Many a business owner has saved all their data on one central hard drive only to find the evil words ‘unreadable and corrupted’ when they try to open it.
In this moment – if you know you have safely saved your files elsewhere – you won’t have that sinking feeling. For those who have already lost everything, you have my sympathy.
If you have an extreme reaction to the loss of your data (and live in a big city like London), you can grab your devices and run screaming to Prosyn, a local IT company for help. Not only can they salvage data, but they can add safeguards to prevent data loss, too.
For those whose reactions are still quite bad – but don’t live in London, and don’t want a tech company to access their computer remotely – read on for guidance and comfort so you’ll never suffer data loss again.
What’s A Backup?
Backups are saved copies of data you deem important. Backing up has been around since computers were first sold. We originally had floppy disks, which evolved into external hard drive and pen drives. We now have numerous ‘clouds of data’ in the cloud.
Many of us carry phones that come with cloud storage options. Companies like DropBox also exist, which centralise all your files for you in their own cloud storage. Ideally, you’ll have backups in numerous clouds, as well as on a hard drive safely hidden at home.
How Should I Backup My Data?
For many, it’s safer to save sensitive data in the cloud than at home if threats of robbery worry you. On the other hand, some people fear online hackers who could hold their data for ransom or sell it on the dark web.
Trusting professionals to keep your data private and secure is increasingly possible with new legislation on the consumer’s side: think the EU’s Data Protection Act. Companies that specialise in data storage must adhere to ever stricter data laws. For the consumer, this means they can be more optimistic about the storage options available.
Also Read: Why Businesses Should Have Databases
Can My Already Lost Data Be Saved?
Do you know there are programs available that allow a specialist into your computer to access your system files and discover the root of a problem? Given this ease of access to a solution, it’s advisable to get help as soon as you find a problem.
If you take a corrupted hard drive to a specialist, it is possible to fix it. The drive might have a software or hardware issue. When it’s a software issue, it can be repaired. In this case, finding and fixing the problem can be done remotely or in person using programs in DOS.
Software issues can make your drive unreadable and corrupted. When you try to open it, you are not able to continue. It is at this moment that many of us think it wiser to throw away the hard drive, expecting it to be unsalvageable. Fortunately, a professional can enter your device in DOS, find the problem, and solve or delete it.
How Can I Protect My Data From Theft?
Unfortunately, not everyone is as computer literate as they think they are. Consider the numerous tech developments happening daily and the number of ever-changing and improving viruses that can cause files to be corrupted. Something as simple as downloading a video for your child can bring a virus into your pc, which may not be immediately apparent.
Hackers, shareware, and viruses can cause data loss to 1) form part of a ransomware drive or 2) simply be destructive. Hypothetically, if your computer systems were to be locked away from you and hidden behind a paywall (ransomware) or riddled with viruses (that dodgy attachment you innocently opened), you need to decide whether to pay up, or start over.
It’s because of the risks of data theft, in which your livelihood could be at stake, that business-owners are encouraged to ensure their systems are backed up. Keeping a main backup hard drive in a safe at home is one good idea. Allowing a specialist company to keep other backups in their servers is further support against data loss or theft.
Keeping your anti-virus and spyware software updated can help prevent such occurrences, but if you’re unsure how to do so, contacting a reliable computer support team is a wise business move.
Also Read: Best Data Recovery Software for Windows 7
How Can I Always Have Access To My Data?
As more people come of age in our tech-based world and access the internet, uptime is becoming serious issue. Uptime is the time when your systems are operational and connected to the web, with access to all their folders online.
Saving essential documents in local hardware is one way of ensuring you always have access to your information when you need it. If cloud storage is the safest bet for your business, ensure you have a reliable server for moments when uptime is shaky.
Keep Yourself – And Your Data – Safer
Despite the fact children now use electronic devices from toddlerhood, millions of people are still unaware of how to keep themselves – and their businesses – safe online.
When in trouble, don’t try to enter the DOS system yourself if you’ve never done it. Instead, have your files accessed and copied safely by a professional team rather than risk losing your data.
Keeping up to date with tech developments, knowing about the latest scams, and backing up regularly are solid behaviours you can use to improve your own tech sense and avoid data loss. When in doubt, contact an IT support team for help.
Also Read: Essential Trends You Must Follow To Establish And Boost YourBusiness Database
