USB Flash Drive and How to Avoid Data Loss

Technology has changed the way we do a lot of things. Sending of mails for example is one good example. Before, it will take days before mail can reach recipients who are thousand of miles away. But things have changed with the advent of the Internet as emails can be send and will be received in just a matter of seconds.
The way we save and share files has changed too. Back in the days when computer was just a new technology, we use floppy disks that can save only kilobytes of files. Now, we can save thousands of Gigabyte of files in media as small as a thumb that can save up to 256 GB of data and more. This device is what we call USB flash drive.


A USB flash drive is one of the most portable devices used today. It became extremely popular due to the following reasons:

• Portability. Since the device is small, it can easily fit in a pocket or bag so these means, your files goes with you wherever you go.
• Large Capacity. USB devices come in many different sizes from 1 GB, 3 GB, 16 GB, and more which gives the users the freedom to select which USB size fits their needs.
• Robust. USB flash drive are durable and it can be use to rewrite data over a million times.
• Speed. USB flash drive has no moving parts, which makes it a very fast media to write data to.
• Easy to Use. Modern operating systems can readily detect flash drives when plugged into the PC and would not even require installation of drivers or a reboot to access data from the flash drive. It does not also require a separate power supply to operate.

But just like any other media, there is still a tendency for USB device to fail. Here are some of the causes that can lead to corruption of your USB drive:

• Improper disconnection of Flash Drive from the computer. When unplugging flash drive from the computer, it is important to always use the “Safely Remove Hardware” feature to make sure that no system is accessing the flash drive before unplugging it. Unsafely removing USB device from the computer can lead to logical damage of disks, which can corrupt the data stored in it.
• Power Outages. Surge in power while the USB device is being accessed can also cause damage to your flash drive.
• Exposure to extreme temperature. High temperature or high humidity can lead to condensation, which can cause short circuit of the boards.
• Physical damage to the disks. Dropping the flash drive, breaking of the USB connectors, etc can render the flash drive unusable.

Since majority of USB drives now come in large capacities, it can hold thousands of different data from documents, pictures, movies, eBooks and more. Losing this important data can be a big headache, that is why it is important that we take measures so we will be prepared in case of data corruption of our USB flash drive.
Here are a few tips to prevent data loss:

1. Backup your files. Don’t just rely on your USB drive to save your data. Make sure that you backup critical files either to a DVD or a second flash drive. DVDs, external hard disks and USB drives are so affordable now so there is no reason not to get a second one for backup.
2. Keep your computer up to date. Make sure that your computer has the latest antivirus program, patches and software like hp drivers, OS updates and more to make sure that it is protected from any virus, malware, spyware, etc that can corrupt and even erase data stored on your USB drive.
3. Keep your USB device in a safe place. Because of its size, it is very easy to carry a USB device with you wherever you go. Although it is built to be mobile, it is still important that you put it in a safe place like inside a pocket in a bag.
4. Use UPS or power protectors. One of the primary causes of data corruption is power outage so it will help to install UPS and surge protectors to protect your PC and your flash drive from sudden change in electric current.
5. Always disconnect your USB flash drive safely. Never just unplug a USB device after using it. Always disconnect it by following the proper steps on how to safely remove hardware.

USB flash drives is the most preferred media for storage and sharing of data because of its speed, capacity and portability. But make sure that you take good care of your flash drive by following the tips mentioned above to avoid losing your valuable data.

A Server is a Computer That You Can Create at Home

If you happen to have an old computer at home, then you can create a home storage server since a server is a computer.
Most people tend to already have a network installed at home since many use broadband Internet with a router, so it may make sense to make use of an old computer to create a centrally located storage server.
While the old desktop may not become a high performance file server, it can easily be converted to storing your file to help you backup your data.
On top of that, you can also share the data stored on your home file storage server with any computer connected to the network.
Create one or more backup file servers is easy to do, and I’ll touch on how you can go about doing it in this post.

A Server is a Computer Than Can Store Data

As mentioned earlier, the old desktop that you have lying around probably won’t be a high performance file server, but it can easily be more than what you need it to be for simply storing your files.
If you have more than one desktop, then you can also create multiple backup file servers, however; there is a cost to running multiple desktops as servers.
Before you setup an old desktop as a home storage server, there are a few things that you will need. The items are outlined below.

A Server is a Computer That Requires Some Setup

While most desktops will already contain the following items, you may want to go over the list to ensure you have everything.

• Large enough hard drive(s) to store your data. While a server is a computer, it is also a computer that has multiple hard drives running with RAID. In the case of your old desktop, you may want to ensure that you have at least one hard drive installed that is large enough to store your data files. A faster hard drive may help provide a more high performance file server than a slower hard drive.
• Network adapter card. All computers sold today have network adapters installed, so unless you are using a computer that is more than 10-15 years old, there should already be a network adapter card installed. You may also want to upgrade to a gigabit ethernet card if your network supports it for faster transfer rates.
• An Operating System. I had to throw this one in here, even though you probably already have an OS installed. You will need to determine what operating system you will be running and ensure it is installed. If you are familiar with Linux, then install that OS, likewise with Windows and Mac.

The above list provides the basics that you will need installed to create your backup file server. The items below will outline the principals that are needed to setup a computer to act as a server.

A Sever is a Computer that Needs User Permissions

The server will need to be connected to the network in order to be used as a backup file server. This will require some knowledge of both network security and operating systems.
If you are familiar with both, then you can ensure that the following is performed:

• Connect the server to the network. Plugging the server into a router or switch that is connected to your home network will connect the server to your home network. You may even want to assign a static IP address to ensure the IP of the server will always be the same.
• Create the file shares. In order to share data, you should create shares on the server to limit access to specific directories on the server. You can create many shares, with different access levels so you can create different configurations.
• Set up user access levels. Once the shares are setup on the server, the next step is to assign specific user permissions to the shares. You can create users on the server, and then assign those users to groups to help control the access. When someone connects to a share, they can then provide the user ID and password to connect to the share.
• Allow connection to the server. Firewalls and security software may block access to and from the server, so you must ensure that your security software has been opened to allow connections. This part may be complex, especially if you have several, different security software and hardware installed on the network.

By look using the above ideas to create your home backup server, you can help to keep your data safe and be able to share it among other computers that are connected to your network.
A server is a computer that you may have lying around, and while it may not be a high performance file server, it can be created easily and cheaply.

Functions and Resources of Memory Card Data Recovery Software

Without a dependable, preexisting data backup system, recovery from memory card failures, and the resultant data loss can be expensive and near to impossible. At times, even the best data recovery technicians encounter insurmountable complications. But do not despair. Sometimes the process of memory card data recovery can be as simple as rightly applying the correct memory card data recovery software.
Data recovery solutions come in three formats: 1) Hire a data recovery specialist, 2) Purchase professional data recovery software, or 3) Download a free data recovery software package. This article addresses the second two methods of memory card data recovery.

Concept of Data Recovery

Flash memory has a limited number of write cycles. Writing zeros to the location of a deleted file would senselessly reduce the life of the memory card. Thus when files are erased, the system merely modifies the file directory so that the file seems no longer to exist.
In seeking to squeeze the most possible write cycles out of a flash card, the system applies equal usage to ever area of the card. Before deleted file space is reused, the remainder of the flash chip must be filled up.
This overwrite process is very useful for flash memory card data recovery. In fact, this is a best-case scenario for file recovery. Unless the memory card is physically unreadable, the right software, correctly applied, can help you recover lost data.
Most every data recovery software package addresses the same issues with similar methods. They go after the underlying data by ignoring the conventional Windows file system. They typically work out of RAM memory so as to avoid any risk of writing data to the target drive or flash memory card. Use them to:

• Fix partition tables
• Recover deleted partitions
• Recover boot sectors
• Fix FAT tables
• Rebuild NTFS boot sectors
• Undelete files
• Copy deleted files to new sources
• Repair MFT using MFT mirror
• More.

Memory Card Data Recovery Software

I make the following software lists for reference rather than for detailed application processes. All are considered effective data recovery packages.

• PhotoRec – Free, open source software.
• IsoBuster – Free with limited function. Pro version $29.
• Adroit Photo Recovery – Priced at $40.00.
• Photo Rescue – Priced from $29 to $99.
• Digital Photo Recovery – Priced at $29.

Do Not Lose Your Data – Learn How to Recover Hard Drive Files

Sooner or later, each one of us will accidentally delete a file. Sometimes the recovery process is simple. Other times the process used to recover hard drive files can be extremely technical. In these few words, I am going to take you from the simple to the complex.

Simple Solution

Some deleted files can be recovered from the Windows trash bin. The process here is simple. Double left click on the Windows Recycle Bin. This opens a window into the recycle folder. The displayed content includes every deleted file that has not been permanently deleted by an empting of the trash bin. If the deleted file is displayed in the list, merely right click on the filename. This displays a list of options. Select Restore. When the confirmation dialog box is displayed, select the option to continue. The deleted file will be restored to its original location on your hard drive.

Using Software to Recover Hard Drive Files

Unfortunately, the simple solution often fails. Once the Recycle Bin has been emptied, it cannot be used to recover a deleted file. We must turn to special software.

Pay Attention: Cease using the hard drive that contains the deleted or damaged file. Every call to the hard drive increases the risk that the file will be permanently lost. Programs designed to recover hard drive files can only succeed if the space occupied by the deleted file has not been overwritten by new data.
Unless you are using a file-shredder software package, Windows never actually deletes the contents of a file. It merely reassigns the space by informing the system that the file is no longer active. With the right software, you can reset the file name and restore the file space to active use by the original file.
Now it would be senseless to waste what little space remains in trying to explain how you use any particular file recovery software. Thus I will finish this out by pointing to one particular free file retrieval tool.
Recuva by Piriform: http://www.piriform.com/recuva/builds. This free file recovery program is easy to use and easy to install. The download is small. Remembering that any use of the hard drive increases the risk of failure, it is critical that you download and utilize the portable version of Recuva (rcsetup139.zip). The software is wizard driven, meaning that the menu makes operation simple.
File retrieval software is not limited to the recovery of deleted files. In many cases it can recover data from virus infections, system crashes, and even what appears to be a fatal hard drive failure.