Re: tlug: Help! Hard disk recovery..

[karlmax@example.com (Karl-Max Wagner)]

> running the drive is making repeated 'kerclick kerclick' types noises
Head cable broken ( Usual cause for HDD failure ). Consequently
can't position any more ==> seeks itself to death ==> therefrom
the 'kerclick kerclick'
> and is vibrating quite a lot.
Bearings worn out.
> Basic question - Does anyone know any good data recovery companies?
Yes. There's one in Norway. For $500 / MB recovered they'll be
happy to do that - but I fear you don't have that much money.... 
> important to me (fiction I wrote, my web site, email backups), but not
And you didn't back up ? Very negligent ! Don't you have a tape
drive ? These things are no luxury, but a NECESSITY.
> life threatening I suppose. *Sob*.
Now you know what may happen when you don't back up.

I do backups more or less regularly using my HP-C-1533A DAT
drive. This thing is expensive, but the tapes are cheap. Before
I go into holidays I always back everything up - particularly my
Libretto 30. So, if things go wrong on that during vacation,
I've a fallback at home. Particularly important stuff is
IMMEDIATELY written onto ZIP diskettes. So I can limit the
damage if a HDD fails.

I also move stuff around in my network a lot. I am always
puzzled by the attitude of many computer users towards data
security and backups. Apparently many think that storage devices
are infinitely reliable and that backing up is just for cowards.
Until the unexpected happens.....

                                 Karl-Max Wagner
                                 karlmax@example.com

--------------------------------------------------------------
Next Meeting: 8 August, Tokyo Station Yaesu central gate 12:30
featuring Linux on multiple platforms:
i386, Sparc, PA-Risc, Amiga, SGI, Alpha, PalmPilot, ...
Next Nomikai: 18 September, 19:30 Tengu TokyoEkiMae 03-3275-3691
--------------------------------------------------------------
Sponsor: PHT, makers of TurboLinux http://www.pht.co.jp