Still have onsite servers? If you have a server that can’t be migrated due to its outdated software or you’d rather keep certain data under wraps by storing it closer to home, be aware that all hard disks wear out over time.
Many people forget that hard disks have a shelf life and ignore the signs of wear and tear, which serve to indicate when it’s time to go out and find a better storage solution.
7 Signs Your Hard Disk is about to Crash
Here are 7 signs you need to look out for if you intend to keep your data safe. If you experience any of these signs, get a new hard disk drive as soon as possible, or make the move to a new server.
1. The sound
This should be your first and most obvious sign. If your server has started to make a grinding sound whenever you use it, it could be a sign of a physical failure. In case you haven’t noticed it, a healthy hard disk makes no sound – not even when it’s in an intensive data storage or retrieval process. It just isn’t natural.
Make sure you don’t confuse the sound your internal fan makes with that of a corrupt hard disk.
2. Frequent crashes
If you’re sure you’ve properly installed your operating system and all the applications and software, then there shouldn’t be much reason for your server to crash. If your server randomly and frequently crashes, there may be something extremely wrong with your hard disk drive.
3. Constant error messages
Accessing the data on your own servers shouldn’t be much of a hassle for you. And yet, if you constantly get error or popup messages telling you that you cannot access a file or that it can’t be found – even as you’re staring at it on your monitor – then it is a clear sign of a problem. This is usually caused by the hard disk being corrupted and not being able to access sectors which previously worked without a hitch.
4. Scrambled or cryptic file names
If you have a standard form of naming your files and folders, and yet find that some of them have been “renamed” to something else, you need to watch out. A faulty hard disk will try to show you the original file names, but fail when it comes across those that are located in bad sectors. Instead, you’ll see partially retrieved information that is indecipherable.
5. Files with corrupt content
Should you be able to open any files located in the bad sectors of your hard disk drive, you’ll see that the content is corrupted. Documents will open with bizarre content in them and media files will either crash in the middle of playing or won’t start at all.
6. Unrecognizable drive
Sometimes, your computer will fail to load or even recognize your drive. If the failure to recognize the hard disk drive occurs at the time of your server’s startup, you could be faced with a warning message stating that the operating system can’t be found. If it occurs after the server has booted and while you’re working on it, the drive will not be visible when you search for it using your file explorer.
It is time to get a new hard disk drive.
If any one of your servers (or even computers or laptops) has been showing any of the signs mentioned above, start thinking about what to do next. Steps to take include:
- Back your data up in anticipation of migrating to a new hard disk or server
- Try to use hard disk diagnosis and repair software to see if a temporary solution can be found
- Migrate to blade servers that have disk with no moving parts
- Use a cloud data storage service provider instead of a local server
- Move your whole infrastructure to the cloud and let the hosting provider worry about it all
Nothing can be as disastrous as losing all the data you have stored, especially that of your clients’ personal or financial information, due to a hard disk failure. So always be on the lookout for these warning signs.
