Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Avoiding Corrupt Data

By Maureen Davies


The corrupt data issue is one that is always likely to affect you at some time in your life. Corrupt data can not only harm the hard disk drive but it can drive the user crazy with worry about lost files. The basic fact is that this issue can be fixed but in the most damaging cases hard drive repair may require the aid of a qualified data recovery company. Being ready for this issue before it hits can make it much easier to diagnose what went wrong and get right to the business of system recovery.

Data is what your hard disk drive stores on a day to day basis. This includes all the files created by the user in addition to software codes and operating system files. Files can become corrupted if the power supply is interrupted. It can also occur if the system was not shut down correctly or if a external device was not correctly ejected before system shutdown. Files that experienced save problems, hardware issues and programming issues can all lead to corruption of stored information. Software updates that are not effectively performed may further corrupt operating system files.

Any of the occurrences mentioned above can lead to a corruption of the hard drive directory. It may appear that files have been lost when they are actually still present. This can give birth to a discrepancy between the amount of information stored on the drive and the actual degree of free available disk space.

If corrupt data has led to performance issues within your hard drive in the past, there are several ways you can apply to avoid data corruption from hitting your system from now on.

Backup the Hard Drive Regularly

Backing up computer data on a regular basis is effective, simple and affordable. External disks that can cost even less than $100 can hold up to 2.5 terabytes and are available from almost any electronics vendor. All files on the computer should be saved to an external drive once a week. Make sure all external devices are safely ejected before shutting down the system or the file corruption may creep in.

Get Yourself Ready for Recovery

Besides saving alternative copies of all files and programs, create recovery disks for your computer. On Windows operating system computers, instructions to create recovery disks can be found under "System and Security" and then "Back up and Restore". Recovery disks will allow you to recover lost data if corrupt data causes a catastrophic hard disk crash. Ensure you have at least a handful of blank writeable disks to create recovery disks. Having these disks on hand will be a life-saver if your computer file system blows out and your OS must be re-installed.

Make Sure To Have Anti-Virus Software

A superior anti-virus product can be scheduled to scan the hard drive for file and directory issues. Most of the timeit will catch and fix those problems before they can strike at the heart of your system. A "full scan" or "deep scan" should be executed at least monthly to clear the system of any viruses and malware that have been picked up along the way.

Shore up your computer against corrupt data caused by environmental issues, such as power surges. The solution here is quite simple: considerplugging your computer into a surge-protected power strip, rather than going directly into the wall. Even high-end power bars are inexpensive, with most costing less than $25, and are for sale at almost every retailing chain.

Defending any computer system from corrupt data is remarkably easy when these guidelines are followed.




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