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Prevention is better than cure!
Disk Data Recovery Tips
Here are some general tips for good practice:
![[smarty]](/data/assets/smilies/smarty.gif "[smarty] [smarty]")
*Don't Panic û more retrievable data is lost through panic measures than anything else.
*Do not work on hardware û this is a highly technical field requiring special tools and techniques. Just disturbing screws on the mechanical casing can destroy a drive.
*Plan your actions û understand the implications of what youÆre about to do, and donÆt do anything you cannot undo.
*If itÆs a business critical system, do you actually need to make the changes you are about to?
*Backup prior to installing software, no matter how reputable the vendor.
*Verify any backups made, with a FULL restore. Hours spent here are better than hours waiting for a recovery to be completed.
*Have you optimised your system for speed rather than data security? Do you know what you've opted for?
*Machines commonly fail at start-up and shutdown û leaving a system on in consistent environmental conditions is safest. When you do need to shut the system down, make a full backup first; a disk may have failed in such a way that it can no longer start.
*Be careful running diagnostics or utilities after a data loss. These software packages can cause further data loss by changing critical file structure information.
*Do not change the partitions on your drive or format the drive if you cannot access your data, as this lessens the possibility of successful data recovery.
*If you have removed your drive, handle it with extreme caution, taking care not to touch any part of it except the edge.
*If sending the drive out for attempted recovery, package it well in a waterproof container.
The best data recovery tip anyone can give is to know when to call in the experts!
*Don't Panic û more retrievable data is lost through panic measures than anything else.
*Do not work on hardware û this is a highly technical field requiring special tools and techniques. Just disturbing screws on the mechanical casing can destroy a drive.
*Plan your actions û understand the implications of what youÆre about to do, and donÆt do anything you cannot undo.
*If itÆs a business critical system, do you actually need to make the changes you are about to?
*Backup prior to installing software, no matter how reputable the vendor.
*Verify any backups made, with a FULL restore. Hours spent here are better than hours waiting for a recovery to be completed.
*Have you optimised your system for speed rather than data security? Do you know what you've opted for?
*Machines commonly fail at start-up and shutdown û leaving a system on in consistent environmental conditions is safest. When you do need to shut the system down, make a full backup first; a disk may have failed in such a way that it can no longer start.
*Be careful running diagnostics or utilities after a data loss. These software packages can cause further data loss by changing critical file structure information.
*Do not change the partitions on your drive or format the drive if you cannot access your data, as this lessens the possibility of successful data recovery.
*If you have removed your drive, handle it with extreme caution, taking care not to touch any part of it except the edge.
*If sending the drive out for attempted recovery, package it well in a waterproof container.
The best data recovery tip anyone can give is to know when to call in the experts!