images have returned. This is a similar procedure to re - booting a computer when it throws a wobbly. It works sometimes but not always.
If the images do not reappear, proceed as if you have accidentally erased them as follows:
Go online and use a search engine and type in "free file recovery programmes" to find a programme like "Free Undelete". Download it and connect your camera to the computer as you would for uploading images from your memory card. Alternatively, you can insert your memory card into the appropriate memory card slot in your computer if you have one.
I have tried this completely free programme and it works well. However, there are several other non - free programmes you can use if you prefer which may be more sophisticated with more features.
Start the programme, select the drive where the memory card is located and click "Scan". if a folder appears, open it. If the files have not been overwritten, the programme should find them. Note; For Windows Vista users; you may have to right click the program shortcut and select "run as administrator" or it may not work.
Be patient. The programme takes several minutes to completely scan the card and retrieve the files. It lists them with a rating of "poor" or "good". Select the files you want to restore, click "undelete" and then save them to your computers hard drive in a suitable location.
If you try to save to the memory card you may get a warning that the image may suffer loss of quality. If you definitely want to put these files on to your memory card then save them first to your desktop. Copy these files (right click - copy) and paste them to your memory card (right click - paste). I have done this without any apparent loss of quality.
One thing I noticed with this free programme is that if you click the "help" file on the main menu - nothing happens. To access this you will have to locate the "Free Undelete" folder from the Start - Programmes folder.
Case2. Images lost from computer
Exactly the same procedure is used to recover lost or deleted files on any other drives you have on your computer. Just select the drive where the images were stored before they disappeared. But this time specify the type of file you want to recover. In this case it is a jpeg, so enter ".jpg" as your search filter otherwise you will get every deleted file on your computer listed.
Note: As implied above, this programme will retrieve many other types of files as well, including lost or deleted emails and documents. However, Free Undelete is a utility programme so there is no preview available. If you want all the bells and whistles you may have to purchase a more sophisticated version like "Recover my Files". This has a preview window and many other features. It is available for a free trial but the save feature is blocked until you purchase it (about $70/£35). There are many other similar programmes available of varying degrees of sophistication - so take a look and find one that suits you.
Case1. No images on your camera memory card
The first one is that you have not accidentally erased them from your memory card but your playback display states blandly "no images". The second one is that you have accidentally (or deliberately) erased some or all of the images from your memory card.
In both instances, the images have not actually been erased or deleted - they are still there but your camera will simply not display them. However, the camera software may well overwrite these files if you continue to take pictures.
In view of this is necessary to take immediate action to recover the files before this happens.
If you did not deliberately erase the images yourself, the first thing to try is to switch off your camera. Remove the memory card from the camera and then replace it, switch the camera back on and check to see if the images have returned. This is a similar procedure to re - booting a computer when it throws a wobbly. It works sometimes but not always.
If the images do not reappear, proceed as if you have accidentally erased them as follows:
Go online and use a search engine and type in "free file recovery programmes" to find a programme like "Free Undelete". Download it and connect your camera to the computer as you would for uploading images from your memory card. Alternatively, you can insert your memory card into the appropriate memory card slot in your computer if you have one.
I have tried this completely free programme and it works well. However, there are several other non - free programmes you can use if you prefer which may be more sophisticated with more features.
Start the programme, select the drive where the memory card is located and click "Scan". if a folder appears, open it. If the files have not been overwritten, the programme should find them. Note; For Windows Vista users; you may have to right click the program shortcut and select "run as administrator" or it may not work.
Be patient. The programme takes several minutes to completely scan the card and retrieve the files. It lists them with a rating of "poor" or "good". Select the files you want to restore, click "undelete" and then save them to your computers hard drive in a suitable location.
If you try to save to the memory card you may get a warning that the image may suffer loss of quality. If you definitely want to put these files on to your memory card then save them first to your desktop. Copy these files (right click - copy) and paste them to your memory card (right click - paste). I have done this without any apparent loss of quality.
One thing I noticed with this free programme is that if you click the "help" file on the main menu - nothing happens. To access this you will have to locate the "Free Undelete" folder from the Start - Programmes folder.
Case2. Images lost from computer
Exactly the same procedure is used to recover lost or deleted files on any other drives you have on your computer. Just select the drive where the images were stored before they disappeared. But this time specify the type of file you want to recover. In this case it is a jpeg, so enter ".jpg" as your search filter otherwise you will get every deleted file on your computer listed.
Note: As implied above, this programme will retrieve many other types of files as well, including lost or deleted emails and documents. However, Free Undelete is a utility programme so there is no preview available. If you want all the bells and whistles you may have to purchase a more sophisticated version like "Recover my Files". This has a preview window and many other features. It is available for a free trial but the save feature is blocked until you purchase it (about $70/£35). There are many other similar programmes available of varying degrees of sophistication - so take a look and find one that suits you.
Data Loss Prevention 101
Own a computer? Or any electronic device which can store information and data? Mp3 players? TV recorders? Cd's and Dvd's? Cell phones?
Well, as long as you use those devices, you will always run into the chance of losing your data. We are surrounded by devices which stores data and help disseminate information.
However, with a few pointers, you can almost effectively prevent data loss from happening to you. Read on!
Avoid Extreme Environments
Never expose your hard drive or any other electronic equipment to extreme hot or cold temperature. Excessive heat can shorten the lifespan of a drive, reduce the performance of the system, and ultimately damage the electronic components.
Stable, Clean, and Safe working environment
Do not place a computer on unstable or moveable objects. During operation, computer hard drives can be damaged by any abrupt or sudden movement, especially laptops. It's important to find a stable area where there is not a lot of activity.
Dusty, dirty work conditions can clog your system ventilation and cause system overheat or even cause hard disk crash if dust infiltrates the hard disk.
Backup your data
Backup important data, files, documents and programs regularly.
You should backup important data, files, documents and programs regularly. Backups are an integral part of data loss prevention as it provides an exact copy of the data. It is the fastest way and also the easiest way of recovering from data loss if you suffer from data loss.
However, backup is useless if that redundant copy of data cannot be used. Checks should be conducted from time to time to ensure the backup is up to date and is free from virus and corruption so that it will actually come in handy when disaster strikes.
Install anti virus on your system
Take steps to protect your system from computer viruses. Computer viruses are so common nowadays that many PC's or laptop's are infected without the user's knowledge.
It is likely that in the near future a virus will spread that has the ability to actually destroy critical data in your hard drive. Keep a virus detection program on your computer, and of course, keep it updated.
System Protection
Keep your computer safe from human error (children, computer illiterates, general carelessness etc.) Use passwords on important programs or files to help prevent accidental erasure.
Vanishing or Deleted Data
If you accidentally delete or data just went missing for no apparent reasons, do not create new files, move files around, or save any old files. By doing so, you could make the recovery of lost data impossible as any of such activity might overwrite the missing data making these permanently erased from your hard disk.
In fact all activity should be stopped immediately to avoid permanent data loss.
Clicking, Grinding, or Metal Scraping Noises
If your hard drive is making clicking, scraping, or any type of strange sounds immediately switch off your system. By switching off, you avoid causing more damage to the drive or data.
When you hear all these sounds, it is a worrying sign as these sounds indicate an impending hard disk crash (if it has not occurred already. More on hard disk crash)
Remain Calm and Cool
Do not panic. Panic will get you nowhere fast. Instead calm down and think through what just happened. Write down the circumstances of the data loss, signs of loss (if any), and evaluate if you need to recover.
In this era of computer and technology, can have wide spread repercussions. It causes a ripple effect where more people are affected from any data loss. The risk of losing data is increasing daily as more people are using and relying on computers and losing data has become costlier. Here are just some ways you can lose data in computers.
Well, as long as you use those devices, you will always run into the chance of losing your data. We are surrounded by devices which stores data and help disseminate information.
However, with a few pointers, you can almost effectively prevent data loss from happening to you. Read on!
Avoid Extreme Environments
Never expose your hard drive or any other electronic equipment to extreme hot or cold temperature. Excessive heat can shorten the lifespan of a drive, reduce the performance of the system, and ultimately damage the electronic components.
Stable, Clean, and Safe working environment
Do not place a computer on unstable or moveable objects. During operation, computer hard drives can be damaged by any abrupt or sudden movement, especially laptops. It's important to find a stable area where there is not a lot of activity.
Dusty, dirty work conditions can clog your system ventilation and cause system overheat or even cause hard disk crash if dust infiltrates the hard disk.
Backup your data
Backup important data, files, documents and programs regularly.
You should backup important data, files, documents and programs regularly. Backups are an integral part of data loss prevention as it provides an exact copy of the data. It is the fastest way and also the easiest way of recovering from data loss if you suffer from data loss.
However, backup is useless if that redundant copy of data cannot be used. Checks should be conducted from time to time to ensure the backup is up to date and is free from virus and corruption so that it will actually come in handy when disaster strikes.
Install anti virus on your system
Take steps to protect your system from computer viruses. Computer viruses are so common nowadays that many PC's or laptop's are infected without the user's knowledge.
It is likely that in the near future a virus will spread that has the ability to actually destroy critical data in your hard drive. Keep a virus detection program on your computer, and of course, keep it updated.
System Protection
Keep your computer safe from human error (children, computer illiterates, general carelessness etc.) Use passwords on important programs or files to help prevent accidental erasure.
Vanishing or Deleted Data
If you accidentally delete or data just went missing for no apparent reasons, do not create new files, move files around, or save any old files. By doing so, you could make the recovery of lost data impossible as any of such activity might overwrite the missing data making these permanently erased from your hard disk.
In fact all activity should be stopped immediately to avoid permanent data loss.
Clicking, Grinding, or Metal Scraping Noises
If your hard drive is making clicking, scraping, or any type of strange sounds immediately switch off your system. By switching off, you avoid causing more damage to the drive or data.
When you hear all these sounds, it is a worrying sign as these sounds indicate an impending hard disk crash (if it has not occurred already. More on hard disk crash)
Remain Calm and Cool
Do not panic. Panic will get you nowhere fast. Instead calm down and think through what just happened. Write down the circumstances of the data loss, signs of loss (if any), and evaluate if you need to recover.
In this era of computer and technology, can have wide spread repercussions. It causes a ripple effect where more people are affected from any data loss. The risk of losing data is increasing daily as more people are using and relying on computers and losing data has become costlier. Here are just some ways you can lose data in computers.
Registry Fix - How to Fix Your Computer Registry?
Do you have a problem with your computer's registry and in need to fix the registry? This is vulnerable and important component of the computers operating system and it can get corrupted over time if you do not maintain it. The result is that the computer will become lowered in performance.
The primary database of the operating system of the computer is the computer registry and it is the most important component to maintain of the performance of your PC. The registry commands your computer what to do, when to do it and how to act. It also keeps every piece of information related to user profile. That is why doing tasks like how to fix computer registry is a essential yet very difficult attempt in maintaining the computer. The primary goal of computer registry fix is removing redundant files, repairing errors and reorganizing and updating the mechanism of your computer's operating system.
Even if you have to fix the computer's registry regularly, it is not as easy and straightforward as you may think it is to work with it. Extreme care is needed when working with the registry because it is a vital and fundamental component in making your computer run and work smoothly. If you don't have complete knowledge of what you are trying doing when downloading or installing as well as uninstalling software programs it may turn out to be unsuccessful and even worse, a disastrous activity. With this caution, it is advisable that you should be aware and very careful in performing the activity on how to fix your computer registry.
Why do registry errors occur?
Registry errors occur because of different causes. When you download software's that are not completely compatible with your computer registry errors can occur. Some are gathered through awful spywares and adware that get bigger in numbers as you browsed certain websites. Still some are viruses that are very successful in penetrating your computer registry, which aims to create chaos in your PC. It causes the computer to exhibit poor performance when these erroneous entries accumulate and that is very obvious and irritating to the computer user.
Like mentioned earlier, registry errors are normal to happen in your computer but the appearance of it is not to be regarded as a very frustrating incident. There is a lot of registry fix and cleaner software available today.
The primary database of the operating system of the computer is the computer registry and it is the most important component to maintain of the performance of your PC. The registry commands your computer what to do, when to do it and how to act. It also keeps every piece of information related to user profile. That is why doing tasks like how to fix computer registry is a essential yet very difficult attempt in maintaining the computer. The primary goal of computer registry fix is removing redundant files, repairing errors and reorganizing and updating the mechanism of your computer's operating system.
Even if you have to fix the computer's registry regularly, it is not as easy and straightforward as you may think it is to work with it. Extreme care is needed when working with the registry because it is a vital and fundamental component in making your computer run and work smoothly. If you don't have complete knowledge of what you are trying doing when downloading or installing as well as uninstalling software programs it may turn out to be unsuccessful and even worse, a disastrous activity. With this caution, it is advisable that you should be aware and very careful in performing the activity on how to fix your computer registry.
Why do registry errors occur?
Registry errors occur because of different causes. When you download software's that are not completely compatible with your computer registry errors can occur. Some are gathered through awful spywares and adware that get bigger in numbers as you browsed certain websites. Still some are viruses that are very successful in penetrating your computer registry, which aims to create chaos in your PC. It causes the computer to exhibit poor performance when these erroneous entries accumulate and that is very obvious and irritating to the computer user.
Like mentioned earlier, registry errors are normal to happen in your computer but the appearance of it is not to be regarded as a very frustrating incident. There is a lot of registry fix and cleaner software available today.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Registry Fix - How to Fix Your Computer Registry?
Do you have a problem with your computer's registry and in need to fix the registry? This is vulnerable and important component of the computers operating system and it can get corrupted over time if you do not maintain it. The result is that the computer will become lowered in performance.
The primary database of the operating system of the computer is the computer registry and it is the most important component to maintain of the performance of your PC. The registry commands your computer what to do, when to do it and how to act. It also keeps every piece of information related to user profile. That is why doing tasks like how to fix computer registry is a essential yet very difficult attempt in maintaining the computer. The primary goal of computer registry fix is removing redundant files, repairing errors and reorganizing and updating the mechanism of your computer's operating system.
Even if you have to fix the computer's registry regularly, it is not as easy and straightforward as you may think it is to work with it. Extreme care is needed when working with the registry because it is a vital and fundamental component in making your computer run and work smoothly. If you don't have complete knowledge of what you are trying doing when downloading or installing as well as uninstalling software programs it may turn out to be unsuccessful and even worse, a disastrous activity. With this caution, it is advisable that you should be aware and very careful in performing the activity on how to fix your computer registry.
Why do registry errors occur?
Registry errors occur because of different causes. When you download software's that are not completely compatible with your computer registry errors can occur. Some are gathered through awful spywares and adware that get bigger in numbers as you browsed certain websites. Still some are viruses that are very successful in penetrating your computer registry, which aims to create chaos in your PC. It causes the computer to exhibit poor performance when these erroneous entries accumulate and that is very obvious and irritating to the computer user.
Like mentioned earlier, registry errors are normal to happen in your computer but the appearance of it is not to be regarded as a very frustrating incident. There is a lot of registry fix and cleaner software available today.
The primary database of the operating system of the computer is the computer registry and it is the most important component to maintain of the performance of your PC. The registry commands your computer what to do, when to do it and how to act. It also keeps every piece of information related to user profile. That is why doing tasks like how to fix computer registry is a essential yet very difficult attempt in maintaining the computer. The primary goal of computer registry fix is removing redundant files, repairing errors and reorganizing and updating the mechanism of your computer's operating system.
Even if you have to fix the computer's registry regularly, it is not as easy and straightforward as you may think it is to work with it. Extreme care is needed when working with the registry because it is a vital and fundamental component in making your computer run and work smoothly. If you don't have complete knowledge of what you are trying doing when downloading or installing as well as uninstalling software programs it may turn out to be unsuccessful and even worse, a disastrous activity. With this caution, it is advisable that you should be aware and very careful in performing the activity on how to fix your computer registry.
Why do registry errors occur?
Registry errors occur because of different causes. When you download software's that are not completely compatible with your computer registry errors can occur. Some are gathered through awful spywares and adware that get bigger in numbers as you browsed certain websites. Still some are viruses that are very successful in penetrating your computer registry, which aims to create chaos in your PC. It causes the computer to exhibit poor performance when these erroneous entries accumulate and that is very obvious and irritating to the computer user.
Like mentioned earlier, registry errors are normal to happen in your computer but the appearance of it is not to be regarded as a very frustrating incident. There is a lot of registry fix and cleaner software available today.
Protecting Your Valuable Data
How to protect your valuable data, you will know after you read below:
Set up your computer in a safe environment. Your computer should be in a dry, cool, controlled environment that is clean and dust-free. Placing your computer in a low-traffic area will protect your system and storage media from harmful jarring or bumping.
Backup your data regularly. Creating regular backups is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from losing data. Back up data at least once a week with reliable tapes or other storage devices, always verifying that the correct data is backed up.
Use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). In the event of a surge of electricity or lightning strike, an uninterruptible power supply protects your computer from being fried. In addition, a UPS has a battery backup that keeps your computer running for a short time in the event of a power outage, giving you time to save your work and avoid potential data loss. If UPS is not an available or economical solution, a surge protector is also a good investment.
Run a virus scan regularly and update it four times a year. Computer viruses are one of the worst enemies to your computer. Good anti-virus software tests your system for sequences of code unique to each known computer virus and eliminates the infecting invader.
Be aware of strange noises. If you hear a strange noise or grinding sound, turn off your computer immediately and call an expert. Further operation may damage your hard drive beyond repair.
If you do experience a data loss, Data Recovery Wizard can help. Even the best maintenance program cannot always prevent system crashes or data loss. Data Recovery Wizard offers a wide array of data recovery solutions.
Set up your computer in a safe environment. Your computer should be in a dry, cool, controlled environment that is clean and dust-free. Placing your computer in a low-traffic area will protect your system and storage media from harmful jarring or bumping.
Backup your data regularly. Creating regular backups is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from losing data. Back up data at least once a week with reliable tapes or other storage devices, always verifying that the correct data is backed up.
Use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). In the event of a surge of electricity or lightning strike, an uninterruptible power supply protects your computer from being fried. In addition, a UPS has a battery backup that keeps your computer running for a short time in the event of a power outage, giving you time to save your work and avoid potential data loss. If UPS is not an available or economical solution, a surge protector is also a good investment.
Run a virus scan regularly and update it four times a year. Computer viruses are one of the worst enemies to your computer. Good anti-virus software tests your system for sequences of code unique to each known computer virus and eliminates the infecting invader.
Be aware of strange noises. If you hear a strange noise or grinding sound, turn off your computer immediately and call an expert. Further operation may damage your hard drive beyond repair.
If you do experience a data loss, Data Recovery Wizard can help. Even the best maintenance program cannot always prevent system crashes or data loss. Data Recovery Wizard offers a wide array of data recovery solutions.
Data Recovery Software
It can happen in a variety of ways. Your data can be lost for many different reasons. Virus or malware attacks can lead to lost files and information for unlucky computer users. Power spikes are also capable of leading to data loss, especially for computer systems without surge protectors or voltage regulators. And of course, all of us are possible victims of accidental file deletions or disk reformatting. Fortunately, even in these seemingly disastrous cases, there is still hope.
Due precisely to these untoward incidents, data recovery software have been developed extensively. Recovery software may be designed for many different specific cases, but they all aim to help mitigate the effects of the mistakes or accidents that lead to data loss.
The worst case scenario would be that the entire hard drive getting damaged or corrupted. In this case, hard drive recovery software would be invaluable. The software should be downloaded onto another storage device and not the crashed or damaged disk; putting new data onto the damaged disk might lead to overwriting and data loss. The hard drive recovery software may then be executed from this second storage device and used to scan the damaged hard drive.
This scan will analyze the crashed disk and determine what data, if any, is recoverable. It should be noted that depending on how exactly the hard disk was damaged, not all of the data on it may be recoverable. Different software may be tried, but there is no guarantee that any of them will be able to fully recover the lost data. After this scan, it is then a simple matter to confirm and have the hard drive recovery software recover the data that it can.
Different operating systems (such as Windows, Mac, Linux, and so on) may use different formatting systems for their hard drives. There exist different hard drive recovery programs that are designed for almost all operating systems and corresponding formatting systems. Some of these are available for free, while some would require purchase.
Another scenario would be that only a specific file or group of files is damaged. This may occur when a power surge or other event causes an unexpected shutdown. Open files with unsaved changes may unluckily be damaged by this shutdown.
Depending on what file needs to be recovered, there are different data recovery software options. There are those that are designed to recover Microsoft Office documents and files, for example, and these would be useful for those who use MS Word, Excel, and so on. Users of Microsoft Outlook who accidentally lose email messages will also find some recovery software specializing in email recovery due to client failure. There are also database recovery software programs for those who lose information from MS Access files, Palm Pilot databases, or SQL databases.
Data loss is no longer an irreversible process, thanks to today's software. Depending on the particular file or files that need to be recovered, and the circumstances of their loss, there are corresponding programs available for download or purchase.
Due precisely to these untoward incidents, data recovery software have been developed extensively. Recovery software may be designed for many different specific cases, but they all aim to help mitigate the effects of the mistakes or accidents that lead to data loss.
The worst case scenario would be that the entire hard drive getting damaged or corrupted. In this case, hard drive recovery software would be invaluable. The software should be downloaded onto another storage device and not the crashed or damaged disk; putting new data onto the damaged disk might lead to overwriting and data loss. The hard drive recovery software may then be executed from this second storage device and used to scan the damaged hard drive.
This scan will analyze the crashed disk and determine what data, if any, is recoverable. It should be noted that depending on how exactly the hard disk was damaged, not all of the data on it may be recoverable. Different software may be tried, but there is no guarantee that any of them will be able to fully recover the lost data. After this scan, it is then a simple matter to confirm and have the hard drive recovery software recover the data that it can.
Different operating systems (such as Windows, Mac, Linux, and so on) may use different formatting systems for their hard drives. There exist different hard drive recovery programs that are designed for almost all operating systems and corresponding formatting systems. Some of these are available for free, while some would require purchase.
Another scenario would be that only a specific file or group of files is damaged. This may occur when a power surge or other event causes an unexpected shutdown. Open files with unsaved changes may unluckily be damaged by this shutdown.
Depending on what file needs to be recovered, there are different data recovery software options. There are those that are designed to recover Microsoft Office documents and files, for example, and these would be useful for those who use MS Word, Excel, and so on. Users of Microsoft Outlook who accidentally lose email messages will also find some recovery software specializing in email recovery due to client failure. There are also database recovery software programs for those who lose information from MS Access files, Palm Pilot databases, or SQL databases.
Data loss is no longer an irreversible process, thanks to today's software. Depending on the particular file or files that need to be recovered, and the circumstances of their loss, there are corresponding programs available for download or purchase.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Tips for Failed Hard Drive Data Recovery
One thing that manufacturers of hard drives do not tell us when we buy our brand new computers, is that hard drives are subject to fail, regardless of the amount of time they are used. With some systems it may take more than 10 years before the hard drive failure occurs, while others can fail within just a year of normal use. Because of this, failed hard drive data recovery is an important issue that needs some thought.
Basically, there are two main types of hard drive failure. The first is those hard drives that fail due to a software problem, and the second failed hard drive category applies in the case of a physical malfunction with the hard drive.
Referring to the first category, the failed hard drive data recovery is usually considered when the data on the drive gets corrupted due to something like a corrupted partition table, damaged boot record, or missing root directory information. A lot of experts feel that the hard drive failure due to software is generally easier to recover with the use of easily available failed hard drive data recovery software.
It involves a much more complicated process when you need to recover data from a failed hard drive that has physically malfunctioned. This is because when the failed hard drive has been physically damaged in some way, then any additional access to the hard drive may cause further corruption to the data stored on the drive. It is harder for the failed hard drive data recovery process to obtain the key files and stored information back from the hard drive. Most of the failed hard drive data recovery services that you will see advertised are offered for this category of failed hard drive data recovery.
If you are unlucky enough to need a failed hard drive data recovery, bear in mind that a greater level of caution is needed so that your data recovery is successful. When you are considering using any of the failed hard drive data recovery software you need to be aware that there will be a risk of further data loss as the software gets to work on the hard drive. One of the best ways to avoid an additional damage is to create an image of the drive using an imaging tool.
If as an example, your failed hard drive happens to be the drive which contains the operating system, the best failed hard drive data recovery step you can take is not to boot the drive at all if this is possible. According to the experts this is reasonably simple for a desktop system - all you need to do is to disconnect the boot drive and replace it with a new drive. For this to be totally successful you need to ensure that you have a drive with a large enough capacity to hold the image of the current drive.
You will then be able to install an operating system on the new drive. This basic failed hard drive data recovery step is accomplished by just reconnecting the old drive as a slave unit or by placing it in an external case and then connecting to it through USB or FireWire. However, for your failed hard drive data recovery to work best, it is important to disconnect the current boot partition, because trying to install the Operating System on the new drive will just result in temporary files being written to the old drive.
Basically, there are two main types of hard drive failure. The first is those hard drives that fail due to a software problem, and the second failed hard drive category applies in the case of a physical malfunction with the hard drive.
Referring to the first category, the failed hard drive data recovery is usually considered when the data on the drive gets corrupted due to something like a corrupted partition table, damaged boot record, or missing root directory information. A lot of experts feel that the hard drive failure due to software is generally easier to recover with the use of easily available failed hard drive data recovery software.
It involves a much more complicated process when you need to recover data from a failed hard drive that has physically malfunctioned. This is because when the failed hard drive has been physically damaged in some way, then any additional access to the hard drive may cause further corruption to the data stored on the drive. It is harder for the failed hard drive data recovery process to obtain the key files and stored information back from the hard drive. Most of the failed hard drive data recovery services that you will see advertised are offered for this category of failed hard drive data recovery.
If you are unlucky enough to need a failed hard drive data recovery, bear in mind that a greater level of caution is needed so that your data recovery is successful. When you are considering using any of the failed hard drive data recovery software you need to be aware that there will be a risk of further data loss as the software gets to work on the hard drive. One of the best ways to avoid an additional damage is to create an image of the drive using an imaging tool.
If as an example, your failed hard drive happens to be the drive which contains the operating system, the best failed hard drive data recovery step you can take is not to boot the drive at all if this is possible. According to the experts this is reasonably simple for a desktop system - all you need to do is to disconnect the boot drive and replace it with a new drive. For this to be totally successful you need to ensure that you have a drive with a large enough capacity to hold the image of the current drive.
You will then be able to install an operating system on the new drive. This basic failed hard drive data recovery step is accomplished by just reconnecting the old drive as a slave unit or by placing it in an external case and then connecting to it through USB or FireWire. However, for your failed hard drive data recovery to work best, it is important to disconnect the current boot partition, because trying to install the Operating System on the new drive will just result in temporary files being written to the old drive.
Data Storage
In this day and age of corporate espionage, you need to store your data not only efficiently, but also securely. You need to be able to effectively store and backup your data in order to keep your business alive.
Many data storage firms now offer the necessary infrastructure, comprehensive security, working scalability and far-reaching management services to give you the highest level of data protection. But how do you know which of them can answer your specific needs? Read on to find out.
What to look for in a date storage firm
Not all data storage firms are created equal. More often than not, some give you more value-added services and more effective, data storage implementation. Here are some characteristics of good data storage providers.
Good reputation and history. Look for a data storage company that has done a lot of work for a wide array of data storage areas, such as business record keeping, providing back up and security for healthcare records, archiving of film and sound files, backup vaulting, disaster recovery services and continuity consulting. Older companies are not necessarily better than new ones. Don’t make the mistake of deciding just based on numbers. Do your research and find out from other clients which firms implement the best practices.
Extensive networks. The best data storage companies have an international network of offsite data storage vaults in highly-secure environments. This way, your data is backed up in several sites. The sign of a true, full-service data storage provider is linking. They should have a very sound and structured network of databases that are secure and accessible.
Quick recovery. The essence of effective data storage is not so much record ‘keeping,’ but record ‘recovery.’ The firm must give you back your data quickly and accurately the moment you need it. Look for a data storage firm that can perform rapid recovery when urgent situations and disasters strike.
Security and peripheral services. A data storage company should not stop at filing your records away. They should be able to perform routine and preventive data security measures such as vaulting your backup data for remote offices, defending your backup data from error or sabotage and analyzing and executing disaster recovery plans to keep your business alive.
Many data storage firms now offer the necessary infrastructure, comprehensive security, working scalability and far-reaching management services to give you the highest level of data protection. But how do you know which of them can answer your specific needs? Read on to find out.
What to look for in a date storage firm
Not all data storage firms are created equal. More often than not, some give you more value-added services and more effective, data storage implementation. Here are some characteristics of good data storage providers.
Good reputation and history. Look for a data storage company that has done a lot of work for a wide array of data storage areas, such as business record keeping, providing back up and security for healthcare records, archiving of film and sound files, backup vaulting, disaster recovery services and continuity consulting. Older companies are not necessarily better than new ones. Don’t make the mistake of deciding just based on numbers. Do your research and find out from other clients which firms implement the best practices.
Extensive networks. The best data storage companies have an international network of offsite data storage vaults in highly-secure environments. This way, your data is backed up in several sites. The sign of a true, full-service data storage provider is linking. They should have a very sound and structured network of databases that are secure and accessible.
Quick recovery. The essence of effective data storage is not so much record ‘keeping,’ but record ‘recovery.’ The firm must give you back your data quickly and accurately the moment you need it. Look for a data storage firm that can perform rapid recovery when urgent situations and disasters strike.
Security and peripheral services. A data storage company should not stop at filing your records away. They should be able to perform routine and preventive data security measures such as vaulting your backup data for remote offices, defending your backup data from error or sabotage and analyzing and executing disaster recovery plans to keep your business alive.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Server Data Recovery
That is the reason behind the birth of what is a familiar setup today - the LAN and WAN - networks of computers that are interconnected. This ensures that data within the group is secure, better managed, have optimum space usage and ease of sharing. One need not go to an overseas office physically to look at the computer there, the interconnected network allows access to all those who belong to that network.
What are Servers?
But how are these networks managed? There would be chaos if hundreds of computers had to be connected physically through wires, and the cables would not cross over oceans anyway. That is why we have servers - systems whose job is to manage a network of computers. Servers may be doing all types of activities, or they may be dedicated to only one kind of job. A file server, for example, stores files containing data belonging to a particular network. Microsoft's Exchange Server is dedicated, for example, to handling only business mails and other means of business communication such as official IM accounts. Multiprocessor servers handle several tasks at the same time, keeping the internet connected, storing data, managing mailboxes etc. These are complicated programmes rather than one computer, and have much the same function on a massive scale as our humble OS on any home pc.
Uses of Servers
Servers were created to manage data better and make it faster and safer for all users. All of us deal with servers in some format or the other. Some of the most common utilities provided by servers are:
· Providing access to the internet. Most of us use a server provided by a company that manages the web connectivity, availability and services for us. This makes it cheap and easy for us to stay connected through the net.
· Managing official communication. Almost all offices run on a LAN server now, connecting all the computers and managing them centrally. This makes the office infrastructure cheaper, simpler, safer and better managed.
· Allowing remote access. As illustrated in the example above, one need not travel to Germany to look at the computer there; one can access it right here in the UK through a server that connects both systems.
· Everyday services such as ATMs and travel bookings as provided by the respective companies are all dependent on servers for the services rendered.
· Entertainment has made its foray in the area of servers too, with movies being distributed remotely over a common server now.
Types of Servers
The list given above is only the tip of an iceberg. Servers are of many kinds, and new ones are being created or customised to meet client demands everyday. Some of the types of servers that are very familiar to us are listed below:
· Chat Servers: All of us are using net chat rooms, instant messengers and all kinds of live forum activities. These are all thanks due to servers.
· Fax Servers: Again, a common feature of most offices, and a blessed relief from extremely high telephone bills but, nevertheless, a source of obtaining document hard copies.
· FTP Servers: One of the oldest formats around, these ensure secure file transfers between interconnected systems.
· Group Servers: Be it the internet or the office intranet, linking several computers in a virtual space is done by these servers.
Hard Disks in Servers
Hard disks are household goods now, and the definition of disks inside servers has been affected by this changed scenario. A 60GB disk can also act as a server now. But the most usual format is the RAID - an array of disks - that is discussed below.
What is RAID?
RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, and is self-explanatory. It is literally a 'stack' of two or more disks with a specialised disk manager to run it. RAIDs are rated on a scale of 1 to 10 to measure efficiency and utility. Besides, there are also RAID 53 and RAID 0+1 that are very powerful arrays.
Data Loss from Server Drives
Data loss from servers can happen through natural disasters, virus and hacker attacks, logical failures, disk crashes, electrocution and human errors or mishandling.
Solutions for RAID Data Loss
RAID data loss can be attended to by only the best data recovery professionals. Any company that has experienced a RAID data loss (or is on the brink of one) must immediately contact an established data recovery company.
What are Servers?
But how are these networks managed? There would be chaos if hundreds of computers had to be connected physically through wires, and the cables would not cross over oceans anyway. That is why we have servers - systems whose job is to manage a network of computers. Servers may be doing all types of activities, or they may be dedicated to only one kind of job. A file server, for example, stores files containing data belonging to a particular network. Microsoft's Exchange Server is dedicated, for example, to handling only business mails and other means of business communication such as official IM accounts. Multiprocessor servers handle several tasks at the same time, keeping the internet connected, storing data, managing mailboxes etc. These are complicated programmes rather than one computer, and have much the same function on a massive scale as our humble OS on any home pc.
Uses of Servers
Servers were created to manage data better and make it faster and safer for all users. All of us deal with servers in some format or the other. Some of the most common utilities provided by servers are:
· Providing access to the internet. Most of us use a server provided by a company that manages the web connectivity, availability and services for us. This makes it cheap and easy for us to stay connected through the net.
· Managing official communication. Almost all offices run on a LAN server now, connecting all the computers and managing them centrally. This makes the office infrastructure cheaper, simpler, safer and better managed.
· Allowing remote access. As illustrated in the example above, one need not travel to Germany to look at the computer there; one can access it right here in the UK through a server that connects both systems.
· Everyday services such as ATMs and travel bookings as provided by the respective companies are all dependent on servers for the services rendered.
· Entertainment has made its foray in the area of servers too, with movies being distributed remotely over a common server now.
Types of Servers
The list given above is only the tip of an iceberg. Servers are of many kinds, and new ones are being created or customised to meet client demands everyday. Some of the types of servers that are very familiar to us are listed below:
· Chat Servers: All of us are using net chat rooms, instant messengers and all kinds of live forum activities. These are all thanks due to servers.
· Fax Servers: Again, a common feature of most offices, and a blessed relief from extremely high telephone bills but, nevertheless, a source of obtaining document hard copies.
· FTP Servers: One of the oldest formats around, these ensure secure file transfers between interconnected systems.
· Group Servers: Be it the internet or the office intranet, linking several computers in a virtual space is done by these servers.
Hard Disks in Servers
Hard disks are household goods now, and the definition of disks inside servers has been affected by this changed scenario. A 60GB disk can also act as a server now. But the most usual format is the RAID - an array of disks - that is discussed below.
What is RAID?
RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, and is self-explanatory. It is literally a 'stack' of two or more disks with a specialised disk manager to run it. RAIDs are rated on a scale of 1 to 10 to measure efficiency and utility. Besides, there are also RAID 53 and RAID 0+1 that are very powerful arrays.
Data Loss from Server Drives
Data loss from servers can happen through natural disasters, virus and hacker attacks, logical failures, disk crashes, electrocution and human errors or mishandling.
Solutions for RAID Data Loss
RAID data loss can be attended to by only the best data recovery professionals. Any company that has experienced a RAID data loss (or is on the brink of one) must immediately contact an established data recovery company.
Data Protection Guide
Protecting Your Valuable Data
1. Set up your computer in a safe environment. Your computer should be in a dry, cool, controlled environment that is clean and dust-free. Placing your computer in a low-traffic area will protect your system and storage media from harmful jarring or bumping.
2. Backup your data regularly. Creating regular backups is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from losing data. Back up data at least once a week with reliable tapes or other storage devices, always verifying that the correct data is backed up.
3. Use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). In the event of a surge of electricity or lightning strike, an uninterruptible power supply protects your computer from being fried. In addition, a UPS has a battery backup that keeps your computer running for a short time in the event of a power outage, giving you time to save your work and avoid potential data loss. If UPS is not an available or economical solution, a surge protector is also a good investment.
4. Run a virus scan regularly and update it four times a year. Computer viruses are one of the worst enemies to your computer. Good anti-virus software tests your system for sequences of code unique to each known computer virus and eliminates the infecting invader.
5. Be aware of strange noises. If you hear a strange noise or grinding sound, turn off your computer immediately and call an expert. Further operation may damage your hard drive beyond repair.
6. If you do experience a data loss, Ontrack Data Recovery can help. Even the best maintenance program cannot always prevent system crashes or data loss. Ontrack Data Recovery offers a wide array of data recovery solutions, ranging from in-lab data recovery services and remote data recovery services to cost-effective do-it-yourself data recovery software. Please visit our Data Recovery Service Center to learn more about these solutions, and to find out which is best for your particular situation.
Caring for Your Hard Disk Drive
Despite the obvious importance of this equipment to your system, many users neglect to care for their hard disk drive. Your drive is easily susceptible to many sources of damage. Ontrack offers the following tips to protect and care for your hard drive:
1. Protect your drive from excessive jarring and bumping. All too often, when people install, move or reconfigure hard disk drives, they knock the drive around unintentionally, damaging equipment that can result in the loss of data.
2. Beware of static. Static electricity, an unseen and unfelt enemy, can wreak havoc on the wiring inside computer chips and transistors. Because it's so easy to discharge built-up static when you touch a hard disk drive, precautions like wrist straps can help prevent static discharge.
3. Acclimatize the room in which you store your equipment. Be careful of temperature, humidity, altitude and vibration, all forces that could lead to the intermittent or total failure of hard drives.
4. Perform periodic checks of your hard disk drive. Ontrack Data AdvisorTMsoftware can run tests of your system, warning you of impending problems.
5. Place your hardware in a safe location. When you move your computer to a new position (from your desk to the floor, or from a horizontal to a vertical position), you should always backup the hard disk drive. An accidental bump to the drive could cause the heads to track differently, resulting in disk read or write errors.
Caring for Your Tapes
Tapes are delicate storage media, but like the hard drive, people often fail to give their tapes adequate attention and protection.
1. Keep your tapes boxed until you need to use them. Opening tape boxes prematurely will unnecessarily increase a new tape's exposure to dust, moisture and sunlight, and could eventually erode a tape's quality and dependability.
2. Do not attempt to load a tape into the drive if you notice dents, cracks or moisture in the tape's cases, hinged doors or file-protect selectors. Loading a damaged tape could not only lead to further tape damage, but compromise the integrity of your system.
3. Store your tapes in proper fashion. It's important to store your tapes in their original cases, and standing upright. This helps prevent uneven winding of the tape and protects them from potentially damaging environmental elements.
4. Beware of temperature extremes. Store your tapes at room temperature. Excessive heat can cause the plastic used in tapes to constrict, causing instant destruction and unpredictable read/write errors in your tapes.
5. Avoid magnetic fields. Speakers, microwave ovens and printer heads can destroy your tapes and erase all information stored on them.
Tips for Successful Data Recovery
No matter how hard you try to protect your data, your system may still fall victim to data loss. Regardless of the cause of your data loss, there are steps you can take to keep your data loss from becoming a data disaster.
1. Don't panic. You should never assume your lost data is unrecoverable. Simply call a qualified data recovery expert or visit the Ontrack Data Recovery Service Center. In most cases, your data is fully recoverable.
2. Do not use file recovery software if you suspect an electrical or mechanical failure. Using file recovery software on a faulty hard drive may destroy what was otherwise recoverable data.
3. "Undelete" tools can save your data from human error. Most disk utility packages contain a function that allows you to retrieve an erased file. This tool must be used immediately; however, because your computer will quickly write new data over the deleted file. For users of Windows 95 and Windows NT (v4.0) deleted files are stored in the recycle bin and can be restored as long as you haven't emptied the recycle bin. For more information see your Windows documentation or help file.
4. Do not clean or operate equipment damaged by a natural disaster. Whether it's a flash flood or a twisting tornado, if you've fallen victim to a natural disaster, there is only one option. Call Ontrack immediately. Your chances for a successful recovery are greatly reduced if you make any attempts yourself to clean or dry your damaged computer.
5. If your data falls victim to computer crime, seek professional advice. Computer crime is a growing threat to data. Intentional data deletion, duplication and theft increasingly threaten valuable computer information. If you need to uncover criminal computer activity or need electronic evidence to make your case, contact Kroll Ontrack immediately. Ontrack Electronic Information Management specialize in computer theft diagnosis and electronic evidence gathering.
6. Create and maintain reliable backups. It's surprising how few people actually backup their systems regularly, and verify that backups are complete and error free.
7. If you have suffered data loss, seek professional help. Professional data recovery services offer the expertise and tools required to recover your data quickly and efficiently.
1. Set up your computer in a safe environment. Your computer should be in a dry, cool, controlled environment that is clean and dust-free. Placing your computer in a low-traffic area will protect your system and storage media from harmful jarring or bumping.
2. Backup your data regularly. Creating regular backups is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from losing data. Back up data at least once a week with reliable tapes or other storage devices, always verifying that the correct data is backed up.
3. Use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). In the event of a surge of electricity or lightning strike, an uninterruptible power supply protects your computer from being fried. In addition, a UPS has a battery backup that keeps your computer running for a short time in the event of a power outage, giving you time to save your work and avoid potential data loss. If UPS is not an available or economical solution, a surge protector is also a good investment.
4. Run a virus scan regularly and update it four times a year. Computer viruses are one of the worst enemies to your computer. Good anti-virus software tests your system for sequences of code unique to each known computer virus and eliminates the infecting invader.
5. Be aware of strange noises. If you hear a strange noise or grinding sound, turn off your computer immediately and call an expert. Further operation may damage your hard drive beyond repair.
6. If you do experience a data loss, Ontrack Data Recovery can help. Even the best maintenance program cannot always prevent system crashes or data loss. Ontrack Data Recovery offers a wide array of data recovery solutions, ranging from in-lab data recovery services and remote data recovery services to cost-effective do-it-yourself data recovery software. Please visit our Data Recovery Service Center to learn more about these solutions, and to find out which is best for your particular situation.
Caring for Your Hard Disk Drive
Despite the obvious importance of this equipment to your system, many users neglect to care for their hard disk drive. Your drive is easily susceptible to many sources of damage. Ontrack offers the following tips to protect and care for your hard drive:
1. Protect your drive from excessive jarring and bumping. All too often, when people install, move or reconfigure hard disk drives, they knock the drive around unintentionally, damaging equipment that can result in the loss of data.
2. Beware of static. Static electricity, an unseen and unfelt enemy, can wreak havoc on the wiring inside computer chips and transistors. Because it's so easy to discharge built-up static when you touch a hard disk drive, precautions like wrist straps can help prevent static discharge.
3. Acclimatize the room in which you store your equipment. Be careful of temperature, humidity, altitude and vibration, all forces that could lead to the intermittent or total failure of hard drives.
4. Perform periodic checks of your hard disk drive. Ontrack Data AdvisorTMsoftware can run tests of your system, warning you of impending problems.
5. Place your hardware in a safe location. When you move your computer to a new position (from your desk to the floor, or from a horizontal to a vertical position), you should always backup the hard disk drive. An accidental bump to the drive could cause the heads to track differently, resulting in disk read or write errors.
Caring for Your Tapes
Tapes are delicate storage media, but like the hard drive, people often fail to give their tapes adequate attention and protection.
1. Keep your tapes boxed until you need to use them. Opening tape boxes prematurely will unnecessarily increase a new tape's exposure to dust, moisture and sunlight, and could eventually erode a tape's quality and dependability.
2. Do not attempt to load a tape into the drive if you notice dents, cracks or moisture in the tape's cases, hinged doors or file-protect selectors. Loading a damaged tape could not only lead to further tape damage, but compromise the integrity of your system.
3. Store your tapes in proper fashion. It's important to store your tapes in their original cases, and standing upright. This helps prevent uneven winding of the tape and protects them from potentially damaging environmental elements.
4. Beware of temperature extremes. Store your tapes at room temperature. Excessive heat can cause the plastic used in tapes to constrict, causing instant destruction and unpredictable read/write errors in your tapes.
5. Avoid magnetic fields. Speakers, microwave ovens and printer heads can destroy your tapes and erase all information stored on them.
Tips for Successful Data Recovery
No matter how hard you try to protect your data, your system may still fall victim to data loss. Regardless of the cause of your data loss, there are steps you can take to keep your data loss from becoming a data disaster.
1. Don't panic. You should never assume your lost data is unrecoverable. Simply call a qualified data recovery expert or visit the Ontrack Data Recovery Service Center. In most cases, your data is fully recoverable.
2. Do not use file recovery software if you suspect an electrical or mechanical failure. Using file recovery software on a faulty hard drive may destroy what was otherwise recoverable data.
3. "Undelete" tools can save your data from human error. Most disk utility packages contain a function that allows you to retrieve an erased file. This tool must be used immediately; however, because your computer will quickly write new data over the deleted file. For users of Windows 95 and Windows NT (v4.0) deleted files are stored in the recycle bin and can be restored as long as you haven't emptied the recycle bin. For more information see your Windows documentation or help file.
4. Do not clean or operate equipment damaged by a natural disaster. Whether it's a flash flood or a twisting tornado, if you've fallen victim to a natural disaster, there is only one option. Call Ontrack immediately. Your chances for a successful recovery are greatly reduced if you make any attempts yourself to clean or dry your damaged computer.
5. If your data falls victim to computer crime, seek professional advice. Computer crime is a growing threat to data. Intentional data deletion, duplication and theft increasingly threaten valuable computer information. If you need to uncover criminal computer activity or need electronic evidence to make your case, contact Kroll Ontrack immediately. Ontrack Electronic Information Management specialize in computer theft diagnosis and electronic evidence gathering.
6. Create and maintain reliable backups. It's surprising how few people actually backup their systems regularly, and verify that backups are complete and error free.
7. If you have suffered data loss, seek professional help. Professional data recovery services offer the expertise and tools required to recover your data quickly and efficiently.
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