Keep PC Safe

Data recovery software can be used to correct errors in hard drives that result in data loss.

There are many brands of data recovery software on the market today. Some are simple

shareware utilities, while others are full commercial products.

It should be noted that you should never attempt to use a data recovery program if you suspect

your drive is broken. If there are unusual noises coming from the drive, you will want to take it

to a professional to attempt data recovery. The more you use a malfunctioning drive, the more

damage you can do to it.

Data recovery software typically uses two main techniques to repair errors to file systems that

cause files to be inaccessible. The first is known as consistency checking. Here the program

will scan the logical structure of the file system for missing or unexpected results. Examples of

utilities that follow this reasoning are the Linux fsck and the Microsoft equivalent chkdsk and

scandisk. Fsck refers to file system consistency check, and generally runs when the system is

booting up in order to detect errors caused by an incorrect shutdown. Consistency checking

does not work if the file system is too badly damaged.

In the case of severe file system damage, another type of data recovery software can be used.

These programs ignore the file system structure and attempt to read whatever data they can

from the drive. The program then attempts to recreate files using a set of preprogrammed

rules. This type of data recovery does not attempt to repair the file system. Instead, it tries to

recover any files that it can, and then save them to a functioning drive. The damaged drive can

then be either reformatted or replaced, depending on the cause of the damage. This technique

is noticeably slower than consistency checking, can recover data even when the logical

structures are badly damaged.

If your boot drive has crashed, you may be unable to start up your operating system in order to

run your data recovery software. In this case you have a couple of options. You can try booting

up your computer from a CD-ROM, you can purchase a new hard drive and install your

operating system on it, or you can remove the hard drive and install it in a different, functioning

computer. All three options have their advantages and disadvantages.

One thing to consider when selecting data recovery software is whether is has an undo option.

You should never perform data recovery on a drive without the ability to undo any changes you

are making. If you are unable to retrieve the missing data with this software, you want the ability

to try again with another program or to use a professional data recovery service. By following

these tips hopefully you will be able to safely recover your missing files, and hopefully next time

you will have backed up all your essential data.