Data recovery checklist

The way that storm-damaged media is handled initially can have a major impact on whether data can be recovered from it. Ontrack Data Recovery has provided the following quick checklist to help ensure that the correct steps are taken:

* Never assume that data is unrecoverable, no matter what it has been through;

* Do not attempt to power up visibly damaged devices;

* Do not shake or disassemble any hard drive or server that has been damaged - improper handling can make recovery operations more difficult which can lead to valuable information being permanently lost;

* Do not attempt to clean or dry water-logged drives or other media;

* Before storing or shipping wet media, it should be placed in a container that will keep it damp and protect shipping material from getting wet. Wet boxes can break apart during transit causing further damage to the drive;

* Do not use common software utility programs on broken or water-damaged devices;

* For mission critical situations, contact a data recovery provider before any attempts are made to reconfigure, reinstall or reformat;

* When shipping your hard drives, tapes or other removable media to a recovery provider, package them in a box that has enough room for both the media and some type of packing material that allows for NO movement. The box should also have sufficient barrier room around the inside edges to absorb impact during shipping;

* If you have multiple drives, tapes or other removable media that need recovery, ship them in separate boxes or make sure they are separated enough with packing material so there will be no contact.

www.ontrackdatarecovery.com

•Date: 18th October 2005 •Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: IT continuity
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