Drive Savers
When Rock Stars Lose Data - DriveSavers Comes to the Rescue
02 June 2011 17:18 Filed in: Drive Savers | Data Recovery
| When Rock Stars Lose Data - DriveSavers Comes to the Rescue |
Metallica -- One of the world's best-known heavy metal bands has joined the ranks of DriveSavers Hall of Fame. Over the years, Metallica has counted on DriveSavers to recover everything from lost live recordings to personal data belonging to members of the band.
Recently, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett (who ranked 11th on Rolling Stone's list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time) lost access to his laptop's hard drive, which contained irreplaceable photos from his travels around the world. Attempts to recover the data using software utilities failed.
Fortunately, Kirk's assistant knew just where to send the drive. When it was opened in DriveSavers cleanroom, our engineers discovered media damage on the platter. In addition, a more serious issue was reveled -- firmware corruption.
Most modern hard drives store various drive parameters (firmware) on a rewritable chip attached to the printed circuit board. When the firmware becomes corrupt, the drive cannot function. DriveSavers technicians addressed the firmware using special equipment and customized software to essentially rewrite the corrupt programming code. Without special tools and years of data recovery experience, it would have been impossible to recover the data.
Kirk was very pleased to receive his lost data and to show his gratitude, he sent us a photo and a drumhead, both signed by the entire band. Metallica agrees -- DriveSavers Rocks!
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DriveSavers Offers Aid to Japan
02 May 2011 23:29 Filed in: Drive Savers
DriveSavers Offers Aid to Japan
| Since opening its doors in 1985, DriveSavers has routinely provided data recovery support to victims of floods, fires and other disasters. In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the company is once again coming to the aid of those who have lost valuable and personal digital data, by offering their data recovery services to the citizens of the Tohoku region -- the area hardest hit by the disaster. PC Kids, the leading IT solutions provider in Tokyo, has shipped a number of drenched laptops and mud-caked hard drives to DriveSavers for data recovery. President and CEO Tetsuo Hiraoka of PC KIDS CO., LTD stated, "We are honored to partner with DriveSavers to help the Japanese people salvage any data from hard drives that were destroyed in the tsunami disaster." Scott Gaidano, president of DriveSavers, said "Residents of the devastated area may not be thinking about the loss of their data in the midst of all the other tragic losses. But, at some point, hard drives will be found. We want to help the people of Tohoku retrieve any irreplaceable data that may exist. If we can reconnect earthquake and tsunami victims with their digital photos, critical financial records, address books, passwords, personal files and other important data from their damaged hard drives, it will make all our efforts worthwhile." |
DriveSavers -- Ready for iPhone 4
05 July 2010 13:02 Filed in: Drive Savers
DriveSavers has announced that data recovery services are now available for Apple's iPhone 4 and its iOS operating system. As the first company to successfully perform iPhone data recoveries, DriveSavers offers the most technologically advanced data recovery service to iPhone users.
All iPhones use Flash-based memory technology, which requires less power, runs silently and are more resistant to shock than common hard drives. However, Flash-based memory can be compromised by user error, mismanagement and software or hardware failure. Videos, digital photos, address book contacts, calendar entries, notes and music are all vulnerable if the iPhone hasn't been synchronized with a desktop or laptop computer.
DriveSavers has successfully completed more recoveries on Flash memory-based, solid-state devices than any other data recovery company. With over 25 years of experience recovering data for Apple products, DriveSavers Data Recovery engineers are able to retrieve data from iPads, iPhones and iPods that have suffered common as well as catastrophic data loss.
"Apple consistently innovates how consumers interact with technology and the iPhone 4 is no exception," said Scott Gaidano, president of DriveSavers. "Since the launch of the first iPhone, users have grown to depend on these smartphones daily - storing precious videos, photos, and contact information. Our 25 years of experience recovering data from Apple products have positioned us as the logical choice for expert data recovery."
All iPhones use Flash-based memory technology, which requires less power, runs silently and are more resistant to shock than common hard drives. However, Flash-based memory can be compromised by user error, mismanagement and software or hardware failure. Videos, digital photos, address book contacts, calendar entries, notes and music are all vulnerable if the iPhone hasn't been synchronized with a desktop or laptop computer.
DriveSavers has successfully completed more recoveries on Flash memory-based, solid-state devices than any other data recovery company. With over 25 years of experience recovering data for Apple products, DriveSavers Data Recovery engineers are able to retrieve data from iPads, iPhones and iPods that have suffered common as well as catastrophic data loss.
"Apple consistently innovates how consumers interact with technology and the iPhone 4 is no exception," said Scott Gaidano, president of DriveSavers. "Since the launch of the first iPhone, users have grown to depend on these smartphones daily - storing precious videos, photos, and contact information. Our 25 years of experience recovering data from Apple products have positioned us as the logical choice for expert data recovery."
Security, Encryption and Data Recovery
02 June 2010 21:27 Filed in: Drive Savers
Encrypted data storage devices are becoming more and more popular as a method of protecting sensitive data. Many businesses, government agencies and individuals are frequent users of encryption technology and some states now mandate the use of encryption software; imposing fines if proper security procedures are not followed.
Recovering encrypted data is a challenge, but DriveSavers has been extremely proactive, forming partnerships with all leading encryption software vendors. Over the last several years, our engineers have been trained and certified by government-approved encryption vendors to recover files and disk-level encrypted data safely and successfully.
Many of the methods we use for recovering encrypted data are similar to those we use daily. For example, hard drives with media damage must still be brought into a ISO-certified cleanroom environment to address mechanical issues. Once cleanroom procedures are completed, a file system engineer addresses the logical structure of the drive, looking for any missing data while decrypting the files.
Sometimes data is so sensitive, DriveSavers is only allowed to ship a fully encrypted disk image to the customer. This minimizes the risk of a data breach during transit, allowing the customer to decrypt and verify the recovered data in their own protected environment.
Recovering encrypted data is a challenge, but DriveSavers has been extremely proactive, forming partnerships with all leading encryption software vendors. Over the last several years, our engineers have been trained and certified by government-approved encryption vendors to recover files and disk-level encrypted data safely and successfully.
Many of the methods we use for recovering encrypted data are similar to those we use daily. For example, hard drives with media damage must still be brought into a ISO-certified cleanroom environment to address mechanical issues. Once cleanroom procedures are completed, a file system engineer addresses the logical structure of the drive, looking for any missing data while decrypting the files.
Sometimes data is so sensitive, DriveSavers is only allowed to ship a fully encrypted disk image to the customer. This minimizes the risk of a data breach during transit, allowing the customer to decrypt and verify the recovered data in their own protected environment.
Give Crashed Hard Drives a Break
01 June 2010 21:24 Filed in: Drive Savers
Over the last few months, DriveSavers engineers have a noticed a steady increase in the number of hard drives received at our facility that have severe media damage, making them unrecoverable. While it is difficult to pinpoint the cause of media damage, experience tells us recovery attempts on these drives may have been made using utility software, or perhaps the drive was left running and a minor head slap became major media damage.
In many cases, the customer's data had been scraped from the hard drive's platters, turning it into magnetic dust. While it's a fact that DriveSavers has the highest data recovery success rate, even we have our limits!
As we are fond of saying, "The first data recovery attempt is the best." Sometimes, it's the only chance we get if the drive develops media damage during the data recovery process. To minimize the risk of making a bad situation worse, if your customer's data is valuable or irreplaceable, do not run software utilities.
If for some reason you must attempt a data recovery, follow these important guidelines to avoid permanent data loss:
In many cases, the customer's data had been scraped from the hard drive's platters, turning it into magnetic dust. While it's a fact that DriveSavers has the highest data recovery success rate, even we have our limits!
As we are fond of saying, "The first data recovery attempt is the best." Sometimes, it's the only chance we get if the drive develops media damage during the data recovery process. To minimize the risk of making a bad situation worse, if your customer's data is valuable or irreplaceable, do not run software utilities.
If for some reason you must attempt a data recovery, follow these important guidelines to avoid permanent data loss:
- If a hard drive makes any repetitive clicking or grinding, do not attempt a data recovery. The drive may have media damage. Operating the drive in this state will make the situation worse.
- If you connect the hard drive to a computer and it is not recognized in the setup, stop the process. The drive may have a damaged circuit board and should not be swapped with an identical model, as it could remove the bad sector table.
- Avoid utility software that makes changes to the drive's firmware or bad sector table. This can permanently corrupt the data.
- Avoid home remedies such as placing a hard drive in a freezer. This will create condensation buildup inside the drive mechanism creating further problems.
DriveSavers Data Recovery is Ready for Apple iPad
03 May 2010 21:23 Filed in: Drive Savers
With more than 25 years of Apple data recovery experience, DriveSavers is a trusted leader in recovering data for Apple products.
DriveSavers, the worldwide leader in data recovery services, is keeping pace with the evolving digital media arena by offering iPad data recovery services for Apple iPad. DriveSavers Data Recovery Advisors are available 24/7 to help users recover files from an iPad, should data loss occur.
DriveSavers was the first company to successfully perform iPhone data recovery after it was introduced to the market. Similar to the iPhone, the iPad uses Flash-based memory technology, which uses less power, runs silently and is more resistant to shock than common hard drives. However, Flash-based technology can be compromised by user error, mismanagement and software or hardware failure. DriveSavers has successfully completed more recoveries on Flash memory-based solid-state devices than any other data recovery company.
With the power and simplicity of the iPad, users are able to store digital photos, videos, games, e-books, address book contacts, calendar entries, notes and music. One of the biggest concerns for iPad users is losing data before it has been synchronized. DriveSavers data recovery engineers have extensive experience performing data retrieval on Flash-based solid-state devices that have suffered common and catastrophic data loss and recover iPad, iPhone and iPod data that others might deem lost forever.
"We have been recovering data for Apple users for more than 25 years and we are constantly evolving with the company's innovative technologies," said Scott Gaidano, president of DriveSavers Data Recovery. "We've seen the magic that Apple creates in its products, and the iPad is no exception. Because we are so familiar with Apple products, we are capable of recovering data from their devices quickly and relatively easily."
DriveSavers is the only data recovery company in the world that is SAS 70 Type II compliant, the Corporate Industry's standard for an overall control structure. Every iPad data recovery process adheres to stringent data security protocols and is conducted in the safest data recovery environment available. High Security Service is also available for customers who require extra precautions.
DriveSavers iPad data recovery services are now available to consumers worldwide. To learn more about DriveSavers and their iPad data recovery services, please visit our website or call 800.440.1904.
DriveSavers, the worldwide leader in data recovery services, is keeping pace with the evolving digital media arena by offering iPad data recovery services for Apple iPad. DriveSavers Data Recovery Advisors are available 24/7 to help users recover files from an iPad, should data loss occur.
DriveSavers was the first company to successfully perform iPhone data recovery after it was introduced to the market. Similar to the iPhone, the iPad uses Flash-based memory technology, which uses less power, runs silently and is more resistant to shock than common hard drives. However, Flash-based technology can be compromised by user error, mismanagement and software or hardware failure. DriveSavers has successfully completed more recoveries on Flash memory-based solid-state devices than any other data recovery company.
With the power and simplicity of the iPad, users are able to store digital photos, videos, games, e-books, address book contacts, calendar entries, notes and music. One of the biggest concerns for iPad users is losing data before it has been synchronized. DriveSavers data recovery engineers have extensive experience performing data retrieval on Flash-based solid-state devices that have suffered common and catastrophic data loss and recover iPad, iPhone and iPod data that others might deem lost forever.
"We have been recovering data for Apple users for more than 25 years and we are constantly evolving with the company's innovative technologies," said Scott Gaidano, president of DriveSavers Data Recovery. "We've seen the magic that Apple creates in its products, and the iPad is no exception. Because we are so familiar with Apple products, we are capable of recovering data from their devices quickly and relatively easily."
DriveSavers is the only data recovery company in the world that is SAS 70 Type II compliant, the Corporate Industry's standard for an overall control structure. Every iPad data recovery process adheres to stringent data security protocols and is conducted in the safest data recovery environment available. High Security Service is also available for customers who require extra precautions.
DriveSavers iPad data recovery services are now available to consumers worldwide. To learn more about DriveSavers and their iPad data recovery services, please visit our website or call 800.440.1904.
Checklist for Security of Data Recovery Service Providers
01 March 2010 21:21 Filed in: Drive Savers
DriveSavers announced today that an independent study by the Ponemon Institute, a privacy and information management research firm, has unveiled a Data Security Checklist for vetting third-party data recovery service providers. The study, "Security of Data Recovery Operations," conducted among IT security and IT support practitioners, is the first national study published on the security of data recovery operations for businesses and government organizations. DriveSavers is the only data recovery company worldwide that meets all the security requirements on the checklist.
Paul Reymann, CEO of Reymann Group and one of the nation's foremost experts in regulatory compliance and information risk management comments, "The lack of information security protocols and practices in the vetting, selecting and use of data recovery service providers is not a potential problem-it's a real problem! The checklist is a prudent solution to help ensure data recovery vendors protect sensitive data during the data recovery process."
For companies that already have a strong vendor risk management program, mandated vendor management practices apply to all stages of the information life-cycle. CompuCom Systems, Inc., the leading IT outsourcing specialist, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have extremely stringent security protocol and auditing processes for their third-party vendors. DriveSavers Data Recovery has experienced firsthand and passed the stringent security protocols of CompuCom and LLNL which include each of the requirements listed in the Data Security Checklist below.
"Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's data security standards are based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) recommendations. We strive to ensure that our mission critical data handled by third party vendors is protected at a level equivalent to the standards we hold for ourselves," said Neda Gray, CISSP, Information Systems Security Officer for Operations and Business at LLNL. "We periodically require an exhaustive security assessment of our third party vendors."
"Data security standards are set high by CompuCom to ensure that our customer's data is never vulnerable," said Dave Borgese, vice president at CompuCom Systems. "We require an exhaustive security assessment of all our third-party vendors. DriveSavers is SAS 70 Type II compliant and is guarded by a 'defense-in-depth' network architecture which provides the level of data security we promise to our customers."
Not all companies have this level of security protocols in place for working with third-party vendors. The Ponemon Institute's study confirms that there is a major gap in security protocols when selecting data recovery service providers.
Here is the recommended checklist that should be used for vetting third-party data recovery service providers. Data recovery service providers should follow these protocols:
Paul Reymann, CEO of Reymann Group and one of the nation's foremost experts in regulatory compliance and information risk management comments, "The lack of information security protocols and practices in the vetting, selecting and use of data recovery service providers is not a potential problem-it's a real problem! The checklist is a prudent solution to help ensure data recovery vendors protect sensitive data during the data recovery process."
For companies that already have a strong vendor risk management program, mandated vendor management practices apply to all stages of the information life-cycle. CompuCom Systems, Inc., the leading IT outsourcing specialist, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have extremely stringent security protocol and auditing processes for their third-party vendors. DriveSavers Data Recovery has experienced firsthand and passed the stringent security protocols of CompuCom and LLNL which include each of the requirements listed in the Data Security Checklist below.
"Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's data security standards are based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) recommendations. We strive to ensure that our mission critical data handled by third party vendors is protected at a level equivalent to the standards we hold for ourselves," said Neda Gray, CISSP, Information Systems Security Officer for Operations and Business at LLNL. "We periodically require an exhaustive security assessment of our third party vendors."
"Data security standards are set high by CompuCom to ensure that our customer's data is never vulnerable," said Dave Borgese, vice president at CompuCom Systems. "We require an exhaustive security assessment of all our third-party vendors. DriveSavers is SAS 70 Type II compliant and is guarded by a 'defense-in-depth' network architecture which provides the level of data security we promise to our customers."
Not all companies have this level of security protocols in place for working with third-party vendors. The Ponemon Institute's study confirms that there is a major gap in security protocols when selecting data recovery service providers.
Here is the recommended checklist that should be used for vetting third-party data recovery service providers. Data recovery service providers should follow these protocols:
- Proof of internal information technology controls and data security safeguards, such as compliance with SAS 70 Audit Reports
- Engineers trained and certified in all leading encryption software products and platforms
- Proof of chain-of-custody documentation and certified secure network
- Vetting and background checks of its employees
- Secure and permanent data destruction when required
- Use of encryption for data files in transit
- Proof of Certified ISO 5 (Class 100) cleanroom
Forbes Magazine: Beware Who Fixes That Broken Laptop
01 February 2010 21:18 Filed in: Drive Savers
A recent article in Forbes Magazine shares some of the results of a Ponemon Institute study done on data privacy breaches that occurred when storage devices are in the possession of third-party data recovery and repair firms.
According to Forbes: The Ponemon study surveyed 636 information technology professionals who had used data-recovery services or had knowledge of them. Of the 83% of respondents whose organizations had at some point lost their customers' sensitive data, 19% said they had experienced a data breach when they hired a third-party data-recovery firm.
Larry Ponemon, author of the study is quoted saying, "Companies are trusting their data to third parties without a lot of vetting. These are people who could be incompetent or even criminal. The risk is very real."
As the worldwide leader in data recovery, DriveSavers has taken extraordinary measures to protect customer data by investing in a state-of-the art network, security audit reports conducted by independent agencies, and annual visits and assessments by the U.S. Department of Defense. Only DriveSavers provides the following security enhancements to customers.
SAS 70 Type II Certification
DriveSavers is the only data recovery company in the world that is SAS 70 Type II compliant, the Corporate Industry's standard for an overall control structure. Unlike Type I, Type II certification verifies that our data hosting control objectives and control activities are in place, suitably designed, enforced and operating effectively to achieve all desired security control objectives.
Certified Cisco® Self-Defending Network
At the heart of our certified secure data recovery environment is a Cisco® Self-Defending Network, protected by a "defense-in-depth" architecture that includes firewalls, intrusion protection systems, managed security services and 24/7 real-time monitoring. Verified in SAS 70 Level II security audit testing to be "a formidable defense" for the information and data that it hosts, the network meets stringent security requirements and audits mandated by corporate clients and government agencies
Every aspect of our facility and network is secure enough to protect personal and confidential data from security breach during the data recovery process. In addition to providing the highest level of preventative data security in the data recovery industry today, DriveSavers offers a High Security Service that adheres to US Government protocols and a Forensics Service that supports law enforcement agencies and other legal entities in the United States and abroad. DriveSavers is also compliant with HIPAA, SOX, GLBA and DAR data security protocols.
To see proof of our certifications, click here: www.drivesavers.com/proof.
The read the entire Forbes article, click here:
http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/05/data-recovery-privacy-technology-cio-network-breaches.html
According to Forbes: The Ponemon study surveyed 636 information technology professionals who had used data-recovery services or had knowledge of them. Of the 83% of respondents whose organizations had at some point lost their customers' sensitive data, 19% said they had experienced a data breach when they hired a third-party data-recovery firm.
Larry Ponemon, author of the study is quoted saying, "Companies are trusting their data to third parties without a lot of vetting. These are people who could be incompetent or even criminal. The risk is very real."
As the worldwide leader in data recovery, DriveSavers has taken extraordinary measures to protect customer data by investing in a state-of-the art network, security audit reports conducted by independent agencies, and annual visits and assessments by the U.S. Department of Defense. Only DriveSavers provides the following security enhancements to customers.
SAS 70 Type II Certification
DriveSavers is the only data recovery company in the world that is SAS 70 Type II compliant, the Corporate Industry's standard for an overall control structure. Unlike Type I, Type II certification verifies that our data hosting control objectives and control activities are in place, suitably designed, enforced and operating effectively to achieve all desired security control objectives.
Certified Cisco® Self-Defending Network
At the heart of our certified secure data recovery environment is a Cisco® Self-Defending Network, protected by a "defense-in-depth" architecture that includes firewalls, intrusion protection systems, managed security services and 24/7 real-time monitoring. Verified in SAS 70 Level II security audit testing to be "a formidable defense" for the information and data that it hosts, the network meets stringent security requirements and audits mandated by corporate clients and government agencies
Every aspect of our facility and network is secure enough to protect personal and confidential data from security breach during the data recovery process. In addition to providing the highest level of preventative data security in the data recovery industry today, DriveSavers offers a High Security Service that adheres to US Government protocols and a Forensics Service that supports law enforcement agencies and other legal entities in the United States and abroad. DriveSavers is also compliant with HIPAA, SOX, GLBA and DAR data security protocols.
To see proof of our certifications, click here: www.drivesavers.com/proof.
The read the entire Forbes article, click here:
http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/05/data-recovery-privacy-technology-cio-network-breaches.html
TechTips: Handling Flooded, Water-Soaked Drives
01 February 2010 21:13 Filed in: Drive Savers | Tech Tips
For as long as DriveSavers has been in business, we've always been sent hard drives that have suffered severe water damage. Some of our most spectacular saves include three hard drives that were intentionally thrown into a lake in an attempt to destroy evidence; countless drives from Hurricane Katrina; the 1997 Grand Forks, ND Floods (covered by CNN); a Mac PowerBook that sank (along with a cruise ship) in the Amazon River. (It's now featured in our Museum of Bizarre Disk-asters.)
Wet weather has soaked many areas this season, and we felt it was time to republish these tips to maximize the chances for the successful recovery of water damaged hard drives:
* Never attempt to dry out and use wet computer equipment
* Don't try recovering the data using utility software
* Keep the hard drive and/or media wet by placing it in a Ziploc bag
* Send wet drives for recovery immediately to DriveSavers
Wet weather has soaked many areas this season, and we felt it was time to republish these tips to maximize the chances for the successful recovery of water damaged hard drives:
* Never attempt to dry out and use wet computer equipment
* Don't try recovering the data using utility software
* Keep the hard drive and/or media wet by placing it in a Ziploc bag
* Send wet drives for recovery immediately to DriveSavers
Storage Devices and Cold Weather
04 January 2010 21:11 Filed in: Drive Savers
Cold weather can wreak havoc on temperature-sensitive hard drives used in computers, game consoles, MP3 players and video recorders. Condensation buildup on the drive platters and frozen components can lead to drive failure and data loss.
As a precaution, DriveSavers recommends the following cold weather tips:
As a precaution, DriveSavers recommends the following cold weather tips:
- Don't keep hard drive-based electronic devices in cars where temperatures can drop radically at night.
- When your hard drive-based device is exposed to extremely cold temperatures (below 30 degrees), allow them time to warm to room temperature before operating them.
- As an added precaution, always use surge protectors or battery backup systems to protect your new electronic devices. This will prevent damage from power spikes or surges, common during the winter months.
Avoiding Holiday Disk-asters
01 December 2009 21:01 Filed in: Drive Savers
The holidays have always been a time to get together with friends and family to share great food and trade gifts. Of course, these moments need to be captured for posterity and the most frequent way to do it is with a digital camera. But, for all the conveniences digital cameras possess, the fragility of their memory cards is one drawback that can be extremely inconvenient.
Consider the fate of the 512MB memory card pictured here. After filling the card with shots of family and friends, the owner reloaded the camera with an empty card and continued photographing various events. Only later did he discover that the family dog had located the card and decided to give it a taste. One thing led to another and the memory card ended up in fragments - leaving one happy dog and one angry owner.
The owner sent the broken memory card to a data recovery company he'd found on the Internet. But, once they received it and discovered they couldn't recover it, they recommended DriveSavers. That turned out to be good advice as every single image on the card was recovered.
This holiday season protect your digital memories by following these simple tips:
• Backup or transfer images from the camera's Flash memory onto CDs, DVDs or an external hard drive after each use.
• Do not delete images or reformat the memory card while it is still in the camera. Wait until all photos have been transferred and verified.
• Remove the Flash memory or card reader from the camera carefully. Follow instructions to avoid deleting or corrupting photo images.
• Protect your Flash memory card from static buildup or breakage by using a sturdy container when carrying them around.
• Replace your Flash memory card over time. After an average of 1,000 uses, they can begin to wear out.
Consider the fate of the 512MB memory card pictured here. After filling the card with shots of family and friends, the owner reloaded the camera with an empty card and continued photographing various events. Only later did he discover that the family dog had located the card and decided to give it a taste. One thing led to another and the memory card ended up in fragments - leaving one happy dog and one angry owner.
The owner sent the broken memory card to a data recovery company he'd found on the Internet. But, once they received it and discovered they couldn't recover it, they recommended DriveSavers. That turned out to be good advice as every single image on the card was recovered.
This holiday season protect your digital memories by following these simple tips:
• Backup or transfer images from the camera's Flash memory onto CDs, DVDs or an external hard drive after each use.
• Do not delete images or reformat the memory card while it is still in the camera. Wait until all photos have been transferred and verified.
• Remove the Flash memory or card reader from the camera carefully. Follow instructions to avoid deleting or corrupting photo images.
• Protect your Flash memory card from static buildup or breakage by using a sturdy container when carrying them around.
• Replace your Flash memory card over time. After an average of 1,000 uses, they can begin to wear out.
Windows 7 Data Recovery Prevention Tips
13 October 2009 20:55 Filed in: Drive Savers
Windows 7 Data Recovery Prevention Tips
After running a successful beta-testing campaign over the last few months, Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system is set to launch this October. As always, data-safety during system software upgrades translates to proper preparation and current backups. No one wants to go through the upgrade blues. DriveSavers advises you follow these tips to prevent potential data loss during the Windows 7 upgrade.
After running a successful beta-testing campaign over the last few months, Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system is set to launch this October. As always, data-safety during system software upgrades translates to proper preparation and current backups. No one wants to go through the upgrade blues. DriveSavers advises you follow these tips to prevent potential data loss during the Windows 7 upgrade.
- Always perform a full backup of your critical data before starting a system software installation. For the best results, create a disk image of the hard drive in its entirety by using software such as Symantec's Norton Ghost. Having an image copy of the drive will protect you in case something goes wrong during the upgrade. For example, your PC could sustain a power loss or your hard drive may have bad sectors (areas of the hard disk that have been demagnetized over time).
- If you've already backed up your hard drive or created an image copy, you should do a simple check to verify that the critical data has indeed been copied. Check your backup target and if possible, open a few files. This precaution will ensure that: a) nothing interrupted the backup or cloning process and b) the target media is readable and experienced no errors.
- Once you've installed Windows 7, you must be sure to upgrade your antivirus software as well. Beyond that, you should also install any updates or patches to the operating system and your antivirus software.
- Lastly, since you've completed a full backup of your drive and verified all the files, now is a great time to implement a regular backup strategy if you don't already have one. (We believe this tip works for both you and your customers.)
iPhone Data Recovery-The Next Generation
01 July 2009 20:27 Filed in: Drive Savers | Data Recovery
iPhone Data Recovery-The Next Generation
It would be hard to believe that every technology fan on the planet hadn't already heard the news, that Apple Computer introduced its new 3GS series of iPhones last month. Here at DriveSavers, we're celebrating the introduction of Apple's new iPhones and reflecting on our past successes.
As many of our partners are aware, DriveSavers was the first company to recover iPhone data, and the jobs we've received have been challenging to say the least. Nearly every iPhone we've worked on suffered some kind of physical damage. Some ended up being waterlogged when they were dropped in lakes, ponds and toilets. Others met their fate as they literally "hit the pavement".
To date, our most spectacular save was the iPhone that was intentionally dropped 26 stories down a garbage chute in a New York City apartment building, by an angry wife. With the odds stacked against us, we completed a full recovery of the critical data - in this case, they were photos needed by the disgruntled woman's spouse.
Today, DriveSavers is celebrating its continued success recovering data using a myriad of new techniques we've developed along the way, streamlining the process with increased capabilities, recovering not only the most common kinds of important data: photos, notes and contacts, but even deleted text messages!
Mike Cobb, Director of Mac and UNIX Engineering summed things up, "When it comes to iPhone data recovery, our capabilities are unmatched."
It would be hard to believe that every technology fan on the planet hadn't already heard the news, that Apple Computer introduced its new 3GS series of iPhones last month. Here at DriveSavers, we're celebrating the introduction of Apple's new iPhones and reflecting on our past successes.
As many of our partners are aware, DriveSavers was the first company to recover iPhone data, and the jobs we've received have been challenging to say the least. Nearly every iPhone we've worked on suffered some kind of physical damage. Some ended up being waterlogged when they were dropped in lakes, ponds and toilets. Others met their fate as they literally "hit the pavement".
To date, our most spectacular save was the iPhone that was intentionally dropped 26 stories down a garbage chute in a New York City apartment building, by an angry wife. With the odds stacked against us, we completed a full recovery of the critical data - in this case, they were photos needed by the disgruntled woman's spouse.
Today, DriveSavers is celebrating its continued success recovering data using a myriad of new techniques we've developed along the way, streamlining the process with increased capabilities, recovering not only the most common kinds of important data: photos, notes and contacts, but even deleted text messages!
Mike Cobb, Director of Mac and UNIX Engineering summed things up, "When it comes to iPhone data recovery, our capabilities are unmatched."
Security-SAS 70 Type II Report Card
01 July 2009 20:26 Filed in: Drive Savers
Security-SAS 70 Type II Report Card
Last July, DriveSavers successfully completed its first SAS 70 Type II audit. SAS 70 is a Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) for service organizations. It demonstrates that a firm has proper controls and processes in place to protect data belonging to customers. The SAS 70 Type II audit is the definitive standard preferred by businesses who are required to comply with section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley act.
The auditing process is conducted by control-oriented professionals who have experience in accounting, auditing and information security. DriveSavers is proud to announce that it passed this year's audit and were once again found to be in compliance with security protocols.
Because data security and privacy have always been paramount at DriveSavers, completion of the SAS 70 audit provides additional peace of mind to our customers and enhances the quality of exemplary service they value. Click here to read more about our SAS 70 certification.
Last July, DriveSavers successfully completed its first SAS 70 Type II audit. SAS 70 is a Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) for service organizations. It demonstrates that a firm has proper controls and processes in place to protect data belonging to customers. The SAS 70 Type II audit is the definitive standard preferred by businesses who are required to comply with section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley act.
The auditing process is conducted by control-oriented professionals who have experience in accounting, auditing and information security. DriveSavers is proud to announce that it passed this year's audit and were once again found to be in compliance with security protocols.
Because data security and privacy have always been paramount at DriveSavers, completion of the SAS 70 audit provides additional peace of mind to our customers and enhances the quality of exemplary service they value. Click here to read more about our SAS 70 certification.
TechTalk-What Makes a Cleanroom Clean?
01 July 2009 20:23 Filed in: Tech Talk | Drive Savers
TechTalk-What Makes a Cleanroom Clean?
You've heard the term "cleanroom" used by DriveSavers, so you probably have a pretty good idea
of what one is. But, do you know what makes a cleanroom clean?
A cleanroom is a static-controlled, dust-free environment where engineers wear special suits, masks and gloves to avoid contamination by airborne particles, chemical vapors and more. They are typically used in manufacturing and scientific research.
Air inside a cleanroom is circulated through industrial grade HEPA filters built into the walls or workbenches. The air is constantly recirculated and re-filtered to reduce contaminants, which are measured using a highly sophisticated particle counter.
The International Standards Organization (ISO) created rigid standards for cleanroom cleanliness. Cleanroom particles are noted in microns - millionths of a meter. The ISO 5 (formerly Class 100) cleanroom standard allows for up to 100,000 particles measuring just 0.1 microns in size per cubic meter of air.
Last year DriveSavers unveiled its $2 million cleanroom, used to prevent the contamination of hard drives by airborne debris when they are opened for data recovery. With over 2,000 square feet of working area, the ultra-modern cleanroom environment features an ISO 5 cleanroom and three separate mixed flow "Clean Zones". Each static-free zone is dedicated to a specific data recovery task.
DriveSavers is the only data recovery company in the world with an ISO 5 cleanroom that has been audited and certified to meet ISO 14664-1 standards. Click here to see photos of our cleanroom and read more about our certifications.
You've heard the term "cleanroom" used by DriveSavers, so you probably have a pretty good idea
of what one is. But, do you know what makes a cleanroom clean?
A cleanroom is a static-controlled, dust-free environment where engineers wear special suits, masks and gloves to avoid contamination by airborne particles, chemical vapors and more. They are typically used in manufacturing and scientific research.
Air inside a cleanroom is circulated through industrial grade HEPA filters built into the walls or workbenches. The air is constantly recirculated and re-filtered to reduce contaminants, which are measured using a highly sophisticated particle counter.
The International Standards Organization (ISO) created rigid standards for cleanroom cleanliness. Cleanroom particles are noted in microns - millionths of a meter. The ISO 5 (formerly Class 100) cleanroom standard allows for up to 100,000 particles measuring just 0.1 microns in size per cubic meter of air.
Last year DriveSavers unveiled its $2 million cleanroom, used to prevent the contamination of hard drives by airborne debris when they are opened for data recovery. With over 2,000 square feet of working area, the ultra-modern cleanroom environment features an ISO 5 cleanroom and three separate mixed flow "Clean Zones". Each static-free zone is dedicated to a specific data recovery task.
DriveSavers is the only data recovery company in the world with an ISO 5 cleanroom that has been audited and certified to meet ISO 14664-1 standards. Click here to see photos of our cleanroom and read more about our certifications.
Disk-aster of the Month
01 May 2008 02:32 Filed in: Tech News
Mad Media is a San Diego based marketing agency that specializes in action and motor sports branded advertising and web-based viral film campaigns for sponsor companies such as: Red Bull, DC Shoes, Element Skateboards, Split Clothing and Subaru of America. Last summer, as southern California wildfires destroyed homes and businesses, many others, including Mad Media, were affected by power surges that caused damage to computers and other electronic devices.
Production came to a halt for the company when its sophisticated eight terabyte RAID storage system containing two years worth of irreplaceable video clips from major sporting events and hundreds of hours of editing work became inaccessible. The company turned to Sonnet Technologies, the manufacturer of the RAID system, for help. After determining the nature of the damage, Sonnet recommended DriveSavers.
"We can't afford to tell a client their footage is lost," said Joshua Martelli, Director of TV & Film Production at Mad Media. "The scope of work that we execute is at a very advanced and professional level. We are competing with both large national agencies and very adept production groups. Every project we work on has a deadline that we can't afford to miss."
Within two days, DriveSavers fully recovered all the data on the eight terabyte system allowing Mad Media to get back on schedule. "The data was in the identical state it was before the crash. It was as if nothing had ever happened," commented Martelli.
DriveSavers has a Digital Arts Division that caters to the growing number of artists, graphics, film and audio professionals who rely on technology to create their work. With combined expertise, proprietary tools and knowledge of the industry, DriveSavers excels in data recovery for customers working in the digital arts field and has proven success in restoring data lost in the most challenging ways.
Production came to a halt for the company when its sophisticated eight terabyte RAID storage system containing two years worth of irreplaceable video clips from major sporting events and hundreds of hours of editing work became inaccessible. The company turned to Sonnet Technologies, the manufacturer of the RAID system, for help. After determining the nature of the damage, Sonnet recommended DriveSavers.
"We can't afford to tell a client their footage is lost," said Joshua Martelli, Director of TV & Film Production at Mad Media. "The scope of work that we execute is at a very advanced and professional level. We are competing with both large national agencies and very adept production groups. Every project we work on has a deadline that we can't afford to miss."
Within two days, DriveSavers fully recovered all the data on the eight terabyte system allowing Mad Media to get back on schedule. "The data was in the identical state it was before the crash. It was as if nothing had ever happened," commented Martelli.
DriveSavers has a Digital Arts Division that caters to the growing number of artists, graphics, film and audio professionals who rely on technology to create their work. With combined expertise, proprietary tools and knowledge of the industry, DriveSavers excels in data recovery for customers working in the digital arts field and has proven success in restoring data lost in the most challenging ways.
Disk-aster of the Month
30 March 2008 02:17 Filed in: Tech News
Encrypted data storage devices are extremely common for businesses, government and individuals storing highly confidential or personal information on them. To understand and overcome the challenges of recovering data from encrypted drives, DriveSavers engineers have worked in partnership with all leading encryption software manufacturers and have been trained and certified by government-approved vendors to recover file and disk-level encrypted data safely and successfully.
As a result, government agencies with encrypted systems regularly rely on DriveSavers to recover their lost data. Recently, a US Army employee almost lost all his confidential data. His laptop over heated and began clicking, a symptom of electro-mechanical component failure. To complicate matters, the drive was encrypted.
To recover the data, the mechanical components in the 2.5" hard drive first needed to be rebuilt by engineers in our Class 100 cleanroom. Once the mechanical repairs were completed, a file system engineer-certified in encryption data recovery protocol-successfully created a sector-by-sector image of the data on the drive.
"I can't say enough about the professionalism that was exhibited throughout EVERY step of the recovery process," remarked the owner.
In special cases, data is so sensitive that we return the sector image back to the customer fully encrypted. The customer can then enter the decryption key to verify the recovered data in their own protected environment.
Certain customers and data loss situations require extra security procedures. DriveSavers provides customized data recovery solutions that meet the most stringent data security requirements, including the successful recovery of data from encrypted drives.
As a result, government agencies with encrypted systems regularly rely on DriveSavers to recover their lost data. Recently, a US Army employee almost lost all his confidential data. His laptop over heated and began clicking, a symptom of electro-mechanical component failure. To complicate matters, the drive was encrypted.
To recover the data, the mechanical components in the 2.5" hard drive first needed to be rebuilt by engineers in our Class 100 cleanroom. Once the mechanical repairs were completed, a file system engineer-certified in encryption data recovery protocol-successfully created a sector-by-sector image of the data on the drive.
"I can't say enough about the professionalism that was exhibited throughout EVERY step of the recovery process," remarked the owner.
In special cases, data is so sensitive that we return the sector image back to the customer fully encrypted. The customer can then enter the decryption key to verify the recovered data in their own protected environment.
Certain customers and data loss situations require extra security procedures. DriveSavers provides customized data recovery solutions that meet the most stringent data security requirements, including the successful recovery of data from encrypted drives.
Disk-aster of the Month
08 December 2007 00:14 Filed in: Tech News
All May Not Be Lost!
Recent wildfires in Southern California destroyed more than 2,000 homes and blackened 809 square miles from the Mexican border to Los Angeles. SoCal Wildfire victims may be able to recover irreplaceable digital photos, critical financial records, personal files and other important data.
DriveSavers is extending their offer of $500 off their data recovery services to residents and business owners affected by these fires if the drives are received before January15, 2008. In addition, we would like to thank the 150-plus computer service providers in Southern California that provided additional discounts and support to those affected by the wildfires.
DriveSavers has recovered thousands of burnt hard drives that looked unrecoverable. While the fire-damaged computer's plastic components may be melted, the data encased in the metal hard drive may be recoverable. When helping a client with a burnt up computer:
Do not power up a smoke-damaged or burnt computer or device
Do not attempt to clean the hard drive
Keep wet hard drives moist: store the drive in an airtight, sealed plastic bag
Do not remove the drive from a melted computer; send in the entire system
Fire damage is a bittersweet example of how important it is to back up valuable data and store the backed up data in a separate location.
Recent wildfires in Southern California destroyed more than 2,000 homes and blackened 809 square miles from the Mexican border to Los Angeles. SoCal Wildfire victims may be able to recover irreplaceable digital photos, critical financial records, personal files and other important data.
DriveSavers is extending their offer of $500 off their data recovery services to residents and business owners affected by these fires if the drives are received before January15, 2008. In addition, we would like to thank the 150-plus computer service providers in Southern California that provided additional discounts and support to those affected by the wildfires.
DriveSavers has recovered thousands of burnt hard drives that looked unrecoverable. While the fire-damaged computer's plastic components may be melted, the data encased in the metal hard drive may be recoverable. When helping a client with a burnt up computer:
Do not power up a smoke-damaged or burnt computer or device
Do not attempt to clean the hard drive
Keep wet hard drives moist: store the drive in an airtight, sealed plastic bag
Do not remove the drive from a melted computer; send in the entire system
Fire damage is a bittersweet example of how important it is to back up valuable data and store the backed up data in a separate location.
What's New at Drive Savers? iPhone Data Recovery
08 December 2007 00:09 Filed in: Tech News
iPhone - Data Recovery
Time Magazine named it the "Invention of the Year." It is the communication tool, camera, music player and data storage device of the future. It is technologically smart, sexy and the "gotta have it" device of today. You guessed it-it's the iPhone! And like all digital storage devices in the world today, it can store irreplaceable data and lose it too.
"The iPhone has revolutionized mobile phones to the extent that users want to store as much data as possible on them," said Scott Gaidano, president of DriveSavers Data Recovery. "iPhones can go anywhere, capturing precious moments on digital photos, gathering new contacts and downloading music. If the data is lost before it is backed up, then DriveSavers is the best option for getting data back."
The storage built into these devices is memory-based which uses less power, runs silently and is more resistant to shock than a hard drive. However, this technology can also be compromised by user error, mismanagement and failure. Already this year, we have done recoveries on a number of iPhones that lost data as a result of deleted files to crashed file systems to one being dropped in the ocean.
Any device that stores data can also lose data. You need to sync/back-up their iPhone regularly, just as you would with any storage media.
Time Magazine named it the "Invention of the Year." It is the communication tool, camera, music player and data storage device of the future. It is technologically smart, sexy and the "gotta have it" device of today. You guessed it-it's the iPhone! And like all digital storage devices in the world today, it can store irreplaceable data and lose it too.
"The iPhone has revolutionized mobile phones to the extent that users want to store as much data as possible on them," said Scott Gaidano, president of DriveSavers Data Recovery. "iPhones can go anywhere, capturing precious moments on digital photos, gathering new contacts and downloading music. If the data is lost before it is backed up, then DriveSavers is the best option for getting data back."
The storage built into these devices is memory-based which uses less power, runs silently and is more resistant to shock than a hard drive. However, this technology can also be compromised by user error, mismanagement and failure. Already this year, we have done recoveries on a number of iPhones that lost data as a result of deleted files to crashed file systems to one being dropped in the ocean.
Any device that stores data can also lose data. You need to sync/back-up their iPhone regularly, just as you would with any storage media.
Disk-aster of the Month
08 November 2007 18:38 Filed in: Tech News
Frampton Comes Alive—Again
A "directory recovery" is the most common and best quality recovery that DriveSavers can produce. However, when a user has deleted files/folders, initialized or formatted a drive or, for an unknown reason, has missing documents; the data may have to be returned in a "generic" format.
If the original directory pointers (technically referred to as the "catalog and extent tree leaf nodes") are lost or overwritten, a generic recovery is a likely probability, although a directory recovery may still be possible. The directory functions like a book's table of contents, locating and accessing files stored randomly across the platters.
DriveSavers engineers have developed highly customized utilities that allow them to recover data in spite of damaged file directories. Working at the sector level, they can define and decipher hex code "headers", organize the data by file type (Word, Excel, Photoshop, etc.) and verify that the recovered files are complete and undamaged. The customer would then open and rename each file after the data is returned.
On a recent recovery performed for music legend Peter Frampton, all of Peter's files were retrieved devoid of their original titles. The artist's hard drive had held 1000 songs recorded with his audio device, a folder with song lyrics and many family vacation photos. With or without names, most of the data was one-of-a-kind if not irreplaceable. Peter and his family were overjoyed to have the files back.
DriveSavers engineers will not stop until they have tried everything to achieve a perfect directory recovery. But, if the directory structure is impossible to recover, we can still give the customer generic results. And like Peter, most customers are thrilled to get back any of their lost data, even if it means renaming the files themselves.
A "directory recovery" is the most common and best quality recovery that DriveSavers can produce. However, when a user has deleted files/folders, initialized or formatted a drive or, for an unknown reason, has missing documents; the data may have to be returned in a "generic" format.
If the original directory pointers (technically referred to as the "catalog and extent tree leaf nodes") are lost or overwritten, a generic recovery is a likely probability, although a directory recovery may still be possible. The directory functions like a book's table of contents, locating and accessing files stored randomly across the platters.
DriveSavers engineers have developed highly customized utilities that allow them to recover data in spite of damaged file directories. Working at the sector level, they can define and decipher hex code "headers", organize the data by file type (Word, Excel, Photoshop, etc.) and verify that the recovered files are complete and undamaged. The customer would then open and rename each file after the data is returned.
On a recent recovery performed for music legend Peter Frampton, all of Peter's files were retrieved devoid of their original titles. The artist's hard drive had held 1000 songs recorded with his audio device, a folder with song lyrics and many family vacation photos. With or without names, most of the data was one-of-a-kind if not irreplaceable. Peter and his family were overjoyed to have the files back.
DriveSavers engineers will not stop until they have tried everything to achieve a perfect directory recovery. But, if the directory structure is impossible to recover, we can still give the customer generic results. And like Peter, most customers are thrilled to get back any of their lost data, even if it means renaming the files themselves.
Migrating Recovered Data
08 November 2007 18:36 Filed in: Tech Tips
When DriveSavers completes a recovery, the recovered data is returned on a new hard drive, DVD or other media. If the drive was physically damaged or malfunctioning, it is probably unreliable and you may need to purchase another one. If it is in warranty, you can then send the recovered drive back to the vendor for replacement once the recovery is completed. DriveSavers is authorized to open all drives without voiding the warranty.
DriveSavers recovers everything from the failed media (including applications, operating systems and data files), but our engineers only verify the integrity and quality of the data files. Copying the files over to a new drive may not complete the process; the user may need to take some time to restore settings and reinstall applications to insure that everything functions properly. In some cases these preferences and settings can be imported.
Additionally, there are some other solutions that can help a customer return to pre-failure state. Current operating systems have software to assist the user with this process. Utility software that automates the task is also available for purchase, as are USB "data transfer" cables that can help with a data import.
Most importantly, always make and verify a backup if you need to move data for any reason.
DriveSavers recovers everything from the failed media (including applications, operating systems and data files), but our engineers only verify the integrity and quality of the data files. Copying the files over to a new drive may not complete the process; the user may need to take some time to restore settings and reinstall applications to insure that everything functions properly. In some cases these preferences and settings can be imported.
Additionally, there are some other solutions that can help a customer return to pre-failure state. Current operating systems have software to assist the user with this process. Utility software that automates the task is also available for purchase, as are USB "data transfer" cables that can help with a data import.
Most importantly, always make and verify a backup if you need to move data for any reason.
What's New with DriveSavers
04 September 2007 18:51 Filed in: Tech News
Magnetic Avalanche
When a consumer buys a new high capacity, top of the line hard drive, one of the first things they think is, "Wow, I have tons of space...and it's screaming fast too!" The last thing on the happy purchaser's mind is not about how it works. After all, it is quite complicated and best left to those who develop and build drives.
Scientists have found that these rapidly-spinning drives could potentially be vulnerable to a "magnetic avalanche." In basic terms, this would be the result of electrons spinning so fast that they cause their neighboring atom's electrons to "flip bits" and thus, cause corruption.
Disk drive manufacturers have been creating new designs and using new materials to prevent magnetic avalanches from occurring. During the manufacturing process, they use an effect known as "damping" which is the process of quieting the drive down or reducing its vibration by making sure that spinning parts spin continuously at the correct rate and stabilizing the magnetism inside a drive.
The reality of having a drive suffer from this condition is slim, as it is ideally resolved during manufacturing. If, however, one did slip through the cracks and suffered a failure like this, it is unclear if the data would be recoverable.
There is nothing you can do to prevent a magnetic avalanche, and there is no way to tell if you this is the issue you are experiencing. Our advice-if you are going to sell a "screaming fast, super large drive", perhaps sell two. And teach your customer how to back up on the second one!
When a consumer buys a new high capacity, top of the line hard drive, one of the first things they think is, "Wow, I have tons of space...and it's screaming fast too!" The last thing on the happy purchaser's mind is not about how it works. After all, it is quite complicated and best left to those who develop and build drives.
Scientists have found that these rapidly-spinning drives could potentially be vulnerable to a "magnetic avalanche." In basic terms, this would be the result of electrons spinning so fast that they cause their neighboring atom's electrons to "flip bits" and thus, cause corruption.
Disk drive manufacturers have been creating new designs and using new materials to prevent magnetic avalanches from occurring. During the manufacturing process, they use an effect known as "damping" which is the process of quieting the drive down or reducing its vibration by making sure that spinning parts spin continuously at the correct rate and stabilizing the magnetism inside a drive.
The reality of having a drive suffer from this condition is slim, as it is ideally resolved during manufacturing. If, however, one did slip through the cracks and suffered a failure like this, it is unclear if the data would be recoverable.
There is nothing you can do to prevent a magnetic avalanche, and there is no way to tell if you this is the issue you are experiencing. Our advice-if you are going to sell a "screaming fast, super large drive", perhaps sell two. And teach your customer how to back up on the second one!
DriveSavers Tip of the Month
04 September 2007 18:49 Filed in: Tech Tips
Easy to Use . . . . . . Easy to Lose
Who doesn't have a USB "thumb" or "key" drive these days? They are easy to use, great for data backup, relatively inexpensive and can be purchased almost anywhere. They even come in designer colors! Did we mention they are easy to lose? Data that is.
The reason these devices mount on any computer is that most are formatted with the FAT32 file system. This is the most common and compatible file system today. However, it is not the most stable.
Just like any storage device, USB drives can fail if not cared for properly. It is common for users to cause corruption by unplug them without dismounting them first. They can also have physical issues. They can be forgotten in pockets and end up in the wash-or worse-in the dryer full of static electricity.
DriveSavers recovers data anywhere from these little USB "thumb" drives to micro drives on up to massive 2TB desktop drives.
Make sure to follow the correct procedure to dismount your USB device. Treat it with care. In the event that you do lose data or can't access the device. . . give us a call.
Who doesn't have a USB "thumb" or "key" drive these days? They are easy to use, great for data backup, relatively inexpensive and can be purchased almost anywhere. They even come in designer colors! Did we mention they are easy to lose? Data that is.
The reason these devices mount on any computer is that most are formatted with the FAT32 file system. This is the most common and compatible file system today. However, it is not the most stable.
Just like any storage device, USB drives can fail if not cared for properly. It is common for users to cause corruption by unplug them without dismounting them first. They can also have physical issues. They can be forgotten in pockets and end up in the wash-or worse-in the dryer full of static electricity.
DriveSavers recovers data anywhere from these little USB "thumb" drives to micro drives on up to massive 2TB desktop drives.
Make sure to follow the correct procedure to dismount your USB device. Treat it with care. In the event that you do lose data or can't access the device. . . give us a call.
Disk-aster of the Month
04 September 2007 18:47 Filed in: Tech News
The Doctor Can Help You Now
Corinne Cox is the office manager for Family Doctors of Vicksburg, MI, a 20-person medical facility. Like all things mechanical, her hard drive gave up the ghost one day, taking with it vital financial records including patient billing and payroll.
Corinne remained calm because she personally had a daily backup procedure in place. Every day at 5 PM, she would pull the backup tape and store it offsite for additional security and protection. When her IT people checked the backup system, they found that the server was corrupted and had not been making a back up of their system for several months. The reality began to sink in-without this data, she wouldn't be able to pay co-workers and doctors or invoice the patients.
"Our entire practice was unable to function without our data, I literally felt physically ill", says Corinne. Like many of the drives that come to DriveSavers, this specific drive suffered from media damage and required the heads and actuator assembly to be replaced through extensive microsurgery in an effort to temporarily repair the drive.
Three days later, the Family Doctors office received its data and was back in business. Of the experience Corinne shared, "The stress of losing this data was devastating. I hope other people will learn from my experience that even though you think you're backing up, it's important check and confirm that everything's working as it should."
Corinne Cox is the office manager for Family Doctors of Vicksburg, MI, a 20-person medical facility. Like all things mechanical, her hard drive gave up the ghost one day, taking with it vital financial records including patient billing and payroll.
Corinne remained calm because she personally had a daily backup procedure in place. Every day at 5 PM, she would pull the backup tape and store it offsite for additional security and protection. When her IT people checked the backup system, they found that the server was corrupted and had not been making a back up of their system for several months. The reality began to sink in-without this data, she wouldn't be able to pay co-workers and doctors or invoice the patients.
"Our entire practice was unable to function without our data, I literally felt physically ill", says Corinne. Like many of the drives that come to DriveSavers, this specific drive suffered from media damage and required the heads and actuator assembly to be replaced through extensive microsurgery in an effort to temporarily repair the drive.
Three days later, the Family Doctors office received its data and was back in business. Of the experience Corinne shared, "The stress of losing this data was devastating. I hope other people will learn from my experience that even though you think you're backing up, it's important check and confirm that everything's working as it should."
Cadco Systems partners with Drive Savers
09 April 2007 12:31 Filed in: Announcement
Cadco Systems, Inc. partnered with Drive Savers Inc. to deliver state of the art data recovery services. To receive special discounts for their services, please reference the following number: DS18016
For more details about Drive Savers, go to our Data Recovery page.
For more details about Drive Savers, go to our Data Recovery page.