Your hard drive can have both mechanical and electrical issues -with most failure due to mechanical problems. Unlike many other parts on your computer, the hard drive is a moving component, making it more prone to problems. (Unless you have a solid state drive.)

How Failure Happens and How to Prevent it:

–          While the computer is running, it is jolted or dropped.

o   Because of the nature of their mobility, this occurs more often with laptops than desktops. If you are moving your computer around, the best practice is to shut it down. In this case, the hard disc stops spinning. Though your computer will need to start up again, this is the best option to prevent an accidental drop that will harm your hard drive and all your data on it.

–          The motor that spins the drive or platter fails.

o   Motor failure is often due to jolting while running. Failure to spin can also be a result of bad internal components such as bearings. In this case, simply replacing needed parts will prevent spinning failure.

–          The computer over heats and the electric circuit board fails as a result.

o   Keep your computer at room temperature. Keep out of direct sunlight, make sure your computer has adequate air flow, and shut your computer down after use to prevent over-heating. Extreme cold can also be damaging to your hard drive.

–          A sudden power failure.

o   Using an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) with surge protection will prevent power-related damage to your hard drive.

If your hard drive has failed, and you need help recovering data, you can contact Networks Unlimited for assistance.