The hard drive is the central component of the computer. It holds the operating system and also stores all of the user’s data.

If it fails, the hard drive risks data loss and a data recovery procedure must be scheduled. To anticipate this type of inconvenience, it is important to know the main enemies of a hard drive.

Chronodisk details the 5 main enemies of your hard drive:

  • HEAT

Everyone knows that an electronic device heats up. To be more precise, the main sources of heat in a computer are: the processor, the graphics card, the hard drive.

Heat is one of the main causes of hard drive failure. This situation is common, and affects laptops in particular, due to the weakness of their cooling systems. When your computer indicates that the drive is overheating, it is strongly advised not to wait before taking action. Call in a professional to diagnose your computer’s problem. There are critical thresholds that no component should ever reach: above 85° Celsius, you put your hardware at risk, and you also risk a fire. Make sure the tower’s fans are working properly and double-check that sufficient cooling is being provided to the processor and its peripherals. For your cooling system, you can also boost it if the overheating comes from overly intensive use.

  • ELECTRICAL VOLTAGE FLUCTUATIONS

The current powering your computer must be stable. If it is not, this can lead to hard drive failure. Voltage fluctuations are caused by lightning, interference within the electrical grid, or any other event causing a power outage, which forces your equipment (computer or external hard drive) to shut down. This issue can be resolved by using a UPS / stabilizer combination. However, choose your device carefully, as the models available on the market are not necessarily reliable. The best-performing models remain those whose electrical voltage stabilization is done electronically.

  • HUMIDITY

It’s no secret that electricity and moisture don’t mix.

Here, when we talk about humidity, we must of course not forget the phenomenon of condensation.

Humidity shortens the lifespan of your components both indirectly and directly. Directly, if it causes a short circuit. Indirectly, if it causes rust, especially on screws and other components, which become highly conductive once rusted, promoting short circuits.

So, to avoid any risk of short circuit, it is best to keep your computer away from humidity. We are all tempted to set a glass or a cup down next to the keyboard, to have it within reach. Unfortunately, your hard drive will fail immediately if it comes into contact with water, especially if the computer was running when the liquid was spilled.

The hard drive is not the only component at risk of causing a short circuit. The power supply unit and the motherboard can also fail due to humidity.

  • IMPACTS

Impacts are a major physical enemy of the hard drive. The casing, the platters, and the read head are all very sensitive.

A hard drive cannot withstand an impact, even a mild one. In the event of an impact, it risks failure, and in most cases, the resulting damage renders it unrepairable. This situation makes the hard drive data recovery process difficult, even when the operation is handled by a competent professional.

  • VIRUSES

Data corruption represents a real danger for a hard drive. Indeed, data is erased or becomes unusable when the operating system is corrupted. The problem when dealing with a virus is that you risk destroying the files at the same time. The chances of recovering the data are then minimal. The solution remains regular updates with good antivirus software. It is the only way to limit the risk of losing your data, and to keep your system from becoming infected.

These 5 enemies can cripple your hard drive within seconds. Recovering lost data can sometimes prove to be a long and costly process. It is preferable to use preventive measures, and to back up your data regularly, in order to avoid having to call on a company specializing in data recovery to try to recover your precious files.

Coming soon, the sequel with 5 more dangers for your hard drive!