Top Causes of Data Loss

This widespread use of computers has made them common from offices to homes, across the world.

The increased dependence of mankind on computers also means that man is now affected by the ills plaguing the computer systems. This is borne by the impact that a data loss event can have on an individual or company.

Data Loss

Data can be lost on account of misplacing the given media storage device. It may be lost on account of break-up in internet connectivity. Another cause for a possible loss of data may be abrupt disruption in the power supply to the computer system.

However in all the three examples mentioned above, the data is not really lost. It is simply not available at a given point of time. Thus these examples refer to unavailability of data and not to a loss of the same. Data loss is a more permanent phenomenon. It is the abrupt disruption of and unexpected loss of data.

Causes for Data Loss

The data can be lost on account of a variety of causes. As per the statistics gathered in this context, the two major causes for a data loss event are either a failure of the hardware or human error. Combined together these two causes account for nearly seventy five per cent of data loss events.

Another widespread cause is the occurrence of a natural disaster. Even though natural disasters account for a much smaller number of data loss events as compared to the two major causes, nevertheless their impact is also substantial. The major problem with a data loss event owing to natural disasters is that until and unless a back up is stored in an entirely different physical location, it is well nigh impossible to recover from the data loss event.

Hardware Problems: As already stated hardware causes are one of the two major reasons for the loss of data. Though the hardware problems can be several, the most serious of these is a hard disk drive crash.

Hard Disk Drive Crash: A hard disk can be referred to as the physical heart of the computer. All the data of the computer system is stored in a digital format on the hard disk drives. It is a device that is not volatile and is meant for the storage of the data.

The hard disk drive has a spindle as its basic component. This spindle holds the platters, which are flat circular disks. These platters move at amazingly high speeds and they hold all the information on the computer system.

This information gets written on the platters when they rotate past the read and write heads. These read and write heads are those mechanisms that operate very closely above the magnetic surfaces of the platters.

When the read and write heads come in contact with the platters, then they can destroy the magnetic layer which holds the data. This problem can be compounded enormously if the particulate from this action spread to other parts of the disk. This is called a hard disk drive crash.

Human Error: Human error is the other major cause of a data loss event. It may be that while clearing useless material from the computer, one accidentally deletes a useful file also. This file may be removed from the recycle bin of the computer before the reality sets in. This way very important files and programmes can be deleted by mistake. This kind of data loss is said to be on account of human error.

Natural Disaster: As has already been discussed a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, a flood or a tornado or even a volcanic eruption for that matter, can physically destroy the data storage media. This unexpected loss is the most profound as in this case the chances of recovering lost data are even less when compared with other data loss events.

Fire: As with a natural disaster, so with fire. A fire can physically destroy the data storage media. Until and unless appropriate steps have been taken to have a back up plan ready at a distinctly different physical location, as part of the company’s contingency planning, recovering the lost data may well be impossible.

Software Errors: Software errors or logical causes are another reason for the loss of data on many occasions.

Data Recovery Articles: http://www.internetionalmedia.com/Category/Data Recovery/

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 www.fields-data-recovery.co.uk

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