The Web & The Wire

Technology Column with Joe Granese

February 27, 2008

Hard drive backup is as important as ever

Here at the globally recognized Granese Institute of Technology we see just about every possible kind of computer failure. During the past 24 years, I have been presented with countless non-operating computers in various states of disrepair.
Some systems were simply not plugged in, or had their surge protector switches in the off position. The most challenging failure occurred more than a decade ago, when a user brought in a computer that had been pressed into litter-box service by a jealous housecat.
Between those extremes are the everyday failures that keep information technology workers busy biting their nails and pulling out their hair. While failures may vary, they are usually accompanied by certain constants. First and foremost, the user, who could hold the key to exactly what caused the issue in the first place, is tight-lipped about symptoms the machine exhibited prior to the problem.
Fortunately, for every human stumbling block that turns up, there seems to be a helpful counterpart. We always appreciate a user who makes careful notes and provides the IT personnel with as much information as possible. This can range from the error code posted on the Blue Screen of Death, the Windows error message system, to information detailing the physical location of the computer and the types of tasks being performed when the unfortunate incident took place.
In most cases, the failed system contains information upon which the fate of the civilized world rests. We have recently been apprised of critical content like a school child’s first science project that had been completed but not backed up – the Information Age equivalent of having one’s homework eaten by the dog – and music purchased through iTunes that, at 99 cents per song, would be far too expensive to attempt to replace.

When the hard drive goes south

That brings us to today’s topic: the hard drive. Virtually every computer user today has at least one of them, likely comprising the very heart and soul of their working system. While processors and memory can be easily snapped in and out, when the hard drive goes south, productivity grinds to an immediate halt.
There are a number of good reasons why a hard drive fails, many of them pure chance. Essentially, drive failure occurs when a system is no longer able to read the information on its mass storage system. This includes, but is not limited to, the computer operating system, the applications software, and the data created by that software.
When explaining drive failure to users, I sometimes compare the devices to an incandescent light bulb. They can work perfectly for years; then one day, usually when they are most needed, they simply refuse to function.
Normal wear of an object with moving parts is always a potential problem. The hard drive spins on bearings that can fail with prolonged usage. Lubricants within the system can wear out, causing damaging friction. High system temperatures, the kind found in computers that are placed on deep pile carpeting or in little cubbyholes with poor ventilation, can also advance drive failure.

Soft and fluffy can be a computer killer

Laptop users are especially susceptible to drive failure. Many computers are used almost exclusively while the operator is sprawled on the bed, where the Hello Kitty or Transformers comforter can block the small cooling vents on the bottom of the case.
Any computer that is carried around as much as the average laptop is can also experience impact-related reliability issues. Head crashes occur when the devices used to read from and write to the disks are bashed into the platters by an external force. Still, with all these potential pitfalls, people manage to use their systems effectively every day, at least until the unthinkable event finally arrives.
There is one sure-fire solution to drive failure problems, and that is to make a backup copy of every shred of important data on the drive. This does not necessarily include the operating system or the applications software, as they will almost always need to be reinstalled after failure.
We are talking about the science project and the business plan. Be sure to keep a copy of the all-important résumé, winter holiday wish list, and hard-to-replace files like that collection of Dexy’s Midnight Runners MP3s for safekeeping, as well as the originals of irreplaceable family photographs and vital papers, such as a will.
I know it may seem daunting to back up all that stuff on a regular basis, but most users have the means to do just that within arm’s reach. Grab that cake box full of blank CDs or DVDs and start feeding them into your rewritable drive. Burn everything of importance onto some form of optical media, then take the finished disks to a safe place away from the computer and keep them there.

Prepare for the day the anvil drops

I can’t help but laugh at users who conscientiously back up their entire system onto external hard drives that sit on the desk next to the host computer. When the giant anvil falls on their building, don’t they realize that the original and the backup will be flattened together? The only good backup is one that can be retrieved immediately and pressed into service regardless of the severity or the location of the failure.
Here at the institute, we take backing up seriously. Every day our critical data is carefully copied to four different places. Two backup tapes are recorded every evening, and two real-time copies of the data files are kept on hard drive subsystems, one of them built into something called network attached storage.
Copies of the most important data are burned to DVD at irregular intervals and sent offsite as a final stopgap. If the building burns to the ground in our absence, we will merely have to build a new system, install the appropriate software, and copy the data onto it.
The intervals between these offsite copies should be determined by the amount of lost work the user is comfortable with having to recreate, should a total meltdown occur. Some businesses can go a few days or a week. Home users may be able to last a month. Still, if you are doing something that you consider important, it pays to make a backup or two at regular intervals.

Not all endings are happy

I will climb down from my soapbox now, as I am working on a computer suffering from drive failure at this very moment. In fact, I typed this column while an 18-hour recovery program helped save the information on the drive. From that point, I will copy it onto storage media and ultimately return it to the repaired computer. This constitutes the most desirable outcome, a happy ending.
In some cases the results can be dire. Imagine losing the last seven years’ worth of income tax returns due to drive failure, or every photograph taken at the last dozen or so birthday parties, graduations and family outings. It’s more than just data; it is a record of everyday life. Finish reading this column and then make a backup copy of your photos. You may find yourself thanking me down the road.
With that said, I hope nobody out there ever has to experience drive failure without the benefit of a current backup. Run a tape, burn some DVDs, and take a minute to email me with details of any meltdown experiences. I will do my best to be sympathetic, as long as you’re willing to listen to my horror stories, too. As ever, reach me at granese@juno.com.