If someone hasn't set up a website documenting all the crazy ways people mess up their hard drives by accident, they really should! I made this excellent blog post from a while ago that collected some seriously mind-blowing stories.
Setting jokes aside, it is important to note that physical harm to your computer's internal or external drives can lead to the inaccessibility or permanent loss of stored data. Hard drives are delicate, and even minor impacts can harm internal components. A head crash is one prevalent cause of data loss due to physical damage. If you are experiencing this issue, please contact us today at 1300806557 or schedule an appointment through our website.
What Is a Hard Drive Head Crash?
When the drive platters are seriously messed up, it can be super tricky to get to the data stored on them. But hey, no worries! Our data recovery crew has all the cool tools and tricks to handle these kinds of tough situations.
The above image shows that the heads have cut a deep groove into the platter. This is usually a permanent data loss scenario that we cannot recover from.
The read/write head hovers just above the rotating platter to access stored or written data in a properly functioning hard drive. Should the arm carrying the read/write head come into close proximity to the platter, a collision may occur, as depicted in the image above.
If a grinding or clicking sound is heard during the device's startup process, it is highly probable that the hard drive heads have collided, constituting an urgent situation requiring immediate attention from a professional data recovery service.
To initiate a request for assistance, please create a ticket. It is crucial that you refrain from attempting to power on or boot up the drive.
If your drive makes a clicking sound when you try to access it, this could indicate damage to the read/write head or the arm on which it sits.
How Head Crashes Occur
One of the primary causes of head crashes is physical damage sustained by the storage device. Dropping your external hard drive or laptop can result in the read/write head being forced against the platter upon impact.
Additionally, such impact damage may dislodge small components within the drive, potentially leading to the read/write head making contact with the platter when the drive is in operation. Head crashes can also occur in a hard drive due to the natural wear over many years of use.
The quality of a hard drive often determines how long it will safely operate.
Hard drives are assembled in unique clean rooms that minimize dust or other particulates in the air. This is essential for keeping the internal parts of a hard drive as clean as possible. Even a small amount of particulate could cause damage to a new drive when you start using it.
What to Do if Your Drive Clicks or Grinds
I'm sure you've heard this a million times, but it's worth saying again. Make sure you back up your data. If something happens to your hard drive, like it gets physically damaged or there's a technical issue, you could end up losing all your data. Keeping regular backups means you'll always have copies of your important files, family photos, and videos.
But if you hear the tell-tale clicking, buzzing or grinding:
Immediately power down your device. Continued use will only cause more significant damage to the drive and increase the risk of data loss.
If caught early, a head crash does not automatically mean losing the data stored on your drive.
How Wildfire Data Recovery Services Can Help
Wildfire Data Recovery Brisbane has helped customers salvage information from even the most compromised storage devices for over four years. If you experience a head crash, you can drop off your device at one of our more than 250 partner locations across North America and Australia. Or you can ship directly to one of our labs. CREATE BOOKING NOW!
I love these resources, they’re life savers.