You should take basic precautions to guard against computer meltdown. But, beware, the experts reckon your hard drive is bound to let you down – it’s a question of when rather than if.
Some people rarely seem to have a problem with their computer’s hard drive while others are plagued with data loss problems.
So, is computer meltdown just a question of bad luck? Probably not.
Those who seldom have to enlist the help of data recovery solutions are more than likely taking basic precautions to prevent potentially-expensive hard-disk foul-ups.
Here are a few tips:-
Ensure your computer is kept in a dry dust-free environment, and minimise any possibility of the machine overheating.
Back up data every week, preferably onto an external hard drive.
Even low-level power bursts are capable of wiping out data on your hard drive. Use a mains device that provides your computer with power-surge protection.
Your electrical supply isn’t the only potential hazard to your disk drive. Static electricity can also erase data and damage hard drives. If your computer is near a carpet that shows signs of harbouring static, spray a softening agent onto the fabric.
Be on your guard should your disk drive make any strange noises or do anything else unusual. In a situation like this, back up the disk data immediately and then get your computer checked.
Viruses can be deadly to data. Make use of virus, spyware and malware detection software and update it frequently.
Ensure you store your documents in more than one place. An external hard drive is your best bet – it won’t be affected if your computer’s operating system becomes corrupted.
Some email attachments can cause a data loss. Set your email program to save them in a unique location so you won’t accidentally overwrite a file that happens to have the same name as the attachment.
You could keep hard copies of really important documents – but spare a thought for the rain forests before you hit the ‘print’ button!
Store copies of vital data off site on a Compact Disk or Universal Storage Bus.
Following these simple tips can lower the risk of a data loss crisis but not eliminate it. In fact, data recovery experts say everyone’s computer will suffer a hard drive failure at some point.
One Response
I guess you suffered a few melt downs.
Great article, Now I must get my son and his friends to read it since they think computers just keep going and going.(Until of course they have to pay to get it back up and running)
Thanx for the info!!