In computing, data loss is certainly a big deal and very frustrating. It can happen at random and once it does happen, it leads to various kinds of frustration; even more so if you forgot to create a back-up for the data you lost. Losing important files is due to logical error, accidental deletion or formatting and many of us tend to panic in this situation.
Personally, I have gone through a similar experience. My SD Card that contained some of my important files was corrupted that I had to redo. In order to avoid this from happening again, I have created various back-ups for my files. Truly, the best way to avoid data loss is by keeping a “leash” on your files.
By D.SA12D402 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
Most of the files deleted or lost are often still present on your USB drive or hard drive or media card and can be retrieved using free data recovery software. There are a lot of reasons for data loss but in my opinion these are the top 3 main causes of data loss.
Virus or Malware
Of course, this one is on the top of the list. It is the most common cause of data loss, especially since viruses and malwares can spread through the system very quickly. Just plugging your flash drive in a corrupted PC will have it infected in mere seconds. Though, the damage may differ depending on how bad the virus or malware is.
Prevention: You can prevent this by installing a good anti-virus software and make sure to keep it always updated. If you have two or more workstations you may install a reboot to restore solution to protect your computers especially if a foreign drive was plugged into one of the computers.
Data Loss due to Human error
A way to lose your data is by letting your storage device (hard drive, flash drive, external drive, etc) get damaged by external forces, or damaging them yourself, causing physical damages because of dropping or accidental liquid spillage. Accidentally erasing by clicking on the delete button is another way to lose data. Don’t down yourself when it happens, since it’s a common event to happen. Many people experience this every day, me included.
Prevention: Make a habit of doing simple data back-up on other storage units so you need not to worry in case of accidental file lost. If you’ve failed to back-up the data firsthand, then you can use a file recovery software to take the data back.
Power Failures
This is the most unexpected cause of data loss, mainly due to its habit of happening in crucial situations. Power outages and power surges are bad for your computer and your data. Many people have lost their data because of power loss, especially those who haven’t the habit of saving their work every few minutes. Not only that, it can also affect the systems, or the computer’s hardware, so retrieving the lost data can be much more troublesome.
Prevention: Again, a habit of always creating back-up for your files in every few minutes will save you from this. Unfortunately, there’s not much to fight against this, since it happens at the most inopportune of times. However, having automatic backups of your work using an online storage enables you to recover your files from any accidents caused by power failures. Moreover, power surge also pose a risk to computer hardware, using a surge protector is one way to protect your files from a power surge.
