1 of 14
13 Common Data Storage Failures and How Likely the Files Can Be Recovered
by Chris Preimesberger
2 of 14
Human error (file deletion, formatting a hard drive etc., The the most common way files are lost):
Good probability of recovery.
3 of 14
Computer viruses:
Good probability of recovery.
4 of 14
Software files corruption (database file gets corrupt because of a software glitch):
Good probability of recovery.
5 of 14
Media logical problem (file system corruption, etc.):
Good probability of recovery.
6 of 14
Media physical problem with bad electronics (circuitry of the media goes bad):
Good probability of recovery.
7 of 14
Media Physical problem with internal damage (bad head stack) [Magnetic Hard Drives only];
Fair probability of recovery.
8 of 14
Media Physical problem with bad motor (drive doesnt spin, etc:) [Magnetic hard drives only];
Fair probability of recovery.
9 of 14
Natural disasters (flood, fire etc.):
fair probability of recovery.
10 of 14
Dropped storage meeting in a laptop got dropped or an external drive:
fair probability of recovery.
11 of 14
No Title
Flash media write/overwrite limit exceeded (excessive usage will eventually cause flash memory to fail): fair probability of recovery.
12 of 14
Degraded tape media:
fair probability of recovery.
13 of 14
Bad quality or aging CD/DVD storage media (over time the film on a CD/DVD will degrade):
poor to fair probability of recovery.
14 of 14
Known manufacturing defects causing loss of access to data:
poor to fair probability of recovery.
