Looking for help on Data Recovery
I would like to learn more about data recovery. I'm not interested in things that are not possible to do at home, like platter removal etc. I AM interested in when things like the MBR becomes corrupted, or the like, when the chance of retrieval is high with software alone, how to go about it. Links, names of good books, recommendations about software, etc., all appreciated.
I've done a lot of reading over the past few days so please give meaty answers.
I know about all the "known' software like Ontrack, GetDataBack, R-Studio, etc. I'm looking for recommendations for those software, or one's that I've missed, backed with reasons or personal experience. I've searched for books, both online or off, and haven't gotten any that appear halway decent so anything in that area would be appreciated as well.
I've done a lot of reading over the past few days so please give meaty answers.
I know about all the "known' software like Ontrack, GetDataBack, R-Studio, etc. I'm looking for recommendations for those software, or one's that I've missed, backed with reasons or personal experience. I've searched for books, both online or off, and haven't gotten any that appear halway decent so anything in that area would be appreciated as well.
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Irwin W.
checkout bitmart.net
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Thank's for the link to HDDGuru. I've been there; I have been googling this subject for a couple of days now. I couldn't find Victoria there, even after using their search tool, so I suspect they don't have it. I was able to find it using Google and their translate this page feature to get it off a Russian site.
Now that I have it, what do I do with it? How can it help with fixing a computer that won't boot because the MBR is corrupted? I'm looking for a tool that can rebuild the MBR and file list based on what is actually on the hard drive currently. Looks at the hard drive and builds a new MBR based on the what it sees. A different kind of Data Recovery then trying to get the data of the drive. Victoria doesn't come with any english documentation, so I have no idea if t can do that. Some tabs are self-explanatory (SMART for instance...) others, much less so
Any further guidance to take my knowledge up a level or two would be appreciated.
Now that I have it, what do I do with it? How can it help with fixing a computer that won't boot because the MBR is corrupted? I'm looking for a tool that can rebuild the MBR and file list based on what is actually on the hard drive currently. Looks at the hard drive and builds a new MBR based on the what it sees. A different kind of Data Recovery then trying to get the data of the drive. Victoria doesn't come with any english documentation, so I have no idea if t can do that. Some tabs are self-explanatory (SMART for instance...) others, much less so
Any further guidance to take my knowledge up a level or two would be appreciated.
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nappy,
Have you used Restorer 2000? What was the scenario you used it in and were you happy with the results? How does it stack up too GetDataBack, or R-Studio? Those are the other names I keep seeing.
Have you used Restorer 2000? What was the scenario you used it in and were you happy with the results? How does it stack up too GetDataBack, or R-Studio? Those are the other names I keep seeing.
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Just buying some off-the-shelf software for $100 and setting yourself up in the DR biz is just nuts. (No, the crazy people are the ones that will hire you). Without a mentoring opportunity, you could very well make things much worse. I've seen it happen many times before. Here are some things you should consider
* Sometimes it IS the hardware. Running these products, or even firing up the disk drive longer than absolutely necessary can make the problem worse. So, you need to know things about disk drives, physical interfaces, cabling, controller health .. i.e., hardware diagnostics.
* Are you looking at forensic recovery? In some states, like Texas, you need to be licensed. You can't licensed here, unless you are full time employee of a company that is licensed to be a forensic expert.
* The world doesn't revolve around windows. People could put more than one O/S on a hard drive. Will you give up if disk isn't on NTFS file system, after you start? Or just limit yourself to other operating systems. You need to learn about file systems and how to take them apart, for zfs, ufs, xfs, ntfs, fat32, jfs, ... if you don't even knowwhat some of these are. Read up on them.
* What about recovery of meta data? Ever heard of software-RAID? Big money in that.
* Hardware-based RAID recovery. Metadata is vendor-specific, and you typically need NDA access to manufacturer's info to get what you need to have. If not, you risk restoring stale data.
* YOu never even discern between rebuilding broken files, recovering the basic directory table; coaxing a dying disk drive back to life.
David Lethe
http://www.santools.com
* Sometimes it IS the hardware. Running these products, or even firing up the disk drive longer than absolutely necessary can make the problem worse. So, you need to know things about disk drives, physical interfaces, cabling, controller health .. i.e., hardware diagnostics.
* Are you looking at forensic recovery? In some states, like Texas, you need to be licensed. You can't licensed here, unless you are full time employee of a company that is licensed to be a forensic expert.
* The world doesn't revolve around windows. People could put more than one O/S on a hard drive. Will you give up if disk isn't on NTFS file system, after you start? Or just limit yourself to other operating systems. You need to learn about file systems and how to take them apart, for zfs, ufs, xfs, ntfs, fat32, jfs, ... if you don't even knowwhat some of these are. Read up on them.
* What about recovery of meta data? Ever heard of software-RAID? Big money in that.
* Hardware-based RAID recovery. Metadata is vendor-specific, and you typically need NDA access to manufacturer's info to get what you need to have. If not, you risk restoring stale data.
* YOu never even discern between rebuilding broken files, recovering the basic directory table; coaxing a dying disk drive back to life.
David Lethe
http://www.santools.com
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Dlethe,
Why the assumptions as to my intentions? In fact I'm not in the data recovery business and I don't want to enter it either. I'm trying to gain more knowledge so as to know when the issue requires a real data recovery specialist and when it can safely handled with some software and basic knowledge (i.e. drive acts fine, no unusual noises, SMART data is fine, etc.). My first post above says, "I AM interested in when things like the MBR becomes corrupted, or the like, when the *chance of retrieval is high with software alone*, how to go about it". (Emphasis added.)
I'm in the business of providing tech support. To refer every drive issue to expensive data recovery firms when it can be safely, speedily and far more cheaply handled in house is unscruplous to my customers. Charging them more because of my lack of knowledge is IMHO unethical. So I'm trying to gain that knowledge, in a professional manner, so as to ethically advise them as to their options, without either guiding them to the cheaper option when they need the more expensive option, or the more expensive option when the other route is more then sufficient.
Having said all that, you appear to have some of that knowledge. Can you guide me further?
Thanks.
Why the assumptions as to my intentions? In fact I'm not in the data recovery business and I don't want to enter it either. I'm trying to gain more knowledge so as to know when the issue requires a real data recovery specialist and when it can safely handled with some software and basic knowledge (i.e. drive acts fine, no unusual noises, SMART data is fine, etc.). My first post above says, "I AM interested in when things like the MBR becomes corrupted, or the like, when the *chance of retrieval is high with software alone*, how to go about it". (Emphasis added.)
I'm in the business of providing tech support. To refer every drive issue to expensive data recovery firms when it can be safely, speedily and far more cheaply handled in house is unscruplous to my customers. Charging them more because of my lack of knowledge is IMHO unethical. So I'm trying to gain that knowledge, in a professional manner, so as to ethically advise them as to their options, without either guiding them to the cheaper option when they need the more expensive option, or the more expensive option when the other route is more then sufficient.
Having said all that, you appear to have some of that knowledge. Can you guide me further?
Thanks.
ASKER
Nobus,
On HDDGuru, HDD Regenerator was roundly panned. I'm not sure if that was due to the software inherently not being good, or because it has a high potential, if one doesn't know what their doing, of making things worse.
Any further information about this is appreciated.
Panchux,
Thanks for that english manual for Victoria. I did locate Victoria on HDDGuru finally. I also tranlated a Russian manual for 3.6 using Google. If you're interested let me know how to get it to you.
On HDDGuru, HDD Regenerator was roundly panned. I'm not sure if that was due to the software inherently not being good, or because it has a high potential, if one doesn't know what their doing, of making things worse.
Any further information about this is appreciated.
Panchux,
Thanks for that english manual for Victoria. I did locate Victoria on HDDGuru finally. I also tranlated a Russian manual for 3.6 using Google. If you're interested let me know how to get it to you.
As far as I see even if he plans to enter into the data recovery business he started with the right foot since he is seeking for more knowledge on this subject.
Anyway ssvarc's intentions are not for us to discuss but to give the information asked.
dlethe is right when he states that Windows is not the only SO that an HDD will have so you may find this link rather informative
http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/category/data-recovery
Hope that helps,
Pancho
Anyway ssvarc's intentions are not for us to discuss but to give the information asked.
dlethe is right when he states that Windows is not the only SO that an HDD will have so you may find this link rather informative
http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/category/data-recovery
Hope that helps,
Pancho
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I'm dividing the points as fairly as I can. The more elaborate the answer or one that was told to me as based on experience, the more points I gave. I hope this is okay with everyone. Thanks for the help. See you guys around!