Data Recovery Digest

External hard drives are becoming more affordable everyday and are often used by consumers when the main, internal drive has run out of storage space. External drives also offer the luxury of portability, meaning that you can plug it into another computer and instantly have access to all the data. However, all that data is far more vulnerable since it isn't secured inside a computer case. Mechanical and logical failures typically occur with greater frequency with external drives. Carelessness when handling or unsuitable storage are additional problems to think about that you wouldn't usually have to with an internal drive. You should make sure your external hard drive is stably secured and kept out of sunlight. Also, be careful not to knock the drive from heights or spill liquids onto it.
A major tell-tale sign that your drive has mechanically failed is a clicking noise being emitted, which means that the read/write head is damaged. A buzzing noise often means that the spindle is seized, a symptom typical of a drive that has been knocked over. Overheating of the drive can cause it to become unrecognisable by the BIOS, with recovery variable depending on the damage to the magnetic platters. Recovering data from an external drive from a mechanical fault at home isn't recommended. You should hand the drive over to a professional recovery company who will have the right tools to help get your data back.
If you remove the drive during a file transfer or when data is being accessed then it can cause a logical failure. If something like this has happened to you then it is easier—and more affordable—to attempt to get your data back on your own. Whether mechanical or logical, the first thing you should do is stop using the drive immediately. Any further actions could cause more damage to the drive’s components and risk permanently removing the files you want to recover. If possible, create an image of the drive so that whatever action you take from this point on can be reversed. Then, mount the drive as read only to avoid accidentally overwriting anything.
You should next try to recover your data by using suitable programs, like R-Studio, Asoftech or {{http://www.easeus.com/datarecovery/|EaseUS}}. They are all different, so be sure to choose one that looks like the most user friendly for you. You should then follow the steps that the program presents. Don’t give up hope if one of the programs doesn’t turn up the data you need, because results can vary. Be sure not to back up any recovered data to the same external hard drive as this can cause further complications.

You can save yourself a lot of hassle and money by remembering to constantly back up your data. The cost of having to get your external hard drive repaired by professionals far exceeds simply buying a replacement. Remember that mechanical failures should always be dealt with by data recovery companies so that you don’t run the risk of destroying your data permanently. For logical failures, attempt the above procedures before splitting with your cash.