Data recovery is the process of retrieving information and files that have been lost, deleted, damaged, or rendered inaccessible because of a system failure. Losing data, for whatever reason, can be a shocking and frustrating situation, one that can have serious ramifications for your work or personal computer use. Learn a few important facts about data recovery to help you prevent it from happening and how a computer repair professional can help.

A Guide to Data Loss & Recovery

Causes of Data Loss

A loss of data happens for one of two main reasons. In a logical hard drive failure, a user will not be able to access their files from a storage drive because the file references that point to that specific storage area have been lost. This can result from any number of possible causes. Among the most common are emptying a temporary storage folder, an error in the operating system, or corruption of a drive's file system.

A physical failure occurs when the storage drive cannot be detected by the system, even with proper configurations in place. This outcome is usually the product of connectivity problems or damage to the physical components of the computer.

How a Professional Can Help

Computer repair professionals use data recovery software to retrieve lost files. This software scans each piece of storage drive methodically, relying on file signatures to identify the unreferenced data.

The software will produce a list of detected files, which can then be saved to a new storage location. If the data loss is the result of a physical component failure, a computer repair professional will replace the faulty part or troubleshoot connectivity problems.

How to Prevent Data Loss

To avoid data loss, back up your data to an external hard drive. You can do this manually or through the backup software provided with your operating system. On a Mac®, this built-in software is called Time Machine®.

Back up your data regularly. Be sure to keep your computer in a dry, dust-free, and undisturbed area. Install a virus detection software to protect your data, and keep it updated.

If you experience a data loss, Experimax Gilbert is here to help. Serving the Gilbert, AZ, area, they offer computer repair for new and used Apple® devices. They also feature a full inventory of refurbished Apple products, including MacBooks®, iPhones®, and iPads®. Call (480) 534-7596 or visit them online to schedule a repair.