[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] question re failing external hard drive; any suggestions?

[Evie]

 Hi Denise,

Also... to protect your data and computer/network devices going forward:
Always have a backup/restore strategy and plan; such as backup your data to
external HDDs or pay to store your data remotely.
You may also consider having an "UPS, Battery Backup & Surge Protector"
device to protect all your computer/network devices, thus, data.
UPS is an Uninterruptible Power Supply. In case of a sudden power outage,
power surge/spike, etc., which may damage your computer or HDDs, and may
cause data loss,
https://www.groovypost.com/unplugged/why-you-need-uninterruptible-power-supply-pc/.

Good reading on this topic, *Top 6 Data Loss Causes and Top 10 Preventions,
*
https://www.novabackup.com/blog/top-6-data-loss-causes-and-top-10-preventions
.

I lost my external HDD/data after a severe thunderstorm many moons ago,
luckily, I backed up the data and was able to restore the data. We have
also bought UPS to protect our computers/HDDs/network devices since.
Evie

On Fri, Nov 19, 2021 at 11:06 PM Robert Primak <bobprimak at yahoo.com> wrote:

> In Windows, I'd use File History, since it's built into Windows.
>
> Duplicating onto a second drive is more of a copy/paste operation, unless
> the daily volume of changes is massive. I copy/paste entire Folders in both
> Windows and Linux. A lot of my daily volume is email downloads.
>
> -- Bob Primak
>
>
> On Friday, November 19, 2021, 09:52:46 PM EST, Steve Parus <
> sparus at umich.edu> wrote:
>
>
> FreeFileSync is one software tool that can keep the two backup drives
> files duplicate copies of each other. Lots of options and configuration
> possibilities.  Windows, macOS and Linux.
>
> Steve Parus
>
> On Nov 19, 2021, at 6:59 PM, Robert Primak <bobprimak at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Even if the drive is giving the "click of death" it may be able to give up
> its data if it is coaxed. But if Windows can't even see the drive, I'm
> pretty sure it won't be able to recover the data.
>
> Just a reminder for next time -- get two external hard drives and make one
> a copy of the other. It's unlikely two drives will fail at the same time.
>
> Personally, I'm a bit paranoid/OCD. I have everything saved in triplicate
> externally and in duplicate internally (two separate partitions). I also
> use two or more operating systems -- three Linux at present, and Windows 10
> Pro. The multi-Linux OS drive is external. And then there's my Chromebook,
> which also has a Linux on it. And several SD Cards for data. My Android
> phone also has an internal extra SD Card. And Cloud Backup.
>
> Data recovery services are expensive. but if what's on the external drive
> is really valuable to you, consider this option. And DON'T USE THE DRIVE if
> you want to recover the data.
>
> -- Bob Primak
>
>
> On Friday, November 19, 2021, 01:34:22 PM EST, Denise <denise at rcn.com>
> wrote:
>
> Hi all.
>
> I hope someone has a suggestion : )
>
> My daughter has a windows 10 p.c. desktop; and she plugged in an HDD
> external hard drive (that has a USB cable on one end & power plug on the
> other end) into her p.c. and apparently the HDD is dying (or dead?)
>
> She plugged it in and hears a noise. And when she goes to ‘my computer’
> it’s not seen there.
>
> should we be looking to hire a data recovery person?
>
> or is there anything we can do with this?
>
> any suggestions on what to do next?
>
> thanks!
>
> denise
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