Saturday, November 22, 2008

The Do's And Don'ts Of Data Loss Prevention

By Mike White

We would all like to think that we are immune to a system failure and that our trusty computers will just keep on going without a hint of a problem. Sadly regardless of whether you're are a home or business user, systems are prone to boot up failures and these often result in unexpected data loss of varying degrees.

Knowing how to deal with the potential for data loss is what separates those who have been there from those who are yet to experience it. So what kind of scenarios are we talking about here and what are we looking 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.

Pc virus, malware and spyware: Pc virus and other, malevolent applications can cause untold data loss and problems if not handled in the correct manner from the outset. Boot sector viruses and others will first start to be noticeable when you Pc starts behaving strangely so be on your guard.

So we come back to how we handle a problem when it arises. How do we prevent data loss when we inevitably have to reinstall our current operating system or upgrade to a new one?

The answer to preventing data loss is incredibly simple: backup, backup, backup. You would however be simply amazed at how many computer users at home or work fail to follow this simple protocol when backup today is so simple.

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.

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