The Most Common Causes of Data Loss

Internet and electronic data rule our lives, as do various other technological devices such as hard drives, USB drives, and flash memory. People these days are creating data at a very fast pace. While storing data electronically has surely made our lives simpler, it has also posed a huge risk to the security of our valuable data. Data loss incidents are very common and 99% of the companies have already faced one or more severe data loss incidents.

Data Loss: The Reality of Our Times

Data loss can happen to anyone at any point in time. Our computers and other data storage devices are not as reliable as we would like them to be. Just as any other piece of electronic equipment, they can fail at any time, taking away our precious data with them. Data can suddenly become inaccessible and this can lead to business downtime, loss of time and money, and loss of business reputation. While you can do your bit to protect your data by backing up your data regularly, you cannot prevent data loss incidents entirely.

Top Causes of Data Loss

There are primarily three reasons for data loss for an average computer user. We have discussed these causes in detail below:

Hardware Errors

Hardware errors can be very serious in nature because they are likely to damage the hard disk of your computer. According to recent studies, hardware errors are responsible for as many as 44% of the data loss incidents. In addition, research has also proved that since the users are increasingly storing large amounts of data on their hard drives, the possibility of a hard drive crash has increased significantly. Hardware errors can occur due to any problem with the hard disk or some internal component of the computer such as circuit board or controller board. We will discuss the various types of hardware errors in detail in the following section.

• Mechanical failures can cause problems with the read and write head of the hard disk. Hard disks are extremely fragile and have a complicated internal working mechanism. Any disruption in the normal working mechanism can lead to read/ write head failure. Problems can also arise in the motor of the hard disk because of mechanical failures. Head crashes are the most common form of mechanical failure. A head crash occurs when the read and write head of the hard disk touches the platters of the hard disk. Power surges or physical shocks to the hard disk can also cause damage to the hard disk leading to data loss.

• Electrical failures also result in hardware errors because these types of failures affect the controller board of the hard disk. The most common reason for electrical failures is power surges or spikes. Power fluctuations harm the controller board of the hard disk thereby making it inaccessible to the BIOS of the system. This results in data loss.

Logical Errors

Logical errors can cause data loss. However, when a logical error occurs, there is nothing physically wrong with the hard disk or any other hardware component. Logical errors can occur due to various reasons.

There are times when the software embedded in the system fails to respond to certain complex commands because of a conflict between the software and the hardware. When such a software error occurs, the computer or the program crashes before the user can save any data. Logical errors can also occur due to corrupted file system structure. A corrupted file system structure can lead to data loss.

Operating System Failure

Operating system failure is one of the most common reasons for data loss for an average computer user. Virus attacks are very common these days and these virus attacks are the most common cause of operating system failures. Sometimes, critical operating system components get deleted. This too can cause data loss. If the operating system is located on the same drive that has encountered a hard disk failure, the operating system will not boot. In such cases, the system will not be able to locate the operating system.

How to Prevent Data Loss?

• The best way to prevent data loss due to hardware failures is to make sure that you use a surge protector at all times.

• Desktops should never be moved from one place to another while they are still powered on.

• Laptops are extremely fragile and should never be dropped or mishandled in any way because this can have a direct impact on the hard disk.

• Make sure you use good anti-virus software to protect your data from malicious virus attacks.

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