Deleted files, corrupted disks and RAW partitions can send you into a tech-driven anxiety spiral. In these emergency situations, it’s easy to jump on any possible solution that will fix your problem. Before you do anything, you need to understand what the single most important part of data recovery is — and it’s probably not what you think.
Let’s dive into the answer to that question and more; read on!
Start With the Least Invasive Approach
Whether you need to recover files from an external hard drive or an SD card, always start with the least invasive strategy. Even the most talented forensic data recovery specialists will take this approach. The fact is, mistakes lead to permanent damage. To understand why, let’s take a quick look at how data recovery works.
Your computer divides data into two parts:
- Metadata — The location information (folder name, drive letter name, subfolders, etc.)
- File contents — The actual file, without all the location information — known as RAW data.
With most lost files, the file contents still exist, but the metadata is missing. Data recovery finds these RAW files and matches them to metadata. Once you delete or remove the file contents, that information is gone forever.
Taking the least invasive approach first gives you the best chance of recovering your deleted files. Once you exhaust those strategies, then you can take more drastic measures like soldering or other physical attempts to gain access to that stubborn drive. Keep in mind, the riskier the approach, the higher chance that you’ll do some permanent damage that could lead to a complete loss of data.
This is the most consequential thing you can do to help the data recovery process. So, tread lightly, and you’ll increase the chances that you can save those lost files.
Data Recovery Software vs. Data Recovery Specialists
You can find lots of different data recovery software options online that are both free and paid. So many that it can be its own challenge finding quality software that isn’t a scam.
If you want peace of mind, your best bet is to enlist the help of professional data recovery services. Not only will they utilize the best software and hardware solutions, but they’ve got the experience needed to tackle the job properly.
Always Backup Your Data
Hard drive recovery can be a pain. Whether you need to fix bad sectors or just deal with partition recovery, it can take time and money to undelete those files. While the best approach to data recovery is to be careful, you can avoid the situation altogether with a proper data backup plan.
In 2020, 0.93% of all drives failed. Data loss is avoidable, but only if you back up your files. Whether you utilize cloud storage or a local hard drive backup, when deleted data becomes an issue, you can take a sigh of relief knowing you’ve got all your data stored away for a rainy day. With a proper backup plan, recovering those lost files is as easy as accessing the backup drive — no extra help or additional software needed.
Types of Data Backups
When it comes to data backups, three main types exist:
- Full backup — This is a clone of all data, including files, folders, hard drives and more.
- Differential backup — Between full backups, you’ll need differential backups to catch any changes made after the initial backup, including duplicate files.
- Incremental backups — Similar to a differential backup, an incremental backup will only store changes made to files and not duplicate files.
In most cases, you’ll want to employ full backups and either differential or incremental backups in your strategy.
Cloud Storage vs. Hard Drive Backups
When it comes to where you store your backup files, you’ve got a few choices. Local backups can be more reliable but often cost more and require the physical space for storage. In contrast, cloud backup storage offers an easy and accessible way to store data without the need for a physical backup.
Cloud storage, though, is not without its problems. While utilizing the cloud has become one of the more popular choices for small and large businesses, 98% of companies experienced a cloud data breach in 2020. Data breaches have become quite common, rising exponentially in the past few years.
So, while cloud storage offers companies a broader range of benefits from affordability to scalability, cybersecurity risks present a new challenge for organizations looking for a rock-solid data disaster recovery plan.
Finding Professional Data Recovery
Are you looking for high-quality data recovery services? The team at Gadget Genie has the experienced data recovery specialists you need to tackle any data loss situation and get your deleted data back as fast as possible.
Just make sure you remember what the single most important part of data recovery is, and you should be on track to recovering those lost files with the right help. Get in touch with us today to get started.
