Hard disk crashed!!! - partially

Posted on October 1st, 2006 in Computer & Internet, Uncategorized by yeehan

My external hard disk crashed partially or more specific, part of my folder disappeared. All my files in the folder was erased! And I had the scare of my life too. Total information lost: 3.2GB!! Oh man, I just reformatted my laptop after transferring all my files to the external hard disk and now, before I had time to transfer back the files, it’s all gone!! How did it happened? I guess I am to blame myself. I allowed my laptop to perform too many tasks. Uploading files to the server, compressing some files, downloading some stuff, play some music- and all these performed on my 200 GB external hard disk.

Determined to get my files back, I tried the data recovery softwares. Not one but five. And i managed to trace back my data, but sad to say, those software that I downloaded were trial-versions, which allow me to search for my missing files. BUT they doesn’t allow me to retrieve back the data unless I purchase the license (it’s $79.99 average!!)

Luckily, my friend has the license. Thank you!!! After installing (I used this software- GetDataBack), I managed to retrieve my lost files and save it on my laptop’s hard disk. Hmmm. What are the lessons that I have learnt today?

1) Never allow your computer to perform multi tasking unless you want to face the same situation as me.
2) Always (or advised to) keep a copy of your data in CDs or DVDs. This is perhaps one of the safest too but you’ll end up with piles of CDs.
3) Do not get such a big Hard-disk so that you will not save everything inside. And you’ll know which is important and which isn’t instead of dumping everything into the harddisk.
4) If you accidentally delete your files, and I mean really deleting it completely (cannot be found from recycle bin), you can still retrieve your files from your harddisk using the data recovery software. This can be done provided you do not overwrite any existing data from the same harddisk. How is this so? I just learnt about this also. The files which you deleted do not disappear from the harddisk. They are still at the space in the harddisk and merely hidden from your view. So, when new data going to be written into the harddisk, these files will just tell the computer that: “Hey, you don’t have to put the new data in new place, you can just occupy my place.” When this happens, your deleted files are really gone.

Luckily, that’s my external hard disk and I did not add in any files after the disappearance of my files.

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