There are primarily two causes of data loss- hardware failure and software (logical) failure. Our point of focus in this article will be software or logical failure.
What is Logical Failure?
Software failure is said to have occurred when you lose data but there is nothing physically wrong with the hard disk. Therefore, even though the storage media functions normally, you will not be able to access your data because of a software error. So, what causes a logical failure?
Reasons for Logical Failure
A logical failure can occur due to various reasons. We will explore some of the causes of logical errors in our following section.
- Operating System Malfunction
An operating system malfunction can result in data loss. Operating system malfunction is also commonly termed as a ‘system crash’. This type of malfunction can damage the master boot record and render the data inaccessible.
- Software Errors
Software is usually created to make our lives simpler and our work easier. However, what happens when the very same software actually contributes towards a data loss situation? Sometimes the program of certain software gets extremely complex. Thus, they may fail to respond to certain commands, which may lead to a conflict between the hardware and the software. A software error can create errors on the program that you may be running on your computer. This can also lead to a computer crash. Therefore, before a user can get to save his or her file, the program or the computer crashes and this leads to data loss.
- Corrupted File System Structure
There can be many reasons for a file system structure getting corrupted. There are times when we install certain programs on our computers but fail to install them properly. Often people do not install the operating system properly. This can lead to a corrupted file system structure.
A corruption is said to have occurred when there is an interruption while transmitting the data while a file is being saved or during the installation process. Files can also become corrupted due improper system shutdowns. There are times when people shutdown their systems in haste and hence do not follow the usual safe way of shutting down their systems. However, shutting down the system in an inappropriate manner can cause the file system structure to get corrupted. Consequently, this results in data loss.
The file system structure can also get corrupted due to viruses. Viruses tend to attach themselves to legitimate computer programs. Once the user runs the program, the virus gets activated. Some viruses can spread very rapidly and can infect your entire computer system in a very short duration of time. Certain viruses run a data loss program on your computer. Therefore, you may find it hard to save files, or you may lose your files.
- Reformatting the Hard Drive
Reformatting the hard drive after a data loss incident can result in permanent data loss. If you need to recover lost data, you should never reformat the hard drive. In addition, if you repartition your hard drive, it can delete partitions on your hard disk thereby leading to data loss.
- Electrostatic Discharge
Electrostatic discharge can ruin electronic equipment completely. When a positively charged object comes in contact with a negatively charged object, it shifts the charge to the negatively charged object, thereby leading to an electrostatic discharge. This discharge produces a lot of heat which can cause the hard disk to fail.
Logical Errors that May Lead to Permanent Data Loss
Overwriting on the data repeatedly and excessive file fragmentation can lead to permanent data loss. Therefore, it is extremely important for the users to remember that once you have encountered data loss, do not create any new files on the computer and do not fragment the files.
Data Recovery
Recovering data lost due to logical errors is often not very complicated. Usually when a logical error occurs, the BIOS still recognises the hard drive. However, when the user tries to access the data, an error is generated. In some of the cases relating to logical errors, using data recovery software will solve the purpose. However, if the damage due to the logical error is severe, you may have to hire the services of a data recovery company. Nonetheless, data recovery due to logical failures is far cheaper than data recovery due to hardware errors.
How to Protect Against Logical Failures?
- Backup your data regularly.
- Ensure that your computer is protected. Run an anti-virus and anti-spy ware regularly.
- De-fragment your hard drive on a regular basis to ensure that your computer is guarded against the unhealthy fragmentation of your important files.
