July 10
Data on Water-Ravaged Computers is Recoverable
Data is key to the operations of American businesses. When access to data is denied and organizations suffer data loss, it can cripple some companies. If it is not the flood waters of the Midwest which have forced businesses and employees to flee town, it could be data loss that will drive them out of business, especially smaller firms. However, all may not be lost.
Once the flood waters of the Mississippi River Valley and its associated tributaries have receded, CBL Data Recovery Technologies Inc recommends that when the clean-up begins, individuals and business owners who discover flood-damaged computers, iPods and digital cameras should:
• not assume that the files on your computer or memory card are lost;
• not attempt to use or turn on flood-damaged devices;
• not open water-damaged media;
• not expose water-damaged media to heat to dry it;
• not attempt to clean the media;
• not place water-logged media in a freezer, and
• not agitate the hardware in an attempt to rid it of water.
“Data is very resilient,” states Kalle Almer, Director of Business Development for CBL Data Recovery Technologies Inc. “Files on flood-damaged laptops, PCs, and servers can be recovered. Even priceless photographs on memory sticks and flash cards can frequently be rescued.”
Companies with data backups may also find themselves caught between a sandbag and an inaccessible hard drive.
Backups do fail, but they too can be recovered even if they have been submerged in flood waters.
“If you know someone impacted by the recent flooding, let them know that files on water-ravaged computers and storage devices are frequently recoverable,” encourages Almer.
Advise them to:
• Remove the damaged hard drive from the computer or memory card from their camera;
• Place media in an air-tight plastic bag to prevent it from drying;
• Pack media in a box twice its size using foam, bubble wrap or anti-shock material to prevent movement;
• Send one drive per box, and
• Ship to a reputable data recovery firm overnight.
CBL Data Recovery Technologies has established a hotline for flood victims to call for assistance at 1-800-551-3917, extension USA.
For a complete list of CBL locations, visit www.cbltech.com.
Category: data recovery, data loss prevention
Tags: back-up, clean-up, digital photograph recovery, flood-damaged, flooding, flood waters, lost files, lost photographs, lost photos, midwest floods, mississippi river, natural disasters, photo recovery
