Tag: Recovery

RAID Recovery For RAID 5

In RAID 5, three or more disks are arranged in an array. All the disks share the storage of data. Since RAID consists of disks, it is possible that one or more of these disks can become inaccessible or go corrupt. As a result, the data storage capability is affected. This is where RAID 5 recovery is useful. By repairing the damaged disk(s) the array can be restored and data can be recovered and again be stored.

RAID 5 is one of the most popular RAID arrays because of data striping and parity as well as economy. Many companies today use RAID 5 for storing their data. Even if one sector in a single disk becomes corrupt, it affects the entire array. To repair the disk and to recover the data, RAID 5 data recovery is a must.

RAID recovery for RAID 5 can be quite a task at times. The data parity is distributed across different RAID 5 drives. It also happens that parity stripes are generated using different RAID 5 cards and algorithms generated by software programs. In RAID 5, the parity blocks are created by spreading across blocks of data that are different in size. Due to all these reasons, data recovery on RAID 5 is a specialized job. It includes the identification of the stripe size as well as the offset.

RAID 5 is considered fault tolerant because it can survive the failure of a single disk. The faulty disk can be hot swapped and the data therein can be rebuilt by using the parity information. However, sometimes the RAID 5 adaptor fails and it is then not possible to migrate the array to another adapter. The result is that you now have all your data spread across the different disks that make up the RAID 5 array but they cannot be accessed. A RAID 5 data recovery software program comes handy in this situation.

With RAID 5 recovery software you can add disks that were part of the original RAID 5 array and then configure the stripe size. When your RAID 5 recovery software creates the virtual array you can then recover the data. The software creates a virtual file system from which you can recover the data. Another option is to copy the virtual array to a new disk that can then be used for data recovery using some or the other data recovery software.

It is true that RAID 5 recovery is not the simplest task but with the right software in place, it is possible. You need to consult an IT service provider and they can either recommend a software or get the job done themselves. You benefit from having your lost data recovered.

For more information about raid 5 recovery or server recovery solutions visit RaidRecoveryOnline.com

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Hard Drive Recovery Equipment

Today the world revolves around the computer. From homes and offices to schools, airports and hospitals, computers have become an integral and indispensable part of our daily lives.

One of the foremost uses of computers is data storage. Data stored on the computer resides on a physical memory disk known as the hard drive that is a layer of magnetic disks. As people become increasingly dependant on computers, the risk of data loss also surfaces.

Hard drive crashes are a common occurrence. They are classified into two categories — logical and physical. While the logical aspect deals with failure of the file system and software, the physical aspect is related to some sort of electrical or shock damage to the disk. However, modern technology allows us to recover up to 80% of the lost data, thereby allaying some of the fear related to hard drive recovery.

Hard drive recovery, whether physical or logical, is a complex process and requires expert help in most cases. Special equipment and tools are necessary to carry out this process successfully. A functional computer with the necessary software is the primary equipment required for any hard drive recovery process. Data backup devices such as CD recorders, external hard drives and CD and DVD media are also used while recovering data from a damaged hard drive.

If the hard drive has suffered physical failure, proper electronic knowledge and equipment is a must. A soldering iron might prove useful when working on a damaged circuit board. Advanced tools such as magnetometers may also be used to physically extract lost bits from the magnetic media. These bits are used to rebuild a disk image.

In addition to the hands-on equipment required, certain other precautions must be taken. The hard drive, when removed, should be wrapped in anti-static material. The drive should be well cushioned to prevent further damage. Finally, the recovery process should take place in a ?Class 100 Clean Room? to avoid any contamination by dust.

Hard Drive Recovery provides detailed information on Hard Drive Recovery, Hard Drive Recovery Experts, Hard Drive Recovery Software, Hard Drive Data Recovery Services and more. Hard Drive Recovery is affiliated with Hard Drive Data Recovery [http://www.e-HardDrives.com].

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Raid Data Recovery Explained

Raid data recovery is somehow different from all other types of data recovery. Most experts advise not to try to recover the data yourself before sending in the hard drives to a data recovery company. This is because most companies found that most of the times simple users try to recover the files all by themselves, they fail and not only. Their actions will make the recovery process even harder and if the lost information is important, someone will be in big trouble. If it’s about raid data recovery better handle it quick to the professionals without touching anything.

You don’t have to take chances with the recovery, it’s advised to research for a data recovery company that can handle the recovery process for you. Sometimes, it can be expensive for a raid data recovery but usually the price you will have to pay for the recovery is way lower then the price you will have to pay in time and resources to have all your data recreated.

There are procedures that data recovery companies always follow when they have a recovery on the line. These procedures are followed exactly and even expand when it comes to raid data recovery. As a first step in any raid data recovery, experts have to make sure that all drives are working. For Raid 0 as an example, it is a must for all the drives to be 100% functional. When they are not functional, the drives will be taken in the clean room and will be repaired.

When all the drives will function normally, clones of all the drives will be made. During this process, your drive will be placed in a write protect mode to make sure the data will not be altered in any way. The normal recovery process will be performed on the cloned drives, again, for increased safety.

When researching for a data recovery company you will notice some of them will offer a service full guarantee, if they don’t get your data back, you don’t pay. A phone consultation is something that could help you also. They will also offer you absolute 100% confidentiality on your data.

Even if raid data recovery sometimes can become expensive, most companies will not charge you for an evaluation of a complex raid system. If you need the help of the experts, get it, it’s the best way. After getting all your data back, make sure to always backup your information from now on.

RAID Data Recovery and server recovery specialists for RAID 1 Data Recovery and RAID 5 Data Recovery .

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RAID Data Recovery – How It Works

RAID data recovery is probably one of the most complex processes any data recovery firm can perform. More often than not, the problems are compounded by the actions of the client prior to sending the drives in for recovery. Many users feel that it is important to try and recover the data themselves or repair the array through various system utilities, and this may be fine if the data is not critical. However, it has been our experience that when you have a RAID failure that has resulted in substantial data loss, more often than not, somebody’s job is on the line if that data is not recovered. The biggest piece of advise this article can provide in the event of a RAID failure: LEAVE IT ALONE.

IT professionals have a lot of pressure placed on them when a catastrophic system failure occurs. It is their job to make sure that all systems are up and running. Many times, out of panic, troubleshooting processes are initiated in order to correct the problem. Often times these processes only make a bad situation even worse, and in many instances they can render the data unrecoverable. Let’s keep in mind what this data can consist of in an average corporate environment. You are probably dealing with information that cost many hundreds of thousands of dollars in labor and resources to create. Much of the data probably can’t be duplicated. The intellectual value alone could be in the many millions of dollars. Corporate executives really don’t care to hear about how the failure occurred, or what unbelievable string of events led up to the server crashing. They don’t care to hear the technical jargon as you try to explain to them what happened, and hope they understand that it wasn’t your fault. They only want to know one thing…”why was this data not backed up, and how can we get it back?”

Instead of taking chances on your own, call a data recovery professional. RAID data recovery can be expensive, but in most cases it is much less costly than trying to recreate the data that has been lost. There is a set procedure that most data recovery professionals follow when it comes to performing any recovery work. These procedures are followed and expanded upon when dealing with a RAID recovery. The first step of any RAID recovery is to make sure all of the drives are functional. In order to properly complete the recovery it is essential that all drives are fully functional (this is especially true with a RAID 0). This may involve taking any physically damaged drives into the clean room, in order to make the necessary repairs so that they function normally again. Once that is completed the next step is to make complete, sector-by-sector clones of every drive. This is not “Ghosting”, but a very low-level process that allows the recovery technician to work around bad sectors, and have complete control over how the drive functions. During the cloning process, the original source drive that you sent in, is generally put in a “write protect” mode so that no data can be written to the drive. This insures that the original source data is not altered in any way.

Once the cloning process is complete, the original drives you sent in are set off to the side and are no longer touched. The actual recovery process is performed on the cloned copies, so nothing that is done during recovery can make the situation worse. After the drives are cloned, they will be loaded into an emmulator and destriped. Destriping is like taking the scattered pieces of a puzzle and putting them together neatly. Simply stated, destriping is taking the data scattered among the multiple drives that make up array and placing it onto a single destination drive. From there we have a single drive in which we can complete what we would consider to be a “normal” recovery. We can complete this process even at the multi-terrabyte level. If the damage to the stripe is not too severe, in most cases a complete rebuild of the directory structure and all associated data can be completed.

As mentioned earlier, RAID data recovery can be expensive. Depending on the company you contact the prices can vary considerably. Typically a RAID recovery can be priced anywhere from $800 to $3,000 per drive. A number of factors influence the cost, such as RAID type, file system, total size, situation of failure, etc. Many times attempt fees and evaluation fees are charged if the data is unrecoverable. This is understandable due to the amount of time and resources required to perform a single RAID recovery. However, in most cases the costs involved in recovering the data are not even 1% of the data’s overall value. If you are reading this article and you haven’t suffered a RAID failure, what are you waiting for? Back up your data NOW.

Greg Duffield is the founder of ACS Data Recovery, a premier provider of hard drive data recovery services. You can reach them toll free at 1-877-646-0546 or on the web at http://www.acsdata.com.

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External Hard Drive Data Recovery

There are a number of ways to store data. You can store the files on hard drives, removable disks, DVDs or CDs, just to mention a few. However, contrary to the popular belief, no matter how these storage products might be, any electronic or mechanical device is subject to break down. No matter how new or old the device is, it can fail to function normally, and there’s nothing you can do to avoid it.

Given that fact, a hard drive failure is then very common and there are many non-failure related causes of lost data, including accidental file deletion, as well as fire and water damage. If for instance, you are using a normal method of retrieving data which only fails, an external hard drive data recovery is perhaps the process that may suit your data recovery needs.

In the simplest terms, external hard drive data recovery refers to the process of recovering data from external hard drives like USB or Firewire when the data is no longer accessible through normal means. In some case, the external hard drive data recovery can be a simple process, but the truth of the matter is, external hard drive data recovery may require exhaustive and detailed work just to recover the lost data. But, again, just like the normal methods, external hard drive data recovery involves the same general process for salvaging the inaccessible files.

Usually, what takes place before the actual external hard drive data recovery is the evaluation process. The external hard drive is then evaluated and the external hard drive data recovery experts will provide an initial determination of the extent of the damage, as well as the potential for external hard drive data recovery, and the work involved to save the data needed. Note, however, that some external hard drive data recovery companies today charge fees for the evaluation of the external hard drives. But there are some that offer the external hard drive data recovery evaluation process for free.

In addition to the evaluation, it is usual for every external hard drive data recovery company to conduct an estimation of the entire work that will be involved. Aside from that, the amount of data to be recovered as well as the steps to be taken and the cost of the external hard drive data recovery service are commonly considered. This is the reason that almost all of the companies offering external hard drive data recovery offer quotes of what it will really cost to get your data back.

Once the evaluation and estimate are done, the experts offering the external hard drive data recovery service will usually wait for you approval to proceed with the actual external hard drive data recovery. They won’t proceed with the recovery process unless you have given your approval. And, once the approval is made the external hard drive data recovery then begins, and the company works their best just to return the important files back to you. What is nice to know about most of the external hard drive data recovery services is that they even repair the damaged hard drive. If all else are settled, the restored data will of course be returned to you on media of your choice as soon as possible.

http://www.y-capture.com is the publisher and writer of this article on data recovery. At http://www.y-capture.com you will find all the information you need on data recovery to protect yourself from loosing all your favorite data and memories that is stored on your computer. So to protect yourself or your business, go to http://www.y-capture.com bookmark this website because all you need to know about data recovery and how to protect yourself is there. constantly updated and reniewed by pro’s.


Data Recovery Services Explained

Data Recovery is essentially a specialized service supplied by qualified technical companies to recover lost data that is stored on media. Data loss can occur in a number of different environments, the most common being human error. Human error is simply accidental deletion of important files or documents. Other factors such as software/hardware problems or virus attacks are also common causes of data loss. However, with the expertise and experience of Data Recovery Companies, this lost data can, very often, be recovered.

Data is stored on storage devices such as hard drives, CD’s, DVD’s, memory cards, memory sticks and more. Unfortunately, not all these are infallible; this means that sometimes, unforeseen data loss can happen, through damaged data, corrupt files or hardware/software failures. A data recovery company employs a team of skilled technicians who can use a number of techniques, software and tools to recover your lost data. In some cases, the operator or system user can retrieve lost data by performing a number of tasks or using software, however they run the risk of permanently erasing and overwriting your important lost data.

There are a number of serious data recovery occurrences which require the professional expertise of skilled data recovery companies, such as hard disk failures, which could be mechanical. In addition, data recovery companies should be called in if you experience data loss due to RAID errors. The reassuring factor about any type of data loss is that most – up to 99% – of lost data files are retrievable.

The most valuable advice you can get when using any form of modern technology which requires a memory storage device, is that the user should back – up important files and data onto CD’s or DVD’s. By ensuring your important data is backed up, you can rest assured that for any unforeseen data loss disaster, you would have a copy. Therefore, if you deal with important files for your business or company, or perhaps your files are important to you personally, it may save you time, money, stress in the unfortunate event of data loss.

Data Recovery Companies are skilled and have the technical resources to successfully recover your lost data. Therefore, in any unfortunate event of data loss, you can be reassured that your files have a good chance of being recovered. In some cases, data loss can cost companies and businesses a large amount of money and in personal terms, individuals can lose important data, such as family photos and more. So, if you think your lost data is vital to your business or personal life, consider using the expert services of a professional, experienced data recovery company.

Phil Smulian writes for Data Detect Australia, an expert in disk recovery, who will help you with raid data recovery


The Best Data Recovery Software

Data that is valuable to you can get lost due to a number of reasons and when this frustrating event happens you may find it necessary to obtain data recovery software in order to recover what you can. Every day people lose valuable data files due to accidental deletion, file corruption, or any other of a number of factors that can cause you to lose your important data files. If you simply conduct an online search for data recovery software you will be absolutely bombarded with results and sifting through them could take you hours and you still may not find the top software.

Even though there are hundreds of different recovery software programs that you can choose from, there are three that seem to have stood the test of time, are easy to use, and most importantly are affordable. They can be found on just about every top ten list that comes out and they break down further as follows:

1. DT Utilities Digital Rescue Premium: This is one of the most user friendly data recovery programs on the market today. They not only allow you to search for lost files by extension, but by name as well which is a feature that many other data recovery software programs do not allow. You can also use their easy to follow recovery efforts for lost e-mails as well. Coming in at around 50 bucks, DT Utilities Rescue Premium is one of the best deals in data recovery software.

2. Recover My Files: No secret about what this software does as it is all in the name. The one drawback to this software is that it didn’t used to support RAID drives, but that has been remedied and now puts the software up with the elite. Search for lost files by name, extension, or even by keyword and enjoy wonderful customer support should you need it. While this data recovery software is a bit more expensive at around $70, they do offer a free trial from time to time so you can try before you buy.

3. Data Recovery Wizard: Data Recovery Wizard also helps you to restore lost data and allows you to search by file, extension, or even by file size. The software is extremely easy to use and incorporate and will quickly have you less panicked as you begin to recover your lost or deleted data files. Costing around $70 it is a bit on the pricey side but the ease of use and the extensive features make up for the price tag.

While data recovery software will in fact cost you money, can you really put a price tag on some of your data files? In life and especially with computers, things happen. When something goes wrong with your data files it may be that your job is on the line and you have no choice but to recover the lost data.

While nothing is perfect, including recovery software, these three will offer you the best bang for your buck and leave you with the best possible chance of recovering your lost or accidentally deleted data files.

Jason Kay recommends that you learn more about data recovery software at DataRecoveryAgents.com

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Hard Drive Failure – What Goes Wrong & Can You Rely on Data Recovery?

The hard disk drive in your computer is the place where the data is stored, and the data is at its most current. So, if it fails and there is not a current backup then it can be a very serious problem.

Why will a disk fail?

Data on a hard drive is stored on a circular platter that spins at anything from 5400 rpm to 15,000 rpm., with a read/write head mounted on an arm that positions it across the platter to access data. This head “floats” very close to the surface by dint of an aerodynamic effect, add to this movement and proximity the potential for heat generation and there is suddenly a lot that can go wrong.

Head Crash

This is when the head touches the surface of the platter whilst it is spinning, this could be the result of an impact or a mechanical failure within the HDA (HDA is the Head Disk Assembly which comprises the head/platter combination).

It is not too difficult to imaging the consequence of such contact, in the worst cases it can strip away the entire recorded surface of the platter leaving just the base material, usually glass.

Media Failure

Hard disk drives “hide” any instance of media failure to maintain a perfectly readable disk, and prevent operating system problems as the result of unreadable sectors. What they do is maintain a set of spare sectors, and when failures occur they reallocate data to one of these spares.

There can come a point where the spares are all used up and the errors begin. Normally the disk is in quite a sever state of failure by now and if the disk is kept working the problems will rapidly multiply.

Electronic Failure

Hard drives are controlled by circuitry that is susceptible to damage from electrostatic discharge or electrical surge. If a component is on the brink of failing then quite a minor electrical “blip” will push it over the edge.

The complexity with a hard drive is that there is code and information stored within memory devices on the drive controller and this is created when the drive is first formatted, so just replacing the electronics will not help.

Alignment failure and head failure.

If any of the read heads within the drive fail, and can no longer turn the magnetic signal going past into something that can be decoded by the drive electronics then again the disk drive has failed. Even if the heads have not failed but mechanical wear means that positioning to the correct place to find data is just not happening, then you can have lots of perfectly well recorded data but not means of accessing it.

Bearing seizure

Platter rotation has to be nice and smooth, any undue vibration can cause positional problems. Following an impact, or just after prolonged use, the bearings that allow the platter to rotate can crumble and seize. The drive cannot spin the platter and no data can be read.

Data Failures

Sometimes the problem lies not with the disk but with the person or system that is using it. The disappearance of a partition or files might actually be user error or the result of an application error, the disk might still be working perfectly well.

Hard Drive Data Recovery

This is the general term for a collection of techniques for getting the data of a failed device and finding a way of returning it in a usable form. This can range from quite a straightforward process, to a highly complex on, and in the worst case an impossible task.

It is tempting to depend on the general reliability combined with a belief that in the unlikely event of a failure a data recovery professional can help. Many firms cite 95% + success rates so why worry? First, the only statistic that matters is whether your disk can be recovered from, 500 other disks might have been recovered from 100%, but if yours has crashed beyond redemption then your data has gone.

Second, even a low cost data recovery will cost more than a 500GB USB disk, so why risk everything to save virtually nothing?

Hard Drive Data Recovery is an option, sometimes a business or marriage saver, but by taking a bit of care it can be an option that you do not need.

Mark Sear has been involved in data recovery, data conversion, data migration and computer forensics since the early 1980s working as a data recovery engineer, software developer and up until 2006 as the Technical Director of one of the word’s leading data recovery companies with offices in the UK, Germany, US and Norway.

Along with other long standing technical specialists from the industry Mark founded Altirium Ltd in 2006 to provide technically led specialist data services with the emphasis on providing the right advice and services for the customer in an industry that has become increasingly sales led.

Data Recovery services include:
Hard drive data recovery
Tape data recovery
RAID data recovery
NAS data recovery
Exchange data recovery
Data recovery services and advice can also be given for any other type of storage media.

Other specialist data services include Data Migration, Data Conversion, Computer Forensics and E-discovery.

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