It is so amazing how one device can hold so much data all at the same time and still enable you to do more without compromising speed, performance, and efficiency. Modern computers are indeed lifesavers since they allow us to multitask and take advantage of every opportunity out there so we don’t get left behind by the competition. Over the past few years, individuals, businesses, and organizations alike have all made a concerted effort in centralizing everything to ensure that all important files can be accessed in a click of a button whenever the need for it arises.

Unfortunately, things aren’t always smooth sailing. As much as we love technology, it has flaws that aren’t just costly but can give you headaches for days, too. This is an entirely new territory for many of us. Only a few have advanced technical knowledge who are well-versed on the digital lingo and has an extensive understanding of the ins and out of most modern contrivances as well as the World Wide Web. The majority of us are innocent consumers who know so little that we end up just believing whatever we read or hear about. If you aren’t careful enough, you may find yourself worrying about getting a broken device fixed and lost data recovered.

Modern laptops can hold an amazing amount of data, including hundreds of thousands of files, hours of video, and thousands of photos. Given their storage capacity, it’s no surprise that millions of users treat their laptops as long-term storage devices. They see the machine’s still have an ample amount of free space, so they pack them full of work files and personal data. Even though the laptop is built with ample storage, it certainly is not built as an ideal storage container.

One spilled cup of Earl Grey, a drop down a flight of stairs, or even static electricity can all damage a laptop and the trove of data it contains. These machines are prone to damage and aren’t built to withstand drops or spills. Once they’re damaged, the data within is also often inaccessible, which poses a particular problem for those who store their entire digital lives on one machine.

(Via: https://www.tgdaily.com/web/proactive-steps-to-avoiding-messy-data-recovery)

As much as possible, it is better to back up data than have it recovered. For starters, there is no assurance that lost data can still be recovered. Add to that the fact that data recovery services are usually expensive. You have the option of submitting your device for data recovery service but learn to manage your expectations because some data are just lost forever. So before that happens, take advantage of technology as well to protect your most important files from oblivion. Back up your data on flash drives or external hard drives or other forms of data storage devices as well as the cloud. It may be time-consuming having to transfer files on a regular basis but it can save you a lot of trouble once the time comes that your device starts to fail or in case an online bug like malwares or ransomware infect your device and starts corrupting it.

What if all these attempts fail? Even in that case, your precious data may still be safe (unless the primary cause of your startup troubles is a damaged hard drive). Of course, in an ideal world, you won’t need to retrieve that data, because you’ve already backed up all your files. However, if you don’t have available backups, then you’ll want to pull your data from your hard drive.

On the simplest level, you can remove the drive from your laptop or desktop and access it from another computer. For example, you could set it up as an external drive, but to do that, you’ll need an enclosure like the models from Inateck ($9 on Amazon) or Sabrent ($9 on Amazon). Just make sure to purchase an enclosure that matches the hard drive you’re extracting from your old machine.

Once you have an enclosure, you’ll need to power down your computer, remove the side or bottom panel, and disconnect the drive from its enclosure and cables. You’ll want to follow an online guide, which you can find by searching for your computer’s make and model along with the phrase “remove hard drive. If you’re not exactly comfortable working on hardware, we recommend that you leave this task to a professional repair shop.

(Via: https://www.popsci.com/broken-computer-repair-recover-data#page-6)

You don’t always need to panic whenever you encounter a problem with your computer. They may be bothersome and cause significant delays in your work and life but there are measures to address them. Not all the time the device can be salvaged and that is a major problem already but don’t let your precious data go down the drain too. Both hardware and software issues can pose a big threat to all the files stored in your device. If you want to spare yourself from all the difficulties of data loss, one of the first things you need to find out is the pricing because you have got to prepare your wallet first, right?