Using Diy Data Recovery Software By Amateurs

By Author: James Walsh
Total Articles: 68
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Users prefer to recover data on their own terms at their own pace. The popularity of DIY data recovery software can be attributed to:

Easy Accessibility leading to convenience
Affordability

DIY recovery software is basically preferred by amateur novice computer users. They opt for DIY software as most of the recovery applications can be downloaded free from the Internet. In other cases, they can be bought at supermarkets at affordable prices. But with every positive, there are many negatives attached. Amateur users run a great risk when they choose to use a DIY data recovery software application. This DIY software can be labelled under two heads of General and Specific. General DIY is fundamentally general in nature. They can be freely downloaded from the Internet. They can be used for data recovery without signing any consent or authorisation form. General DIY softwares usually are unable to recover more than 25% of lost data. Further, it has been argued that general DIY applications do not eliminate the problem but merely shift it to another location on the storage media e.g. if the media is attacked ...
... by virus, general DIY will not tackle the virus problem but merely move the stored data to a safe location on the media. This means that data recovered has every chance of being lost again after a short term - data recovery is never long term when general DIY recovery programs are used. General DIY seems to ply to every computer or media failure. It means that the exact cause or reason of computer or storage media failure does not matter - why your DVD failed - why your CD failed to operate - the DIY solution remains the same.

Amateur users usually are easy targets for this type of DIY software. They don't have an insight into computer or storage media crashes and tend to take everything at face value. They can be easily misled and sold old, used and useless DIY data recovery software. In addition, it has also been noticed that amateur and novice users do not have a comprehensive knowledge about the type of media or computer device being used. Lack of complete knowledge often leads them to buy and use improper DIY software. This software usually has the capacity to ruin data rather than recover it. When this happens, the amateur runs to the market to purchase another DIY kit committing the same mistake again. Thus, this DIY profit racket exists due to the naivety and ignorance of amateurs. Novice users end up paying lots of money for a useless general DIY kit. In short, the risks are:

Destruction of Data: Amateurs rarely try to understand and know the real root of the problem - why their computer crashed or storage media failed to function. Experienced users, on the other hand, are able to read the signs and act accordingly. Novices, in contrast, panic and try to recover data in haste. They end up downloading general DIY data recovery software. Usually DIY software of the general type can be used to recover lost data due to mechanical or logical errors. Anything which falls outside these two categories needs and demands the services of data recovery experts. General DIY cannot be used to recover lost data caused by software errors and configuration problems in the storage media. The DIY merely runs the risk of reducing the magnetic attraction of the disk platters. The amateur user could end up with a near-fatal data loss.

Anti-virus DIY Software: Virus attacks account for more than seven percent of data loss. When this happens, people i.e. amateurs tend to buy anti-virus DIY recovery software programs. But one has to be careful in this regard. It is suggested to purchase anti-virus DIY software of reputed companies such as Vogon International, CBL and Ontrack. The main advantage is that these reputable DIY kits come with a warranty and can be returned if the user is dissatisfied with their performance. But amateurs do not guard against this risk factor. General anti-virus programs merely control or reduce the effect of the virus for a short time. The virus is not removed - the problems remain as it was earlier - the virus simply moves position of location damaging data elsewhere on the drive or media. Thus, corruption and recovery of data seem to be two ongoing processes.

Using General DIY data recovery is not worth the destruction of one's precious data. IT professionals including data recovery companies recommend the use of specific DIY software. But due to their ignorance and lack of ability, amateurs often mistake general DIY for specific DIY. Thus, if not sure, ignorant and not aware, it is best to pay more and call data recovery experts for the safe and guaranteed recovery of data.

James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you are concerned about data loss and would like more information on Data Recovery see http://www.fields-data-recovery.co.uk