How Do You Pronounce Data?
19 November 2021
After watching a handy pronunciation guide video we pondered our own preferences around the office & lab in how to say the word ‘data’. A Star Trek friend also weighed in.
Interview: Talking Tech on Tech Talk Radio with Marc Saltzman
7 January 2019
The first Tech Talk radio show of the year with Marc Saltzman featured CBL talking about data recovery, hard drive tips, data deletion and more.
CBL Pictures: Throwback T-Shirts From Thankful Customers
16 November 2018
From companies and colleges to charities and churches – something from the Archives as we celebrate twenty-five years of recovering data. Throwback to our kudos wall of t-shirts from thankful customers.
How Well Something Works (After I Decide to Fix It) - an xkcd comic
16 May 2018
A humorous post about repairs from popular webcomic xkcd. We made a small edit.
CBL Pictures: Burnt Bytes and Backups
16 November 2017
Recently, we received this laptop for recovery. The fire had ravaged the client’s home, destroying the laptop, and the backup device sitting nearby.
Heads and Tales: Rescuing Data for Environmentalists Rescuing the Rainforest
21 April 2016
Through the research efforts of the individuals who make the Durika Reserve home as well as the visitors to the community each year, a vast array of previously unknown or recorded findings has been collected for five years on the flora and fauna which also make Durika their home.
While a self-sustainable community that uses alternative energy sources, its members do leverage select modern technologies including a laptop computer upon which are stored the images of the flora and fauna captured by researchers and visitors. When Eugenio García López, biologist and ecologist with Fundación Durika, could not access the files on his laptop’s hard drive, he felt despair.
CBL Pictures: What Are These?
24 March 2015
Likely unfamiliar to younger people and not seen in ages by our older readers…
Data Disaster Impacts felt across Asia, Recovery confidence not that high [Infographic]
8 May 2012
As the amount of data the world is producing and needing to store continues to multiply, its value to corporate business operations is also increasing. In the Asia-Pacific regions, with economic growth and turbulence all the same, the importance of minimizing disruption and maximizing business continuity prospects when problems occur remains.
EMC released the results of a survey on the topic today. Check out the various areas where data loss and the lack of confidence in recovery affects business in AsiaPac regions.
Critical Business Data Remains Vulnerable to Attack, Natural Disaster
3 April 2012
It’s Spring! Time to review & renew your business continuity plan. According to a recent survey of small and medium business owners and IT decision makers, businesses are leaving themselves increasingly vulnerable to the loss of data and the potential for a privacy breach.
The revelations come from a recent survey commissioned by Primus Business Services, which shows nearly two-thirds (60 per cent) of participating small and medium businesses invest less than 10 per cent of their budgets in data security…
Can you trust data recovery service providers?
17 January 2012
The worst has happened: the computer or server with your confidential and time-sensitive data has crashed. Panic starts to set in, and a quick call or visit to your IT support confirms that this issue is beyond the scope of your help desk’s services. It’s time to call in a data recovery provider. IT support probably already has a provider in mind. But what exactly are they going to do with your data? How can you trust them?
Keeping e-Health Healthy: Data Recovery when IT Happens to Medical Records
8 July 2011
Today’s healthcare environments, from small clinics to megacity hospitals, are going digital faster than ever before. This means that more and more vital, personal, and confidential health information is being stored in digital format and this once paper-based world of doctors and healthcare professionals is now run on a huge variety of digital databases, patient data, and technology. Managing this amount of data presents increasing challenges for IT professionals and issues of security, accessibility and what to do in the event of data loss disasters arise.
Ghosts of Data Disasters Past
23 December 2010
In the spirit of the holidays this year, we decided to take a look back at some of the data recovery issues from yesteryear, our own Ghosts of Recoveries Past!
In ye olde Olden Dayes, saw we challenges diverse and frightful.
'Twas the Night Before Deadline: a Christmas Recovery Poem
21 December 2010
A SOHO-Ho Computer Crash On Christmas Eve
Financial Markets, Cars and Computers
30 June 2009
Q) What do financial markets, cars and computers have in common?
A) They crash.
When the markets crash, people suffer real financial losses.
When automobiles crash, people suffer serious injuries.
When computers crash, people lose their data.
Data Recovery: What Not to Do
22 June 2009
Data recovery typically occurs in an emotional climate of great distress. Keeping this in mind, it is important to refrain from certain impulses…
Avoid Looking for "Quick" Fixes to Data Loss Problems
19 June 2009
A data loss crisis can erode an organization’s self-confidence. Organizations can mitigate the threat of data loss by taking these three steps
When Dad's Data Needs Recovering
12 June 2009
Okay. Has the search begun yet for a unique gift for your dad, stepfather, or grandfather for Father’s Day?
Does Daddy store his data on a Windows laptop, PC or server?
Does Father upload photographs of family vacations, birthday parties and other events from his digital camera to his...
Data Recovery vs Data Restoration
10 June 2009
Data recovery is frequently confused with data restoration. In data restoration, data is brought back from backup media sources. In data recovery, there is no data backup.
Recovery in the Recession
8 June 2009
It was noted on itbusiness.ca that “Recent Gartner survey data of 475 IT decision makers in global enterprises with 1,000 or more employees found that more companies are actually postponing or scaling back computing projects rather than canceling them outright.”
“That might be so,” states Kalle Almer, Director of Business...
Bits, Bytes and Blush
15 May 2009
Can data live to see another day after a laptop crashes to the ground?
March Madness - Rebounding Fouled or Blocked Drives
20 March 2009
The best defense against data loss is to regularly back up your PC or laptop. However, you can’t bury your head in the silicon. The unexpected can and will happen. It’s not a matter of if data loss disaster will strike; it’s simply a matter of when. One day you will lose data.
Keep a Lid on IT
5 February 2009
...resist the temptation to tamper with or hand over the drive to anyone but a professional data recovery specialist…
Saving Bits Can Earn You Bucks
2 February 2009
If you now find yourself back on the job market, here is an opportunity to earn money while you continue your search for a new job —The “CBL Data Recovery Advantage Partner Program”
IT Resellers: Lost Data Is Found Revenue
16 January 2009
So what does a reseller of IT goods and services do to generate a profit in these challenging economic times?
While it currently may be a challenge to sell a new IT solution to replace a company’s existing infrastructure, there are ongoing opportunities which emerge from customers who keep their older systems: it’s not a matter IF data loss will happen; it’s simply a matter of WHEN.
Can you afford to be without your data?
14 January 2009
Hard drives don’t discriminate. Whether the economy is in a recession or a boom, no one is immune to data loss. It’s never a matter of IF data loss will happen; it’s simply a matter of WHEN.
SITEX 2008 in the bag
10 December 2008
Hopefully (if you were in Singapore) you made your way to SITEX 2008 and the CBL booth. This year had more of everything, including visitors.
Humpty Couldn't, But Your Data Can Survive A Crash
20 November 2008
If Humpty Dumpty had been working on his laptop while he was sitting on the wall when he had his great fall, we know that all the King’s horses and all the King’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again. But what about data on his laptop? Could...
The Day His Infallible RAID Array Failed
7 November 2008
Have you ever asked yourself, “What would I do if I lost everything that I’ve stored on my computer for the last 15 years?” Well, one CBL Data Recovery customer did.
Save Data. Dispel Data Recovery Myths.
29 October 2008
Data recovery is not simple or straightforward. Data loss can occur for numerous reasons. Just as numerous are misconceptions about the data recovery process.
Does Your Computer Vendor's "Service Recovery" Include Your Data?
12 September 2008
Have you ever had the occasion to call a vendor to express your dissatisfaction with its product or service that you purchased? What reaction did you get from the staff? Did they pay you lip service and simply ignore your complaints? Did the vendor live up...
Wipe Your Hard Drive, Not Your Brow
28 August 2008
It’s been reported by numerous news sources that UK Bank customers’ details sold for £35 on eBay.
While investigations into the matter continue, MailSource UK – an arm of Graphic Data is not the first organization—public, private or governmental—which has captured such headlines.
Last...
Back to School Advice for Parents (and Students with Laptops, too)
20 August 2008
In today’s world of e-gadgets, a new or used laptop or personal computer may also be on the Back-to-School shopping list.
Here’s some advice for parents.
Goodbye Dolly; Hello CBL
25 July 2008
As business owners and individuals in Southern Texas bid Hurricane Dolly farewell and good riddance, many will discover flood-damaged computers and cameras.
If you find yourself in such a predicament,
- do not assume that the files on your computer or memory card are lost;
- do not attempt to use...
5 Steps to Rapid Recovery When Your 5x9 RAID Fails
6 March 2008
RAIDs. Whether you call it a Redundant Array of Independent or Inexpensive Disks, one thing is for certain. Your organization is very dependent on your RAID and the data that is stored on its hard drives.
While hardware vendors or VARs sell customers on a RAID’s fault tolerance...
Compute While You Commute
7 February 2008
Laptops continue to populate our IT-landscape in growing numbers. The convenience that laptops afford us, the choice of applications available, and declining price are compelling reasons individuals and organizations are embracing laptops rather than their more sedimentary PC cousins. And, we cannot dismiss the growing trend of the...
The Need For Data Recovery
24 January 2008
Data recovery is one of those services you will always need. It is one of those services that, despite any preventative measures you take, you will require at some point. You can make countless backups, you can have several UPS power supplies, even have every security software available...
Dangers of DIY Data Recovery
11 January 2008
Sometimes a little bit of knowledge can lead to bad things. Often we get calls from IT professionals who require data recovery services. As they explain the symptoms of the failure they proceed to explain what they have already attempted. This is when a $500 recovery can turn into...
Yes, Virginia, Your Holiday Photos can be Rescued
13 December 2007
Don’t let data loss ruin your holidays.
Forty years ago, beaming mothers queued up at local drug or department stores to have their children, dressed in their finest clothing, photographed on Santa Claus’ knee, a memory forever captured on glossy paper and displayed once a year on the coffee table or...
How to make a hard drive image with Pro-V
11 December 2007
For projects with logical problems one of the first steps we take is to make an image of the media. Working with the image as opposed to the original drive ensures the data source remains intact. One of the useful tools included with CBL’s Pro-V data recovery software is the...
Heads and Tales: When he lost data, Kardinal Offishall did the right thing.
6 December 2007
When Kardinal Offishall, the Juno Award winner and Canada’s “hip-hop ambassador”, discovered that he could no longer access files required for an imminent recording session at an US studio later the same week, he did the right thing. He called CBL Data Recovery.
CBL technicians...
Heads and Tales: For 24 hours, CBL is THE Hub
6 December 2007
For 24 hours, CBL is THE Hub.
Canada’s data recovery specialist comes to hubcanada.com’s rescue.
For small business owners, the end of the business day rarely finishes at five o’clock. In fact, taking work home to complete or review at the end of the day or on the weekend has...
Rare Music Files Rescued from Severely Damaged Hard Drive
5 November 2007
Heads and Tales: Out of the Ashes
When vintage music store, M.C. Productions Vintage Recordings, Penticton, British Columbia, Canada was destroyed in a fire, owner Mickey Clark lost all of the CDs he had compiled from his massive record collection, all of the backup disks from the music files he had digitized, and half of his inventory of 20,000 original recordings dating back to 1902. In addition, both of his hard drives were drowning in two feet of water. To the distraught performer, that meant the possible loss of thousands of music files many of which were Clark’s only copies which he started collecting at the age of eight.
Attention California Residents and CBL Customers
24 October 2007
As wildfires continue to ravage Southern California, CBL Data Recovery’s San Diego County laboratory remains open. CBL reminds computer users throughout the country that data can often be recovered successfully from fire-damaged storage media.
Doug Owens, Managing Director of CBL’s laboratory in El Cajon...
Don't Ignore The Warning Signs
10 October 2007
Does your PC crash on a regular basis? Do you get an error message before your desktop loads up? Have some of your programs become corrupted? These are some of the early warning signs that your hard drive is in bad health. Your PC might still be functioning but a...
You can weather the storm, but can you weather data loss?
17 August 2007
You may know them as Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dean, Erin or Flossie. No, they’re not the finalists on the popular television programs “So You Think You Can Dance” or “American Idol”. They are the tropical storms that have or are threatening to make land fall during the
The Ten Commandments of Data Loss Prevention
17 August 2007
In the August 16, 2007 edition of The Globe and Mail, columnist Jack Kapica brings to his readers’ attention some interesting research results from California-based Strategic Research Corp. in his article, What if your backup needs backup?
Three main causes of data loss...
Attention Students: Don't put your data at risk
9 August 2007
Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company stated in a July 23, 2007 press release that “according to recent surveys of college students 97% own a computer, 94% a cell phone and 56% an MP3 player. Moreover, a recent Alloy College Explorer Study found...
Be Prepared.
2 August 2007
Organizations of any size can and do experience data loss on a daily basis which can severely impact business continuity. Hence, all organizations should include data recovery as part of their disaster recovery plans.
Security Matters, a magazine for small to medium-sized businesses, features a number of articles which address...
Heads and Tales: When Data Loss Disaster Strikes, Don't Shutter.
20 July 2007
When Malcolm Rose’s digital camera stopped detecting the SD Card containing the photographs he had taken, he was worried the memories of the family vacation to Paris were lost forever. Upon his return home to Ottawa, one of Mr. Rose’s first priorities was to investigate whether someone could salvage...
Giving Back to the Community and Giving Back Data
10 July 2007
Faith-based organizations often rely on volunteers for their IT needs, so when a system crashes and access to important files such as membership lists, financial records or e-mail newsletters on a hard drive is denied, the good intentions of staff and volunteers can have serious results.
While we recommend to organizations...
Video: The evolution of drives and data recovery
27 June 2007
CBL Data Recovery CEO, Bill Margeson, talks about the evolution of the hard drive, common hard drive failure symptoms and data recovery techniques.
From the set of CH-Morning Live, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Filing Returns Can Be Taxing - Part 2
16 June 2007
(Part 1 can be found at Filing Returns Can Be Taxing)
Even the taxman recommends backing up financial documents.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) states in a press release:
“Many people now receive bank statements and documents by e-mail or over the Web. Paper records such as W-2s, tax returns...
Filing Returns Can Be Taxing
15 June 2007
So, you like to file your taxes online. You’re not alone.
North Americans have embraced electronic filing in record numbers.
The Internal Revenue Service reported the 2007 tax filing season witnessed more than 76 million electronically-filed individual tax returns setting a new electronic record.
According to Revenue Canada, Electronic filing continues...
Business Continuity = Data
6 June 2007
Many businesses and government agencies have implemented business continuity plans that include data backup to minimize downtime during a disaster or other unforeseen disruptions, but many organizations don’t realize data loss can occur despite having backup technology.
In May 2007, A&T came out with some key finding in its
Heads and Tales: CBL Found the File No Other Company Could
10 May 2007
Marianne Richmond, owner of Marianne Richmond Studios in Minneapolis, had almost given up on data recovery specialists when her personal computer’s hard drive failed last year. Nobody could find the only file she desperately wanted — her personal journal for the past 10 years.
Her 500-page journal was crammed...
Data Recovery Firms Come and Go
8 May 2007
If you’re shopping for a data recovery firm, you have discovered it is a highly competitive market. A search for “ data recovery services “ on google.com returned approximately 77,900,000 results.
So how do you make sense of it all??
To start, ask yourself some simple questions:
1)...
Heads and Tales: The Digital Journal and the Data Recovery Journey
5 May 2007
Whether your journal is a personal diary, like the one CBL Data Recovery rescued for Marianne Richmond, mother and business owner, when all other companies’ attempts failed, or a popular social-networking site like DigitalJournal.com, data loss can cripple an organization.
Digital Journal shared with its members the ups and...
How Stable is Your RAID?
1 May 2007
Storage is infallible. Or so you may think.
RAID Arrays do fail and through the doors of CBL Data Recovery disks from arrays do pass with increasing frequency.
Manufacturers frequently claim five 9’s availability, but when one of the disks of your RAID Array fails and then...