How To Prevent Data Loss When Your Computer Won’t Boot.

We would all like to think that we are immune to a system failure and that our trusty computers will just keep on going without a hint of a problem. Sadly regardless of whether you’re are a home or business user, systems are prone to boot up failures and these often result in unexpected data loss of varying degrees.

Knowing how to deal with the potential for data loss is what separates those who have been there from those who are yet to experience it. So what kind of scenarios are we talking about here and what are we looking for?

Computer starts up but never reaches the login window: When this happens there are a number of potential problems that can be to blame, these range from hardware issues relating to the hard disk drive, down to driver incompatibility or the loss of important system files. Sometimes the problem can be resolved by booting up in Safe Mode, however, not always.

Your computer loses its zing and starts to feel very jaded and slow: This could be the result of hard drive fragmentation which can be rectified, or could be a more serious operating system problem. The potential for data loss is possible in both scenarios and the most serious operating system problems are best dealt with by doing a totally clean OS install.

Pc virus, malware and spyware: Pc virus and other, malevolent applications can cause untold data loss and problems if not handled in the correct manner from the outset. Boot sector viruses and others will first start to be noticeable when you Pc starts behaving strangely so be on your guard.

So we come back to how we handle a problem when it arises. How do we prevent data loss when we inevitably have to reinstall our current operating system or upgrade to a new one?

The Key, wherever possible, and where there is no hard disk drive fault requiring professional data recovery services is simple: Backup! Sounds simple enough if the drive is working fine, but not enough people do it.

External hard drives can be purchased in most computer shops now days and a quick search online for online backup will also give you a number of remote back up options.

So what can you do if the worst has happened to you? One simple technique that has helped thousands of people recover data that would otherwise be at risk due to the unpredictability of the reinstall process is to use a USB caddy and hook the drive in question up to a fully working, (and fully protected) machine.

You can find more great advice on data recovery and in particular for businesses raid data recovery here.


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