You might think that nothing can go wrong when you’re transferring your digital photos from your old computer to the new one. However, the truth is that there are numerous ways in which a computer can become corrupted. Whether there’s an unwelcome force invading your system or some software is causing damage, you need to know how to recover data.
If you’re reading this, then there’s a high chance that your old computer has met with an untimely end. In that case, you’ll need to know how to recover data from a corrupt hard drive. Keep reading to discover the nine most effective data recovery techniques for professionals.
Full System Backup
If you have no other backup of your data, then it may be time to do a full system backup. This is a great way to avoid any more data loss and to keep your computer running smoothly. You can segregate the files and folders that you want to backup by using the “compress” feature in the program. This will make them smaller, which means they will take up less space on the hard drive, but they will still be available for recovery if necessary.
Secure Erase
Data recovery software is designed to scan the drive and find lost, deleted, or formatted data. Once the data is found, it can be restored. But before you start such a process, you need to make sure that there’s no personal information stored on the hard drive. If you don’t want to risk having your private information being revealed, then you should take advantage of a secure erase technique.
A – Low Level Format
This type of format will remove all files from the hard drive including those not visible to Windows Explorer. The program will ask if you want to make a backup of any non-visible files. You can also delete hidden system files from this type of formatting which may have caused damage. This is usually done with external storage devices for security purposes. It should be noted that this type of format does not recover any files; it simply deletes them permanently.
B – Disk Defragmenter
Disk defragmentation rearranges fragmented data so that it’ll be more useful when your computer reads it back in again. This procedure can free up space and improve read/write speeds but doesn’t actually recover lost data from corrupted drives. If your old computer did crash due to some kind of virus or malware attack then this might be worth trying as it could fix the underlying problems behind your corrupt hard drive while also freeing up space at the same time.
Full Disk Encryption
Full Disk Encryption (FDE) is a great data recovery technique for professionals. It encrypts your hard drive, which can protect you from hackers. FDE also provides better protection against ransomware attacks.
In an age where cyber security is paramount, Full Disk Encryption is a must-have for professionals in the IT field. FDE technology is one of the most effective ways to maintain your data’s security and to keep it safe from hackers. The encryption process is fairly straightforward and doesn’t require any special software or hardware. When you encrypt the data on your hard drive, it becomes much harder for someone to get their hands on it without your permission. It also significantly reduces the risk of being attacked by a ransomware virus that could cripple your system with no way to recover the data stored inside it.
Check Windows Task Manager for Hidden Processes
If you want to recover data from a corrupt hard drive, then the first thing you need to do is restart your computer in Safe Mode. You’ll then need to check Windows Task Manager for hidden processes. If there are any processes running that don’t belong on your system, then these might be the cause of your corruption. Close these (if possible) and restart the computer again.
Next, you’ll need to check your registry for errors. To do this, open up the Registry Editor and look at each key. If there are any errors present, make sure that you fix them before continuing with any other steps.
You should also run a diagnostic scan on your hard drive to see if anything will come up that could help with recovery. A diagnostic scan looks for any problems on your system and tries to fix them without human intervention; it can help you avoid losing data altogether.
Take Apart the Computer
When your computer is dead, you’ll need to take it apart. This will enable you to remove the hard drive from within the case. To do this, unscrew all of its screws and remove the side panels. If there are any cables holding the hard drive in place, carefully cut them free with a sharp knife. Take away any screws that might be holding it in place and remove it from the inside of the computer’s casing.
Use a Quality Scratch Disk
When it comes to data recovery, the quality of your scratch disk can make a huge difference. If you’re in the market for a new hard drive, go for the best quality you can afford. The higher quality drives will last longer, run faster, and cost less to replace over time.
Repartition and Reformat the Drive
If you’re not sure what caused the hard drive to become corrupted, it’s always worth trying to repartition and reformat the drive. This will remove any existing partitions and allow you to create a new one that is accessible by your operating system. Once this has been done, you should connect the drive to your computer again and check for any external errors. If there are no errors, then you should continue with the following steps.
Install a New Operating System
You can install a new operating system to your hard drive. The simplest way to do this is by buying a new computer. If you don’t want to buy a whole new computer, you can download and install a free operating system like Windows 10 or Ubuntu.