How often should you backup data? Can fire or water actually destroy a hard drive? Should you buy recovery software in case you lose data? Bill Margeson of CBL Data Recovery Services separates the fact from the fiction to give you the straight-up goods.
Digital Journal — Backing up is boring. You do it at 2 a.m. and you forget about it, hoping the process takes care of itself. As exciting as flossing, data back-up can also be regarded as different kind of hygiene, one that is rarely on the priority list of many casual PC users. What is often forgotten is how integral this action is to computer care and overall peace of mind.
Digital Journal learned a lot about data recovery recently, and we also realized how misunderstood data back-up can be to everyday users. We’ve worked closely with Bill Margeson, president of CBL Data Recovery Technologies, to root out various hard-drive problems, and we’ve invited him to offer advice and expertise to our readership in an ongoing series we’re titling “Secure Computing.”
Today, we feature Margeson dispelling the top five myths about backing up your PC. These are tips you definitely want to bookmark:
Myth: The Blue Screen of Death Has Killed My Data
So your PC twitches, and suddenly your monitor has been sickened with a sea of blue. To many easily frightened PC users, this means death.
Not at all, says Margeson. “It just means your Windows has a glitch,” he points out. Simply take your Windows restore disk and complete any kind of repairs as outlined. “Follow the instructions on the blue screen, and you’ll soon be back in business with only a minor inconvenience,” Margeson says. The data is still on the drive when the blue screen hits, so it’s only Windows that needs to be fixed.
“I heard years ago that Windows 2000 had three million lines of code,” Margeson remembers. “And the blue screen of death just means one of those lines of code went wonky.”
Myth: I Don’t Need to Back Up Often
“The best back-up strategy only works when you apply it right,” Margeson says. Let’s say you complete a threat-risk assessment to determine what back-up strategy works right now, Margeson says. And you come up with a solution that best suits your needs. Then, in three months when the IT department upgrades the CPU or other hardware, you have to change your back-up tactic.
“Sure, backing up is boring, and it’s supposedly done magically late at night,” Margeson says. “But you have to check that it’s actually working.” It’s important to click on an option to verify the back-up has been completed. “This doubles the time to back up, so most people don’t like this option,” Margeson notes.
As for frequency, Margeson recommends backing up monthly, at least. A graphic artist with large files, though, may want to back up weekly, and people using point-of-purchase sales systems may want to back up daily, Margeson points out.
Either way, Margeson imparts a simple message: Back that thang up.
Myth: Good Software Fixes Anything
Margeson relates the common problem of a hard-drive sounding its own death knell. “When you hear a click-click sound, that means you should surrender and power down,” Margeson suggests. Many people think otherwise, and purchase data-recovery software they believe will save the day.
“These PC users force the disk drive to work extra hard by installing software, when really they should be using their ear to source the problem.” Margeson says when the click-click sound turns into a steady metronome beat, “that means there’s a big problem, and no software can save you from a head crash.”
Margeson adds an intriguing stat: Close to 70 per cent of projects CBL sees relate to a physical computer issue.
Myth: Fire and Water Destroys Computers Beyond Repair
Perhaps you didn’t face a major flood, but a personal one: You spilled water on your keyboard. “Don’t play with the computer, don’t power it up,” Margeson warns. Disk drives are not sealed and water can migrate to those integral areas. Water is dangerous because it can migrate dust and residue to sensitive technical components, disrupting the tiny electronic components in a computer.
He advises to let the computer dry out naturally or, with a laptop, upturn the unit and shake off any visible wetness.
Turning to fire damage, Margeson says it’s not the end of the world. “As long as the platter is OK, you’re fine,” he notes, referring to a location where the magnetic signal is written. “If we can recover enough of this, we can get the data.”
Looks can be deceiving after a fiery blaze. Melted plastic, busted monitors and fried outer shells doesn’t mean the data inside is destroyed. “I’ve seen drives where the electronics are totally charred but the platter survived,” Margeson recalls.
Myth: Technology is Built to Last
When drives reach two years old, they start to fail. Margeson found out that little tidbit during his 12 years at CBL, realizing the old phrase “planned obsolescence” applies in the PC business.
What he and his data-recovery crew have discovered is that most hardware has been designed to not be repaired. By using pressed-fit components in computers, Margeson says, the hardware can’t be replaced as easily as the screwed-on components of yesteryear. “Sure, you could repair a motherboard but it’s no longer cost-effective,” he says.
Margeson’s tips should put you in the right frame of mind to think seriously about the data clogging your hard drive. Backing up shouldn’t be a chore, no matter what kind of PC user you are. And like dental hygiene, it should be a priority in case you’re faced with a disease — or virus — when you least expect it.
