Thursday, October 28, 2010

What is Disk Imaging?

A disk image is a single file or storage device containing the complete contents and structure representing a data storage medium or device, such as a hard drive, tape drives, floppy disk, CD/DVD/BD and key drive, although an image of an optical disc may be referred to as an optical disc image. A disk image is usually created by creating a complete sector-by-sector copy of the source medium and thereby perfectly replicating the structure and contents of a storage device.
Some disk imaging utilities omit unused file space from source media, or compress the disk they represent to reduce storage requirements, though these are typically referred to as archive files, as they are not literally disk images.

Some backup programs only back up user files; boot information and files locked by the operating system, such as those in use at the time of the backup, may not be saved on some operating systems. A disk image contains all files, faithfully replicating all data. For this reason, it is also used for backing up CDs and DVDs.

Non-software type files can usually be backed up with file-based backup software, and this is preferred because file-based backup usually saves more time or space because they never copy unused space (as a bit-identical image does), they usually are capable of incremental backups, and generally have more flexibility. But for software files, file-based backup solutions may fail to reproduce all necessary characteristics, particularly with Windows systems. For example, in

Windows certain registry keys use short filenames, which are sometimes not reproduced by file-based backup, some commercial software uses copy protection that will cause problems if a file is moved to a different disk sector, and file-based backups do not always reproduce metadata such as security attributes. Creating a bit-identical disk image is one way to ensure the system backup will be exactly as the original. Bit-identical images can be made in Linux with dd, available on nearly all live CDs.

Disk imaging ensures hard drive recovery

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_image

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

HDD recovery is possible- from my experience

Among many others, I've always agreed to the popular saying “seeing is believing”. In a way, this is what I have tried to reflect in my professional work. I am a professional photographer and has been doing it for the past 2 decades. Though I enjoy doing raw photography, with growing demand and technology changes, I have also opted for a digital touch to my takes.

Neither I'm a tech geek, nor I've a single pie interest in studying the internals of a computer, hence, hard drive data recovery was just another promotional statement for me. However, the day I badly needed certain technology like this, I realized the truth and now suggests hard drive recovery software as the safest way to recover your lost data back from any troubled drive.

Two things, fishing and photography are my life. In both the things, I feel myself closer to the nature, the real world, where beauty is as it is, without any makeup. Both for my passion and my job, my uncle's lake side country house has always been my favorite destination. The wide forest, birds and the still lake water, I simply can't resist the though without my face glowing with some new innovative ideas of photo-shoot. Hence, as the summer started, we planned a family outing and a longer stay at the lake house.

My morning started with a day out with my professional camera, laptop and fishing net. I took a boat and started fishing and taking snaps in the middle. All of a sudden, it started raining and as I remember, in haste, I forcibly off my lappy and rushed to the bank. Though I’d believed that I’d rescued the stuff from rain, my laapy started-up only with a blue screen. Tried my entire mind out, but failed and my head started drilling, what to do now?

Talked to some close colleagues and friends. They suggested some regular tips to put the system disk and try repairing the operating system as due to the forced shut-down, the file system may have been corrupted. I’d already invested enough minds and did as and what they had told me, as I had wanted my valuable data back soon, at any cost. Sometime later, it asked for me to confirm something and I pressed yes and found the system to be running OK on restart.

Now, checked for my data on the drive and nothing was there. I got shell shocked and realized that I’d formatted the drive, now it had all gone forever. Then one of my friends suggested hard drive recovery software.

I quickly purchased and thank God, managed to recover all my data from the drive. What a shy of relief! It is Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery, that rescued my data. This is a wonderful hard drive data recovery utility to recover your lost, deleted, formatted or inaccessible data from the Windows based hard drive. The software supports 185 file types and is compatible with Windows Vista, 7, XP, 2003 and 2000.

Hdd Recovery Software to Recover Lost Data

We can customize our usage at storage media in terms of their physical size and storage capacity. Among all these storage devices, we use hard drive of the computer as our primary storage media.

Moreover, be it an internal hard disk or even external, we usually store huge amount of data and that to for the purpose of storing for a longer period. As these hard drives are dealt with quite often, chances of data loss or deletion is a genuine possibility. Though we give importance on the storage devices, it is the data that is the most important thing for us and hence, for any data loss situation with the hard drive should be dealt with any hard drive recovery software.

Prominent instances of logical data loss from your hard drive:
Accidental deletion.
Knowingly deleted with shift+delete and realized the need of the data at the very next moment.
Sabotage.
Virus attack or malware intrusion leading to data loss or becoming inaccessible.
Hard drive formatting or repartitioning etc.

It will be a long list of simple to really complex reasons that can be behind the loss of data in a hard drive and to compel you to look for hard drive recovery.

Dos & Don't s after any instance of data loss from the hard drive:

As hard drive contains your valuable data, the data loss instances should be handled with utmost care in order to recover the data from the troubled drive safely. The first and fore most thing, which we should always remember is that the data from the hard drive is never permanently lost until some other data has not been overwritten on it. Hence, never run any defragmenting utility or install unnecessary software to the troubled drive. Never ever try to open the drive and it is always better to opt for a trusted hard drive recovery software.

Hard drive recovery software are developed with powerful search algorithms, that can dig out the lost data and recover them thereafter. Even, you need not have to study the utility as there are detailed instruction set for each step.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

HDD recovery if SATA hard drive uses PATA mode

Sometimes Windows Vista show problems using PATA mode while attached with a SATA hard disk. It results in a system failure and thereby data loss or inaccessibility. In this case , the best way to recover your data from the hard drive is to run any hard drive recovery software. Sometimes, the system crashes causing some file system corruption leading to data loss and inaccessibility.

How to resolve ?
The very first step to resolve the issue is - you must run ScanDisk to try repairing the corruption and check the health of the hard disk.

If the hard disk is accessible, then, below steps will guide you through the process of running ScanDisk from within the Windows:

Go to START, then PROGRAMS, then ACCESSORIES. After that point to SYSTEM TOOLS and within that click on ScanDisk.
Choose the disk or drive on which you want to perform the test.
Select the option THROUGH and then run the ScanDisk.

Following are the steps to guide you to run the ScanDisk from the command prompt, in case the system is not accessible:
Start the system in DOS mode.
Press ENTER after typing the following command:

scandisk

Note: meants the letter of the hard disk you are checking.
Once, the ScanDisk finishes the initial check, it prompts for a surface scan on the drive. Allow it by clicking on YES or press ENTER.

If the above processes fail to fix the errors, then your data remains inaccessible and you have to restore the same from your backup server. But unfortunately if your backup also get fail then hard drive recovery software can recover your data back.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

HDD Recovery When the File System doesn't Mount

The partitioning feature makes it easy to use different operating systems on same system which can facilitate hard disk drive to act like a separate disk. High storage capacity has been an icing on the cake. Most of the people today, who find the world of technology fascinating, love to have this arrangement on their computer system. This is called a multi boot configuration.

Although its an advantage but at the same time some negative points are also associated with it. It raises the chances of data loss or data inaccessibility. And then, the user will have little option but to opt for hard drive recovery.

For example , suppose you have a dual boot system with MS Windows XP and RedHat Linux as the two operating systems and one day you fail to access Linux volume and find that the same cannot be mounted. Instead you encounter following error message,

“Can't find ext2 File System on dev ide1 (22, 65)”
Or
“Mount: wrong file system type, bad option, bad super block, or too many mounted file systems”


Possible Reason:
A corrupted volume or file system of the RedHat Linux could be the possible reason for it. The same can happen due to improper shutdown of the system, improper mounting of the hard drive, a virus attack, or any similar reason.

Resolution:
In this situation the user can get access to his hard drive using a hard drive recovery software. In such situations, a user can access his through hard drive recovery. You should boot your system using Windows XP to access your hard drive data. But sometimes, the damage is so high that even the Windows Installation doesn't load. In such dire situations, the user has to check the integrity of the data stored in the hard drive.

To perform a hard drive recovery, the user needs to attach the hard disk drive to another working computer and access this hard drive, save the data on some other media and format the hard drive. But if the drive along with the data is inaccessible, then the user has to first format the hard drive and then use use a data recovery software to first recover the partitions, and then perform hard drive data recovery.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

HDD Recovery when HAL.dll file is missing or corrupted after upgrading to Windows XP

HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) file in Windows , acts as the the link between the hardware components and the operating system. Apart from this, it also provides support for the hardware drivers that are required to run certain hardware devices.

It is installed in the hdd in the beginning when there is a need to make it compatible to work in a Windows environment. So, when this file is not found on the hard disk it doesn't start the system if the hard disk is the boot device. In such scenarios, you should use a professional hard drive data recovery software to perform hard drive recovery.

Let us take an example of up-gradation of Windows 98 to Windows XP. But when you start it displays an error message like:

“Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt.
Windows root\system32\hal.dll.
Please re-install a copy of the above file.”

Cause:
There could be the following reasons for this situation:
You have restarted your computer after upgrading from Windows 98.
The hard disk on which you are trying to install Windows XP does not have any operating system.

Resolution:
To resolve this situation, you should perform either of the following methods:
Modify the BIOS settings so that you can start the system from a Boot CD.
Restart the system using the Windows 98 Setup CD.
Type 'sys c:' at the command prompt to copy the system files from the CD to your system.
Start Windows XP Setup again.
Select to format the hard disk before installing Windows XP.
Restart the system after installing Windows XP.

If the above methods are not working that means the hard drive is corrupted and you need to replace it. However, before replacing the hard disk you would need to recover and backup the data.

For this, a third-party hard drive data recovery software is very useful in recovering the inaccessible files. These HDD recovery tools have immaculate user interface that enable an end user with limited technical skills to recover the data easily.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Problem of Firmware corruption in Maxtor hard drives

The firmware is an important area on a hard disk and acts like its operating system. This information is required by the drive to run smoothly. Firmware on a hard drive is always found on a flash memory chip or the PCB. The firmware has to access various parameters of a hard drive from its platter surface in order to ensure the proper functioning of the hard drive. In case of firmware corruption, you could lose all the data stored in a hard drive. Usually, in firmware damage cases, a user can rely on data recovery services to rescue your vital data.

Data recovery services are available for Maxtor hard drives in new jersey also. There are a number of data recovery companies which offer specialized recovery services to both individuals and organizations, regardless of the make or interface of the hard drive. All data loss situations can be efficiently addressed if you approach hard drive recovery experts from a trusted data recovery company on time.

Lets take an example of Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 8 6E020L0 model installed in your computer. When you power on the computer, the BIOS is unable to identify the drive or wrongly identifies it as Maxtor N40P or you hear knocking or grinding noises.

Reasons behind the abrupt behavior

The reason behind DiamondMax Plus 8 Drive being recognized as "MAXTORN40P" is firmware corruption. It is due to the firmware corruption only that you witness the above-mentioned symptoms with a Maxtor DiamondMax Plus hard drive.

Steps to be considered for data recovery

In an event of firmware corruption, you cannot overcome the problem by assigning the job to just any computer repair company. If you want to successfully recover hard drive data, you must get in touch with hard drive recovery services specialists immediately. These engineers are proficient in recovering data from a hard drive which has suffered a logical, physical, electrical or firmware failure. Moreover, professional data recovery services also guarantee the security and safety of your vital data.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Physical problem in Hard drive : Data loss and recovery

Is your hard drive facing some problem while spinning and unusual noise ? The very first stem I would suggest here is to backup your vital data right away. This is because the spinning problems in a hard drive could lead to disastrous data loss problems. If you are among the ones who are not in a condition to take a backup, do not worry. Though, you have to replace the damaged or corrupted hard drive with a new one, you can recover the data by approaching hard drive recovery services providers.

Hard drive spinning issues and data loss haunt many computer users, but please don't worry . It can be easily dealt with. In New Jersey, you won't find it difficult to find a data recovery company for availing hard drive recovery services. You can acquire data recovery services in NJ from a reputed company which has all the necessary equipment and resources to handle your data loss case. Most importantly, before selecting a data recovery company, make sure they have the facility of opening hard drives in sterilized environments.

Spinning problems in hard drives are often caused by power fluctuations, hardware failures etc. In all such cases, a hard drive can exhibit various symptoms listed below:

When the computer is powered on, you do not hear the usual hard drive wind sounds. This can also be encountered if the hard drive in question spins down after working for a amount of time.
When the computer is switched on, the hard drive would start spinning, but the spinning would come to a halt after few cycles.
When you switch on the computer, the hard drive doesn't spin at all.

First AID for the issue:

Check power supply cable connections
Check jumper settings
Try installing the hard drive in another system and verify if it is still exhibiting the same problem.

If none of the above workarounds resolves your problem, then you should opt for professional data recovery services.

For obtaining specialized and cost-effective data recovery services NJ, you must contact Stellar Data Recovery Inc. which has a team of experienced hard drive recovery engineers and CLASS 100 Clean Rooms.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

HDD recovery after Error- Press (Ctrl-Alt-Del) to restart

A hard disk cluster is the group of sectors and the smallest unit to hold a file. The size of a cluster depends upon the size of the volume or drive and is meant to enhance the storage efficiency. FAT, exFAT, NTFS, NTFS5 etc. use a definite cluster size to manage the data in the hard drive and the partitions are defined in terms of clusters at the time of formatting of the disk.

The cluster size can be maintained or modified using a third party tool. But, the process may cause serious corruption to the file system so, it is always advisable to have a proper backup of all your files. Even if you face any problem and unable to recover your data , you can use hard drive recovery software to recover data.

Suppose, after modifying the cluster size , the booting process halted in the middle and you tend to receive an error message , making all your data inaccessible. The following error message could be displayed.

“A Disk read error occurred. Press Ctrl-Alt-Del to restart”

Cause:

The above error message appears because of a possible corruption to the Master Boot Record or MBR.
Note: MBR is the boot sector or the first sector of a partitioned storage media. Moreover, MBR is responsible for recognizing the partitions and loading of the operating system.

Resolution:

In order to resolve the above error, you need to boot your system with the Windows installation CD or DVD. Thereafter, at the command prompt, run the command 'fixmbr to repair the MBR.

However, if 'fixmbr' command fails to repair the MBR, you have to reformat the hard disk and make a fresh installation of the operating system. Formatting erases the whole data from the hard drive and you have to restore the data from the backup. In case, backup is not available or failed to restore back the data, only any Windows hard drive recovery software can help you recover your data.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

A damaged SATA hard drive - recovery services for rescue

SATA hard drives are the most accepted and renowned ones in the hard drive technology market. The efficient data transfer rates and hot swapping methods make the hard drive so happening and adoptable. Although the SATA technology is so advanced but it cannot be overlooked that a SATA hard drive can also suffer damage, just like all other hard drives fail.

If a SATA hard drive fails, then it won't be detected by a system and, in addition, you might also receive different error messages. Since hard drive failure leads to data inaccessibility, you must recover lost data from a healthy backup. In case, there is no backup available, no problem at all. Just switch off the system immediately. You can recover data if you get in touch with experts proficient in delivering data recovery services. Data loss resulting from this failure can be easily compensated by availing hard drive recovery services.

To acquire such professional services in New Jersey is not a big deal. The place is renowned for hosting various industries, and data recovery industry has a great scope here due to the presence of various corporate houses. Data recovery services in NJ can be obtained in case of a hard drive failure, irrespective of the interface (IDE, EIDE, SATA, SCSI, SAS) and brand (Western Digital, Maxtor, Seagate, IBM).

If the SATA hard drive fails , then there may be the following error message displayed on your system.

"SATA Primary Hard Disk Drive 0 Failure - Strike F1 to continue F2 to run the setup utility."

Cause

The above error can be witnessed if any of the following conditions:

Due to faulty SATA cables
If the motherboard is faulty
If the BIOS settings are not set correctly
Or if the SATA hard drive is physically damaged

Resolution

You can follow the below-mentioned steps to eliminate the problem:

Check all the hard drive cables are in a good state and properly connected
If the motherboard is damaged, it is essential to replace it
Verify BIOS settings and restore them to original yet correct settings
In case of physical failure, there is no option but to replace the damaged hard drive and avail data recovery services.

Hard drive recovery engineers have rich experience in handling a variety of hard drive failures, and seeking their assistance is a must if you want to recover the vital data.
If you are looking for reliable, efficient and cost-effective data recovery services in New Jersey, then your only preference should be Stellar Data Recovery Inc With CLASS 100 Clean Rooms and state-of-the-art facilities for reliable and secure data recovery services.