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Recognizing
a Data Loss Situation A data loss situation is usually characterized by the sudden
inability to access data involving a previously functioning computer system
or backup or the accidental erasure of data or overwriting of data control structures. This section outlines the major symptoms of data loss. What to do and what NOT to do when
experiencing data loss is covered under the heading “Data Recovery Process: What to do first ?” Typical
Symptoms/Characteristics of a Common Data Loss Situation Ø Accidental deletion of
data. Ø Accidental
reformatting of partitions. Ø Hard disk crash or
hard disk component failure. Ø Ticking or grinding
noises coming from the system unit where the hard drive is located while
powering up or trying to access files.
This symptom almost always indicates a failing hard drive and is often
accompanied by some of the other symptoms.
Note: Most drives will emit a faint mechanical hum that a user may
notice under normal operation. An
indication of impending failure is when the “normal sound” changes to louder
ticking or grinding noises. This
symptom may precede actual data access problems as the drive utilizes spare
sectors. Ø Computer won't
boot. Blue or black screen after power
up. The system will not load Windows (or other O/S). |
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Ø Applications that are
unable to run or load data: Ø Trying and failing to
start an application such as Excel or Word. Ø Trying and failing to
load a file while running Excel or Word. Ø Opening folders that should
be full of files but appear empty. Ø Inaccessible drives
and partitions. Ø Corrupted data. Ø Visible fire or water
damage. Ø Media surface
contamination and damage. Ø A floppy disk has
become un-readable and the error message says: |
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“A:\ is not accessible. The device is
not ready. This diskette is not formatted. Would you like to format
now?” This condition
persists after trying to read the problem floppy disk in a different floppy
drive. |
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1(800) 563-1167 |
Data Emergency Guide |
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