You were warned so don't get mad at me.

draggar · #1 03-09-2010, 01:45 AM

We have a server (or servers?) that check computer's health as they're on the network. They check the load version, look for bad sectors, check the fragmentation, check the virus protection, and so on.

When a computer fails one (or more) of these checks maintenance tickets are cut and put in the maintenance bucket. These tickets are not considered a high priority but help us be proactive so we can eliminate issues before they happen.

One such PC came up flagged as having bad sectors on the hard drive.

Now, all hard drives will develop bad sectors but when they start to get really bad the drive can become toast (dead). If enough damage happens, not only will the PC not see it, the data on it will be irrecoverable.

I send the user an email telling them that all I need to do is swap the drive. The process would take a few hours but at least I could try to get most of their data copied over to the new drive (as long as no bad sectors popped up in the data).

The user makes appointments and always cancels them. This went on and I ended up closing the maintenance ticket since he never showed up.

Then I get an email. His laptop won't boot up - it says unmountable boot volume (very bad). He insists that I get to his PC ASAP and fix it now. Guess what? That isn't going to happen. I'm busy now and since the user skipped out on previous appointments.

I finally get the drive swapped out but wouldn't you know it - his data is gone. I can't recover the drive.

Of course, now the user is pissed at me and escalates to my boss (like emailing them will make me able to copy the data?). Of course I just forward some of the emails I had with the user previously about this issue.

Don't ignore us - we know what we're talking about.

Ironclad Alibi · #2 03-09-2010, 02:59 AM

I wonder if that guy also ignores warning lights on his car's dashboard? Like the check oil light?

underemployeed · #3 03-09-2010, 03:10 AM

Well the data must not have been that important, because I have 2 external hard drives that come to think of it I need to update. Along with a 320gb linux media server in basement. and I really don't have anything terribly important but one of the drives is in a firesafe along with DVD copies of really important stuff that also on a 4gb flash drive. It never hurts to have one backup or several especially if your gonna get annoyed when it no longer exists.

Once met a guy who was driving around in a truck that didn't register any oil when you used the dipstick, because "well I still have 500 miles till I need to change the oil."

it'srefurbished? · #4 03-09-2010, 04:09 AM

Back ups are ESSENTIAL. Sadly, most user's ignorance prevents them from doing such things. They don't realize that a failing hard drive is not an IF, it's a WHEN. And then when a drive fails miserably and no data is recoverable, suddenly it's some massive conspiracy against them and that "hard drives shouldn't fail" or "my old computer never did this!".

1) In a perfect world, yes I suppose hard drives shouldn't fail, but they do. What are you going to do about it?

2) Computers ain't made like they used to be, get used to it.

Seshat · #5 03-09-2010, 07:34 AM

No - they used to be even more fragile!

draggar · #6 03-09-2010, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Quoth underemployeed

Well the data must not have been that important, because I have 2 external hard drives that come to think of it I need to update. Along with a 320gb linux media server in basement. and I really don't have anything terribly important but one of the drives is in a firesafe along with DVD copies of really important stuff that also on a 4gb flash drive. It never hurts to have one backup or several especially if your gonna get annoyed when it no longer exists.

Quote:

Quoth it'srefurbished?

Back ups are ESSENTIAL. Sadly, most user's ignorance prevents them from doing such things. They don't realize that a failing hard drive is not an IF, it's a WHEN. And then when a drive fails miserably and no data is recoverable, suddenly it's some massive conspiracy against them and that "hard drives shouldn't fail" or "my old computer never did this!".

I recommend al of my users get a USB drive - even if it is a 8 or 16 GB memory stick for their important files (PSTs, etc..). I even tell them I'll sit down with them and show them how to copy files over, how to point Outlook to it, how to copy files over to your home computer for storage, etc.

So far only ONE person has taken me up on it.

Quote:

1) In a perfect world, yes I suppose hard drives shouldn't fail, but they do. What are you going to do about it?

Some people even asked me "Why doesn't the manufacturers do anything about bad sectors?"

They are trying but things happen - especially in laptops. Not as much circulation so when it does get clogged it overheats quickly, they get banged around in laptop bags all day, and drives just wear down.

Plus there are so many reasons for bad sectors / clusters - scratched platters, loss of magnetism, dirt (yes, even some dirt can get in there), plus heads can go out, ball bearings on the drive itself can go out.

I know I'm not supposed to but I'm proactive with it. I swap the HDD on my laptop (hey, I'm the IT guy, I can do that whenever I want!) every 6-9 months (plus no need for a data transfer since all the information is on my 500GB USB drive!).

AriRashkae · #7 03-09-2010, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Quoth it'srefurbished?

Back ups are ESSENTIAL. Sadly, most user's ignorance prevents them from doing such things. They don't realize that a failing hard drive is not an IF, it's a WHEN. And then when a drive fails miserably and no data is recoverable, suddenly it's some massive conspiracy against them and that "hard drives shouldn't fail" or "my old computer never did this!".

Ugh! Tell me about it! My mother and grandmother use an older (gooseneck!) iMac, and it's dying. The DVD drive no longer recognizes discs, and the hard drive is clicking.

So I bought her a 500GB for Christmas, set it up, and told her, "Don't touch!"

And yes, I did tell her that it's just a matter of "when" and to start looking and socking money away NOW!

TheSHAD0W · #8 03-09-2010, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Quoth underemployeed

...one of the drives is in a firesafe along with DVD copies of really important stuff that also on a 4gb flash drive.

Please note that your run-of-the-mill fire safe won't keep the temperature low enough to preserve your data; they're meant for keeping your paper records from burning. Data-rated safes are expensive, though there are some liners available that will boost the safe's preservation capability.

Consider an off-site backup service where you upload your (encrypted) data over your internet link to a remote server.

Chromatix · #9 03-09-2010, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Some people even asked me "Why doesn't the manufacturers do anything about bad sectors?"

Why yes, there's this wonderful new technology they're introducing now called the Solid State Drive. It never gets bad sectors AND it's much faster than a normal hard drive. Would you like me to upgrade you to one of those?

Oh by the way, say hi to €250 for a 128GB drive, and that's on the cheap end. You get what you pay for.

Hyndis · #10 03-09-2010, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Quoth Chromatix

Why yes, there's this wonderful new technology they're introducing now called the Solid State Drive. It never gets bad sectors AND it's much faster than a normal hard drive. Would you like me to upgrade you to one of those?

Oh by the way, say hi to €250 for a 128GB drive, and that's on the cheap end. You get what you pay for.

LOL

Data security? On an SSD?

Hope you have a RAID5.

(Yes, I work with SSD's on a daily basis. They are far, far less reliable than a mechanical HDD. They seem to be about as reliable as a USB flash drive, which means, not very reliable.)