1. Raid 1 Data Recovery FAQ
Q: What is the definition of a “RAID 1″ volume?
A: “RAID 1″ refers to a “Redundant Array of Inexpensive (or Independent) Disks” that have been established in a Level 1, or mirrored, drive set. A RAID 1 volume is a set of disk drives that are configured for data to be written to 2 volumes simultaneously. This configuration provides complete data redundancy in the event of a drive failure.
Q: What is meant by the term “mirroring”?
A: Within a mirroring (RAID 1) volume, the exact same information that is written to one…
This level uses byte level striping with dedicated parity. In other words, data is striped across the array at the byte level with one dedicated parity drive holding the redundancy information. The idea behind this level is that striping the data increasing performance and using dedicated parity takes care of redundancy. 3 hard drives are required. 2 for striping, and 1 as the dedicated parity drive. Although the performance is good, the added parity does slow down writes. The parity information has to be written to the parity drive whenever a write occurs. This increased computation calls for a hardware…
Hard drives are usually nearly silent but some do make a muted clicking sound when they’re being accessed – this is normal. On the other hand, if you start hearing noises only occasionally or noises that you’ve never heard before – like clicking, grinding or squealing – your hard drive may be failing.
The steps below will help you determine what to do next before all of your precious data is gone for good.
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1. RAID 5 Data Recovery FAQ
Q: What is the definition of a “RAID 5″ volume?
A: “RAID 5″ refers to a “Redundant Array of Inexpensive (or Independent) Disks” that have been established in a Level 5, or striped with parity, volume set. A RAID 5 volume is a combination of hard drives that are configured for data to be written across three (3) or more drives.
Q: What is “parity” or “parity data”?
A: In a RAID 5 configuration, additional data is written to the disk that should allow the volume to be rebuilt in the event that a…
Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic is free hard drive testing software designed for Western Digital branded hard drives. Data Lifeguard Diagnostic will also run diagnostics on hard drives from other manufacturers as long as the primary drive is Western Digital.
The Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic software installs on Windows operating systems and allows for a number of hard drive tests. See the installation instructions from Western Digital in the link below for details.
Download: Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostics
How to test a drive for problems using Windows Data Lifeguard Diagnostics?
How can you use…
Hitachi Drive Fitness Test is free hard drive diagnostic software available for use on most drives available today.
The Drive Fitness Test (DFT) quickly and reliably tests SCSI, IDE and SATA drives. The DFT analyze function performs read tests without overwriting customer data.
Get More: Hitachi Drive Fitness Test
1. Microsoft Windows Built-In Error Checking
Error Checking, sometimes referred to as chkdsk, is a hard drive diagnostic tool that comes with Microsoft Windows that can scan your hard drive in search of a wide range of errors. This tool can also attempt to correct a number of hard drive problems.
2. How To Scan Your Hard Drive Using Error Checking
Scanning your hard drive using Error Checking can help diagnose and even correct a wide range of hard drive errors. Error Checking replaces older Windows hard drive diagnostics such as “scandisk” and “chkdsk“.
Here’s How:
1. Open My…
We all know that restoring the iPhone using iTunes is a troubleshooting lifesaver as it helps resolve most of the documented errors on the iPhone faced so far, especially important if you have tried one of those iPhone hacks which has caused your iPhone to behave abnormally. However, what does one do when restoring itself does not work, there is no reason to panic, as here is an iPhone tip to get you out of exactly that situation.
It is the iPhone’s “Recovery Mode“, which is a mode in which you can force the iTunes to restore the iPhone to…
The partition table tools listed below allow you to create, resize, move, concatenate, copy, undelete (unerase) the partitions on your hard disk.
1. Gnome Partition Editor
GParted is a well-known Linux application that allows you to create, delete, resize (some partition types), move (some partition types), copy and check partitions on your hard disk. This version of GParted comes in the form of an ISO for a CD, which you can burn to your CD to create a bootable CD from which you can modify your hard disk partitions. GParted supports the following partition types to…
Seagate creates two free hard drive diagnostic softwares – SeaTools for DOS and SeaTools for Windows. Both diagnostic tools are excellent.
1. SeaTools for Windows
SeaTools for Windows has replaced SeaTools Online and PowerMax. SeaTools for Windows is a comprehensive, easy-to-use diagnostic tool that helps you quickly determine the condition of the disc drive in your external hard drive, desktop or notebook computer. It includes several tests that will examine the physical media on your Seagate or Maxtor disc drive and any other non-Seagate disc drive.
SeaTools for Windows tests USB, 1394, ATA (PATA/IDE), SATA and SCSI drives. It installs…
