Recovering Data From Failed Seagate 7200.11 Hard Drives
Seagate have admitted there is a firmware problem in the new 7200.11 series of hard drives and have already issued a firmware fix. The problem stems from a memory bug where the cache size is not reported correctly.
If you are lucky enough to have found this out before your hard disk has failed, then get onto the Seagate website and download firmware update (if it is appropriate), or search for ‘Seagate 7200.11 firmware update’ on Google.
According to the manufacturer, the problem affects the following drives..
500 GB : ST3500320AS
750 GB : ST3750330AS
1000 GB : ST31000340AS
Reports on the Seagate forum indicate that there may be a similar problem with the 1.5 TB version of the drive.
If your hard disk has failed, then you will need a data recovery company, such as MjM Data Recovery Ltd in the UK who, at the time of writing, are one of only a handful of companies in the world that are able to repair the drives in order to recover the data. A link to MjM is provided above.
Other problems that have been reported with 7200.11 drives are..
1. The drive hangs during start up or;
2. The drive reports as 0 MB.
MjM Data Recovery can also recover data from all other manufacturers of hard disk and other storage equipment and are usually the first company able to recover when new problems arise.
They were also first when there were problems with the translator in Seagate SCSI drives and (according to their website) repair these drives for customers all over the world.
Making Sure You’ve Got Your Most Valuable Asset Protected
If you work in another industry, you might consider your inventory your most valuable asset and so you might need to physically walk through a warehouse and count things. Well, that’s no different when you work on the Internet except for the fact that you’re most valuable asset in a lot of cases here is the information that’s stored on your computer. However you’ll still want to know where it is and you’ll want to be able to get to it at a moment’s notice.
The modern business man needs to be aware that there are a new set of issues that go along with working on the Web and the first of these is data security. There are no padlocks at the gate of a computer so you need to find another way to make sure that the information that you’ve got is safe and the best way that you can do that is to get the right online backup service.
The best of these will be able to provide a variety of functions that include:
* Account and File sharing
* Remote File Access
* Easy File Restoration
When you find a firm on the Web that can supply you with all of these features you know that your business will be secure. However, there is one final feature that will cement the deal and that has everything to do with the kind of security that the system you’re looking at has. There are a few things that you really need to make sure that the company you’re considering has and at the top of that list are the right Firewall technology.
Remember that it’s one thing not to trust the security that you have in place for your own system, but not being able to have confidence in the data security you’re paying to use the services of is unforgivable. For that reason you’ll want to make sure that a top name like Cisco comes up when you’re looking at the Firewall technology that’s being offered. You can trust names like this since they have been one of the leaders in Network Security for years now.
Dan Dugal is the CEO of Remote Data Backups, a successful date protection company with hundreds of satisfied customers. You can see all of RDB’s data security options at
http://remotedatabackups.com
Have You Protected Yourself From Potential Data Loss
There are many potential causes of data loss for all computer users ranging from the casual home user who just does a bit of occasional surfing and the odd bit of Photoshop, too the computer super users and computer aided design experts. Typically data loss can occur when a computer starts to experience boot up problems.
If you have been here before then at least you will have a vague or depending on your experience a deeper level of knowledge here, but for many potential data loss scenarios are a new computing horror to overcome, so what typically should we be looking out for?
Computer is working but simply won’t boot up properly: Often this can be overcome by starting your computer in safe mode if you know how, and going from there. But this will not always help as you may be suffering from a software issue or conflict or even possible a hardware issue such as a failing hard disk drive.
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.
Virus or Malware infection: Computer viruses and other Malware applications, if not properly handled from the start, will inevitably lead to situations whereby a full reinstall is the only option to truly remove all trace of the malicious software from the system.
So what are the options here once the problem has arrived, and how can we avoid any form of data loss when in a lot of circumstances the only answer is to wipe our system and start from fresh?
The best way to avoid data loss in the first place is to follow a simple protocol. Backup your important data on a regular basis. There is simply no good excuse for not doing this as external drives and online backup centers are readily available to all.
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’s the answer when the data loss monster has knocked at your door? Well if you truly cannot afford to lose data, take out the hard drive from the machine and replace it with a new device for the reinstall. This leaves you the option of professional help if all else fails.
You can find more great advice on data recovery and in particular for businesses raid data recovery here.
You Know Not, When A Computer Crash Cometh
Backing up your business data files is important.
People who don’t operate a business on their computers also find backing up treasured files a good idea. It would be heartbreaking to loose all your family photos due to a hacker or virus.Since we have started storing our entire lives on our computer it really is a must that we start backing up that data.
Never had to Live through a PC Crash? Consider yourself Lucky.
There is sometimes a chance that you can recover important files after a PC crash, of course then there are others that you just don’t see coming and before you know it everything is gone.Corrupt Files Can Cause Problems AlsoBacking up files will ensure that if you have computer issues you won’t lose any of your important data.
Any computer user would be wise to have a full Windows backup on hand.
You can make a full backup using a piece of Windows backup software.If you have a full backup you’ll be able to simple restore everything on your current hard drive should your whole PC crash.An even wiser idea is to ensure that you have a copy of your whole backup stored away from the location where your computer is in case of a natural disaster or a fire.There are some backup programs such as Acronis which don’t just offer the ability to backup but also the space to store your backup files after their made.
A piece of software such as Acronis True Image is a must have.
For a backup that is imaging your entire hard drive and storing all your files you’ll want to be sure you have storage space that can be accessed any time and is secure enough that your data is safe.You can’t predict when a crash happens, so ensuring you have access to that data backup when you need it can make a nightmare situation go smoother.
Acronis True Image is like the perfect snapshot of every piece of your computer.
Multi Media files can take up a ton of storage space but the Acronis online space allows you even enough to safe keep your videos and music.Read this Acronis True Image Home review, you’ll learn all about the detailed features this program offers and just how much of a headache this software can save you if the time ever comes. Being prepared for an emergency is always wise and your computer is no exception.
Often Bad Things Occur in 3’s
Imagine if your computer system was one of them!Protecting yourself before an episode occurs just makes good sense. Get Acronis and maybe you’ll only have to fix a crumpled fender after you stop that flood in the basement and rush the dog to the vet because she ate another tennis ball whole. Some days it might be best to stay in bed.
Don’t Despair - Memory Stick Repair
The floppy drive has died and the Cd is going the same way as it becomes every more easier to carry around masses of data on USB memory sticks otherwise known as flash memory sticks or pen drives.
Sony patented the term “memory stick” when they came out with a new storage device for their digital cameras and digital files. Original drives were quite small but it was still cutting edge technology, but look where we are today?
It is nothing to have 2,3 or even 4gb of data just sat on the memory stick dangling on the your key ring, but every technology has a down side. Due to there portability even though they are quite robust it is quite common to damage a memory stick even to the point of losing all your data which for many is an absolute disaster.
Fortunately for the unlucky ones (which are more than you would guess) memory stick repair is a viable option so if the worse does happen it shouldn’t be the end of the world, even if your memory stick does contain all your data.
In the worse case scenario a good data recovery company can even retrieve data from a microwaved drive or even one that has be submersed, although there are no guarantees that USB memory stick recovery will work the odds are good so don’t panic if you break your pen drive or memory stick.
