Inexperienced recovery worsens damaged data

Category: Data recovery

12 September, 2012

When most people think about data loss, usually viruses and malware are considered the main culprits.

However, physical damage, caused by human error or natural disaster, is actually more common.

When faced with a device which has been damaged, the first instinct many people have is to turn it on to determine whether it is still working – this is the worst thing to do.

Attempting to run a damaged device could make the data beyond repair so it should always be turned off as soon as possible and then left switched off.

Although it seems counterintuitive, it is often best to keep a water-logged device in storage that will ensure it stays damp until a data recovery expert can review it.

Similarly, cooling of fire-damaged equipment should not be accelerated.

Recovery should only be attempted by experts as improper handling can make data unrecoverable, so regular backups are an important failsafe to prevent valuable information being lost forever.

Complex data recovery requires expertise. Speak to the data recovery industry pioneers at Kroll Ontrack to find out how we can help recover from any data loss type, system or cause.

Posted by Polly Button