Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter
Data loss is one of the most common issues faced by computer users these days.
And as you an imagine, the loss of critical and irreplaceable data can be catastrophic.
For this reason, it’s very important to keep your data as safe and well-protected as possible.
Many factors can contribute to data loss, and I will highlight the main ones in this post. I’ll also offer some tips for protecting your precious data from catastrophic loss.
Here’s a quick rundown of the most common reasons for data loss:
1- Accidentally deleting files that you did not intend to delete
One of the most common ways to lose data is to accidentally delete a file or folder that has not been preserved in a backup.
Accidentally deleting files is a common mistake that almost everyone makes on occasion.
Often while intending to complete our work quickly, we end up simply deleting the wrong files or extra files that we had no intention of deleting. This has become such a common problem that many folks have simply come to expect it.
Luckily, it’s easy to fix the accidental data loss problem by always keeping your data backed up, remaining focused while working with your important files and investing the proper time to make sure that everything is done correctly.
2 – Software crashes
Another main cause of data loss is a random software crash.
According to the statistics, about 13% of all instanced of data loss causes caused by software crashes and glitches.
Hard drive data recovery company experts categorize the main causes of software-caused data corruption as follows:
● Backup software – The process of backing up files is not always smooth and uninterrupted. Sometimes errors may occur that result in a corrupted backup set.
● File editors – File corruption is also caused by crashes and glitches while working with file editing software.
What’s more, saving files in bulk may also lead to data loss when some of the files are updated successfully while others get damaged.
● Antivirus software – Antivirus programs may occasionally delete important files after flagging them to as malware.
This is known in the antivirus business as a “false positive”, and it happens more often than you might think.
● File format converters – While changing file formats, errors can occur that render the file unusable.
Here are a few tips for preventing data loss due to software crashing:
● Be careful while backing up your data.
● Create a copy of your file before editing it or changing its format.
● Give limited access to antivirus programs that you install in your device.
3 – Hard drive failure
The most common reason for loss of data by far is a hard drive failure.
According to statistics, about 140,000 hard drives crash every week. Sixty percent of those crashes are due to mechanical issues while 40 percent care caused by human error.
One common reason for hard drive failure is excessive heat build-up inside the computer. This heat build-up is often caused by allowing dust to gather inside the machine.
Another thing to remember that hard drives are machines, and as such they’re susceptible to failure just from typical use over time.
Here are a few tips for preventing data loss due to a hard drive failure:
● If the hard drive frequently crashes, replace it.
● Monitor your computer for excessive heat build-up and take steps to fix whatever is causing the problem.
● If your hard drive faces issues or starts making a clicking sound while booting up the machine you should replace the drive ASAP.
● Check your hard drive if your computer runs slowly with the drive making odd noises.
4 – Natural disasters
The most uncontrollable causes of data loss are natural disasters.
Floods, brownouts, fires, earthquakes and other disasters happen on a regular basis, and we have no control over any of them.
Luckily, just 3 percent of all data loss is due to natural disasters. But this does not mean that we should not take this threat seriously.
What’s more, it’s easy to prevent losing important data because of a natural disaster by making sure to keep your important data backed up ff-site using iCloud, Google Drive or some other type of cloud-based backup service.
5 – Viruses, ransomware, and other forms of malware
● Malware – The most frustrating reason for data loss is a malware attack.
Unfortunately, malware is a constantly evolving threat that never goes away.
Every day anti-malware systems work to keep viruses, suspicious attachments, bad websites, adware, hijackers, and other such things from harming your computer.
The problem is the threat never ends. If anything, it’s growing by the day.
● Ransomware – This insidious attack is one of the biggest causes of data loss these days.
According to statistics, on average, a ransomware attack takes place every 40 seconds, resulting in businesses large and small losing their data.
● Viruses – A single virus can damage or destroy your important business files and corrupt your essential software programs, ultimately resulting in massive data loss.
You can prevent data loss due to viruses, ransomware, and other malware by making sure you have good antivirus and anti-malware software installed on your machine and keeping them updated with the latest virus and malware definition updates.
Conclusion
The major issues that lead to loss of critical data have been discussed in detail in this article as well as steps you can take to prevent it from occurring.
If you only take away two things from this post, remember these:
1 – ALWAYS keep your data backed up. And if at all possible, keep a copies of your backups off-site.
2 – Always be diligent at keeping malware off of your machine.
I hope this is a help to you. Good luck!