Data Recovery - Salvaging Your Hard Work
Computer data recovery can be a tricky thing.
If you've lost some or all of the information on your computer, it can be a minor irritation or it can be a catastrophe.
Imagine you've just completed your Master's thesis or a major project for your job and a virus crashes your computer, losing everything. Now imagine you didn't have a backup copy (you do keep backup copies of your work, though - right???) What would you do?
Your Recovery Options
There are a few different levels of data recovery technology. They can range from a simple "system restore" in Windows XP to sending your computer off to a company that can ressurect the information on a dead hard drive.
Windows System Restore
Sometimes data recovery can mean reversing something that caused Windows to quit working properly. You might have deleted something accidentally or you might have installed a program that caused the problem.
Fortunately, if you're running Microsoft Windows XP you have the ability to "go back in time" and restore the system to an earlier state.
To restore your Windows XP computer to an earlier point, take the following steps:
- Click Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools
- Click on the "System Restore" icon in this list
- When the Welcome to System Restore window opens, choose "Restore my computer to an earlier time" and click Next.
- On the calendar, choose the most recent date you know your computer was working. Any of the dates with a bold number are days that have restore information.
- Choose one of the "restore points" in the list on the right of the calendar then click Next.
- Read the information on the next screen carefully. You need to be sure you save anything that is open before clicking Next. When you're ready to restore your system, click the Next button and follow the instructions.
Data Recovery Software
The next level of data recovery is software that is made for recovering lost or deleted files. This software can do a much more thorough job than the Windows System Restore.
It's not guaranteed to be able to recover all your data, but it will often work just fine. There are a couple of warnings when using this software, however.
Don't install or save anything on your computer before trying to recover your lost data. In order for data recovery to work, nothing else can be saved over top of the lost data.
Be sure the software you choose will run from the installation CD without installing anything on your computer. Installing the software on your computer can also overwrite the information you want to recover.
One of the best data recovery programs I have used is called, appropriately enough, Recover Lost Data. It does a good job at recovering information and you don't have to be a computer tech to use it.
Click here to find out more about Recover Lost Data
Data Recovery Services
The third level of data recovery is a lot more involved - and a lot more expensive.
If your computer has crashed beyond the abilities of the first two types of data recovery, there are companies that can physically recover any information that is on your hard drive - for a price.
These services can be quite expensive, but if your data is valuable enough they can seem like a real bargain.
The better data recovery companies will diagnose your situation for free and give you a quote for the recovery. The good ones also guarantee their work and won't charge you if they can't recover any information.
Backing Up Isn't Hard to Do
The best way to avoid having to worry about data recovery is to make regular backups of any information you can't afford to lose.
That way, if something goes wrong you can just reload the files from your backup and you're up and running again. The security of having everything backed up is well worth the time it takes.