Advices

Hard drives are devices that require a great deal of technological research and development; manufacturers only launch their disks on the market after an arduous testing process, resulting in very elaborate and competitive products. The average life cycle of a hard disk is 3 years. However, 4% of all hard drives manufactured fail in the first year. Here we present a series of recommendations to extend the life of your hard disk and to avoid possible data losses.

• Avoid installing and uninstalling programs more than absolutely necessary: ​​installing certain programmes or operating systems can cause data loss. When installing specific software programmes it is important to know where it came from and whether or not it is tool that is absolutely necessary for our work.
• Keep your computer away from sources that generate magnetic fields: if your computer is placed too close to a magnetic field it can cause data loss in the devices. This includes not only hard drives but other devices such as floppy disks, zip, jaz, etc.
• Always turn the computer off through the operating system: logical and physical structures of the hard drive are designed to be turned off from the operating system. Do not restart the computer with the “reset” button or disconnect it manually as these types of actions can cause device failure.
• Disconnect the equipment from the electricity when not in use or install over-voltage limiters and flow stabilizers. Even with the equipment switched off, power surges can affect your hard drive and cause data loss.
• Keep your computer away from sources that radiate heat or cold: temperature fluctuations are one of the main factors that affect the operation of the hard drive, causing data loss. Equipment is susceptible to the elements and atmospheric factors. The equipment should be located in a clean and cool environment.
• Try to run the equipment in the same position as when the hard drive was formatted (vertical or horizontal). This improves the performance of your equipment.
• Install an antivirus: computer viruses tend to cause system errors and can affect the efficient operation of the equipment. Update your antivirus as often as possible. Try to run all new files through the antivirus, regardless of their origin, especially Internet downloads.
• Update your operating system with the latest security patches and keep them up to date as they can prevent many problems, especially with the appearance of new viruses and potential hackers.
• Install a firewall: this allows you to restrict unauthorised accesses from the Internet in the form of viruses or hackers.
• Install a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) and connect it to your computer. These systems protect against power outages and surges by providing an uninterrupted supply of power for a given length of time. This allows you to save and close all processes without losing data.
• Run backups: this frees up space on your hard drive and improves performance

• Do not block the vents of your computer, especially on laptop computers. Since they are designed for wireless use, they can be used on non-rigid surfaces or share space with other objects that block the vents. Try to keep the outputs well ventilated and make sure the fans are working properly. A lack of dissipation can cause irreparable damage to your computer and hard drive.
• Avoid blows and falls: both laptops and external hard drives are more prone to falls and blows due to the way in which they are used. They should always be carried in a padded bag to prevent shock and vibrations. Be especially careful when placing them on a surface, making sure there is no risk of them falling or being hit by anything.
• Exercise caution when using other power sources for portable equipment: we recommend that you always use the one provided by the equipment manufacturer. If you need to use a different one, it should be made by the same manufacturer and meet the specific requirements of your computer. The use of other sources may cause damage to your electronic equipment.
• Remember to safely disconnect external devices from the computer. By extracting your mp3, flash drive, external hard drive, etc. safely, you are avoiding possible data loss and damage to your device.

USEFUL ADVICE IN A DATA LOSS EVENT:

• STAY CALM. Nervousness in the face of a potential data loss can result in decisions that may hinder the recovery of your data. Remain calm and follow our advice which will help you not to make decisions that are counterproductive and may affect the process of recovering your data.
• DO NOT RESTART YOUR COMPUTER. If there is physical damage to your computer, restarting it may aggravate data loss and even cause additional damage to the point of making any attempt to recover your data from the hard disk futile.
• DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REINSTALL THE OPERATING SYSTEM. At first, the information is recoverable until it is overwritten. Reinstalling programs or operating systems affects the hard drive itself and there is a risk that some or all of the information you want to retrieve will be overwritten.
• DO NOT USE RECOVERY SOFTWARE UNLESS YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. Most commercial data recovery programmes only offer solutions to very specific problems. It is important to make sure that the software you use is appropriate for your problem and does not perform other operations that may ultimately hinder the recovery of your hard drive.
• NEVER ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE HARD DRIVE. A hard drive is a very complex and delicate device that should only be opened by a qualified technician and under the specific conditions provided by a cleanroom like the one in Recovery Labs’ laboratory.
• CALL US AND WE WILL TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
• TRUST RECOVERY LABS’ PROFESSIONAL STAFF