DIY vs Professional Data Recovery

by: jameswalsh
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Word Count: 791

Companies use information technology to execute a variety of tasks, streamline and automate processes as well as design and deliver new products faster to the market. Individuals use digital cameras to take digital pictures and computers to run a variety of software programmes.

The digital devices in their routine operations generate data which gets stored on a range of storage devices such as optical disks, floppy drives, hard disks and USB flash drives, depending on user preference. However, digital data by its very nature is unstable and usually exists as patterns on a magnetic surface or an electric charge in flash drives. For many reasons, it can instantly disappear, leaving the users shell-shocked. When such data loss happens, it can be inconvenient at best and an absolute catastrophe at worst that may sink the user’s business.

When you don’t have a data backup and the data goes missing from your computer or laptop, recovering the data is the only alternative left if you really want it back at any cost. There are two ways this can be done. Either you can use a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) data recovery software or get it recovered by a professional recovery company.

DIY Recovery Software

There are days when you may lose a data file due to a number of reasons. You may delete it accidentally and purge it from the recycle bin; there may be a virus attack on your computer or you many reformat the hard disk, making the data invisible. How do you get your data back instantly and cheaply?

The best option is to go for a shrink-wrapped data-recovery software. A quick search on the Internet will reveal dozens of companies selling these packages -- all sporting impressive features. You can pay online by credit card and get the CD delivered to your home. Alternatively, you can just download the software directly onto your hard disk.

A major benefit of the DIY software packages is that these are quite cheap and easily affordable by even a college student. They are also user-friendly and simple to use with an intuitive interface. There is a help file and the commands are quite easy to follow. Despite their low price, they offer phenomenal functionality and can recover data from all possible scenarios that a typical individual user may get to face.

The best advantage of the DIY software is that you can recover your file sitting in the comfort of your home. There is no time wastage in taking the device to a recovery company and waiting for a week or even more until you get the data back in your hands. DIY software can recover your data at a fraction of the cost charged by the professional recovery companies.

Trying to recover data on your own by using a ready-to-use software has one major drawback, however. All such software carry out some changes to the hard drive during the recovery process. There is a danger that the file you are looking for may get overwritten by another set of data. In such cases, the situation worsens considerably since overwriting is the surest way of destroying data.

Professional Data Recovery

There are times when businesses may experience a data disaster. This can happen due to a variety of reasons. The hard disk may crash, there may be a power surge that fries computer circuits, data file structures may get corrupted or accidentally deleted, or the entire office premises may be visited by a devastating fire, flood or earthquake that destroys all computers.

This can be a very serious situation as no business can function without its data. Such data may include crucial information like engineering drawings, R&D results, intellectual property, customer databases, records of financial transactions, etc. When the data loss is severe or on a large scale and you absolutely must get your files back, calling in the experts is the only solution.

Professional companies have a trained and experienced team of technicians that can tackle most data-recovery challenges. They are backed by specialized hardware and software to extract data from destroyed hard disks and other devices.

Most such companies have a clean room where hard drives and other dust-sensitive devices can be safely opened for repair and then closed again for delivery to the customer. If a professional recovery company cannot get your data back, no one can. Such companies analyse your damaged device for free and give an estimate as to the cost of recovering the files you want. What is more, they only charge for the files they are able to recover! Can things get any better that that?

The only drawback is that professional data recovery comes out to be quite expensive. But if the data is crucial to the survival of your business, their services are well worth the charges.

About the Author

James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you are concerned about data loss and would like more information on Data Recovery see http://www.fields-data-recovery.co.uk

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