Hard Drive Recovery Associates: How to Fix a Corrupted Hard Drive

Irvine, CA based Hard Drive Recovery Associates recently published a blog post explaining how a corrupted hard drive may be repaired. The hard drive is one of the most important parts of any computer, and data corruption here often means the total loss of very important data. Additionally, the computer may cease to function completely.

“The computer needs the hard drive in order to store and retrieve data needed by its user,” the post says. “It is a non-volatile memory hardware that also goes by the name HD, HDD or hard disk drive. These devices are set up so that they work even when the computer is off. It is comprised of one or several platters within an air-sealed casing where you write data through a magnetic head. A data cable connects the hard drive to the computer and a separate power cable leading to the power supply. Hard drives contain all sorts of created or downloaded files as well as support software programs and the operating system used. Because these hard drives are mechanical devices, their parts can wear out after a while, which can cause catastrophic hard drive crash issues.”

The movable parts contained within hard drives are susceptible to hard drive failure. Overexposure to static electricity as data is written on spinning platters is one very common cause of hard drive corruption. Most people store a lot of very important documents, files and programs on their hard drives, yet neglect to create backups. This means if their hard drive becomes corrupt, much of the data it holds will be lost forever. The disk may still be visible but becomes completely inaccessible once it is corrupted. There are ways to recover data from a damaged hard disk, however, and the post talks about the many ways in which seemingly lost data can be retrieved.

Data recovery software is one of the best and most commonly used methods of data retrieval and can be used to extract photos, music, videos and other files. Before making use of data recovery software, the company acknowledges that there are a number of other ways in which a user can fix a damaged hard drive. Often, the problem is very small, and it is not necessary to take drastic steps like using data recovery software.

Checking the power supply, for instance, is one of the first steps a user could take. In the case of an external hard drive, it is possible that the storage media is taking the power from the USB port itself.

Data recovery software is just one of the ways in which data can be retrieved. Sometimes, it is necessary to contact a data recovery professional instead. “In some cases, the damage is not that severe, and data recovery software can successfully find fragmented parts of the file on other sectors of the disk and rebuild it,” the post says, “Be warned, though, as DIY data recovery is always a risky business. Using data recovery software (as well as trying other DIY methods) can be hazardous when used incorrectly. As a rule, these tools shouldn’t be used on the original drive — instead, they should be used with an image or copy of the drive. By doing so, there is still a chance for data recovery experts to forge a successful recovery if DIY attempts fail. What’s more, it prevents more damage to the drive and eliminates the chance of destroying the files for good. Files recovered by software tools should also not be written back to the original volume until they have been fully tested and verified.”

Losing precious data can be devastating, but there is usually a way to get most if not all of it back. A hard drive recovery specialist can almost always find a way to rebuild corrupted files, retrieve lost data and sometimes even repair the hard drive in order to make it usable again. Using highly specialized tools and years of experience, specialists like the team at Hard Recovery Associates have and continue to help people get back data they might otherwise have never seen again. Read more about the company on their website.