6 Worst Reasons for Hard Disk Failure and Data Recovery Solutions
Contents
Hard drives are generally used to store large files, back up data, and to save important business files to keep them safe and secure. But, what if your hard drive suddenly stops working or fails? You may lose access to your crucial data. Hence, taking timely backup of your data should be your top priority.
So what are the worst reasons for hard drive failure? And how do we restore our lost data when a hard disk suddenly stops working or crashes?
Read on to know 6 worst reasons for hard drive failure and their symptoms; and solutions to recover lost data from a failed hard drive.
6 Worst Reasons for Internal/ External Hard Disk Failure
A Hard drive may fail at any moment. It happens after accumulation of bad sectors in the disk due to aging or a sudden crash. This may result in irrevocable damage to the disk platter surface. The reasons behind hard drive failure may be different, but they result in permanent data loss in most cases. Hence, recovering data from a crashed or failed hard drive at the earliest is quite essential. Here is a list of major reasons that lead to hard disk failure, their symptoms, and solutions.
1. Firmware or Manufacturer Faults
This error occurs due to improper power supply, virus attack, accidental shutdown, interruption during firmware upgrades, or manufacturing faults. You might observe the following symptoms even in a brand new hard disk.
Symptoms:
- Drive freezes at startup.
- The system can’t detect/identify the hard disk at all.
- The system fails to boot/hang up in the middle of booting procedure.
Solution:
Users can contact the hard disk manufacturer and ask them for Return Authorization (RA), as the disk must be under warranty. However, manufacturers generally don’t provide any guarantee regarding safety of your data. For more information, please refer to the warranty/guarantee policy provided by the manufacturer. Further, to recover your data in case of hard drive failure, we would recommend a professional data recovery tool.
2. Electronic Failure or Power Surge
Sometimes, UPS is unable to deliver the required power supply. It’s either too high or too slow. This can also occur when you use an unreliable power source or there is frequent interruption in the flow of electricity.
Symptoms:
- Sudden startup failure
- System BIOS can’t detect the hard drive
- Hard drive isn’t able to spin up
Solution:
Make sure that the system hardware is getting proper power supply. You can fix this error by using UPS from a well-known brand. Also, turn off your system properly when not in use.
3. Overheating
This error may occur due to faulty CPU fan, improper ventilation, high-voltage power supply, high temperature, virus infection, and development of bad sectors. These reasons could heat up the system and lead to sudden hard disk failure.
Symptoms:
- Pc frequently reboots/freezes
- Fans are either moving too slow or not at all
- System hardware is making clicking sounds or noise
- Desktop or Laptop gets heated soon after starting
Solution:
Make sure that the CPU fans are working fine. Double check that sufficient cooling is delivered to the processor and their peripherals. You can also try applying thermal paste between heat sinks of the CPU fan to make it run smoothly.
4. Mechanical or Internal Failure
Mechanical failure in your hard drive can occur due to moving parts, malware or virus attack, bad sectors, improper power supply and so on. These reasons could lead to hard drive failure or damage and data corruption.
Earlier, several rootkit viruses were introduced that used to become active with turning on the system. They corrupted the system functioning at BIOS level. However, Windows latest versions (8/10) are efficient at detecting such malware and remove it using UEFI technology.
Symptoms:
- Total system freeze
- Grinding or clicking sounds from hard drive
- Files & Folders becoming invisible or corrupt
- Appearance of black screen while booting
Solution:
You must update your system on a daily or weekly basis. Keep your antivirus software updated and scan your computer to analyze malicious activities or virus attacks. Replace your hard drive every 3-4 years.
5. Corrupt File
Use of malicious or faulty apps, accidental closure of running programs, unethical way of shutting down the PC, power surges, etc. are reasons that lead to system file corruption and make the hard disk inaccessible.
Symptoms:
- The files become corrupt or damaged.
- The hard drive is inaccessible.
Solution:
Always shut down your PC in the standard manner. It will prevent command kernel to stop powering remaining CPU equipment. Close all the running programs before shutting down the system and avoid installation of faulty software or malicious applications into your PC. You can also fix your inaccessible hard drive to recover data.
6. Human Errors
Human errors are the most common cause of hard disk failure. Such errors may include modifying system registry settings, wrong installation of OS, alteration in system files attributes, accidental deletion of files or directories, etc. These type of errors are quite hard to repair.
Human errors might not only cause severe damage to hard disk, but could also lead to permanent data loss. Hence, to scan on advance level, and recover data from damaged or failed hard drive, proceed with the most efficient data recovery software.
Okay, the Drive Has Failed! Now What to Do?
If your hard drive has failed or crashed, and you don’t even have a backup of your data, you could lose your important files and documents. Sometimes, you may feel that the hard drive has failed, but in reality, it has only become raw or inaccessible due to some logical reasons like software bugs, virus attack or malware, file or system corruption, accidental deletion or format, etc. You can follow the given methods to find out the exact reason, and then recover lost data from drive.
Retrieve Your Data from Corrupt/ Failed Hard Drive
Method 1: Carefully Connect the Hard Drive
Sometimes, when we connect the hard drive to the system, it doesn’t show in File Explorer. It might happen if the drive is loosely connected to the port. To fix this, reconnect the hard disk carefully. If this doesn’t help either, there might be some issue with the connecting port. Remove the drive, reboot the system and reconnect the drive to check if it is showing up now in the File Explorer.
Method 2: Fix Unallocated Drive
If the hard disk doesn’t show up in the file explorer, but is shown unallocated in the Disk Management, follow the given steps to fix this error:
1. In the Disk Management window, right-click on Unallocated drive and select New Simple Volume.
2. In the New Simple Volume wizard, click Next.
3. Click Next again to specify the volume size.
4. Click Next and select ‘Assign the following drive letter.’ Choose a letter from the drop-down list, and click Next.
5. Select ‘Format this volume with the following settings’ and select the desired file system; click Next.
6. Click Finish and your hard drive is ready to use.
Now, you can access the hard drive. However, you won’t be able to access your data as the hard drive had been formatted while fixing the error. But don’t panic! You can recover your data from a formatted hard drive easily using a professional data recovery software.
However, if the drive is failed or crashed due to Mechanical or other physical reasons and the drive is not visible in Disk Management, data recovery through the software is not possible. To recover your data from a severely damaged, crashed or dead hard drive, you must refer to a professional data recovery service provider.
Tips To Prevent Data Loss from Failed Hard Drive
Sometimes, the hard disk can crash or become dead without even making any grinding or screeching sound. In such situations, you might even lose the chance of taking backup of your data on another device. Hence, follow the given tips to protect your data from permanent loss:
Tips:
- Stop using the drive when you encounter any symptoms mentioned in this post.
- Unplug or remove the drive from CPU, and keep it in a clean and safe environment.
- Make sure that there are no ‘hot spots’ or any mark on the external controller board.
- You can also search and confirm that no any drive parts are broken or damaged.
- Take regular backup of your data, and keep a professional data recovery tool handy.
- Take precaution while handling external drive and laptop to prevent damage due to sudden drop.
Wrapping Up
The hard drives are prone to corruption or failure at any moment. If you do not have backup of your data, you may lose important files, documents, and other stuff. In this blog, we mentioned 6 worst reasons of hard drive failure along with their symptoms and solutions to recover lost data. Some tips to prevent data loss and hard disk failure are also mentioned above. However, if the drive is already dead, take help of a professional data recovery service provider.
In case of any query, please write us in the comment section below. For more relevant updates, stay tuned!
The blog beautifully explained worst reasons of hard drive failure using infographics technique.
Thanks Hixen
Hi Team,
I own a Lenovo z560 laptop, which is 4years old. recently i tried to change the OS as my laptop was too slow in performance, while i try to boot new OS, i get a black screen with message ” Error loading operating system…”. could you please suggest me the reason for this error message and diagnosys steps to resolve this.
Hello Sreepadha Reddy,
Thanks for contacting Stellar Data Recovery
Reason for this error: Whenever a computer powers on and starts up, its BIOS and CMOS start working on the system setup, check the hard drives, and boot the operating system. During the process, if there is any issue in the hard drive, the operating system is not launched and you can’t open your desktop.
Check out the below methods to fix “Error Loading Operating System”
Fix 1: Scan and fix via Windows CHKDSK tool
Steps to implement Windows CHKDSK
Right-click on the drive to be checked for errors
Select ‘Properties’
Click on ‘Tools’
Under Error-checking, click on ‘Check’
A dialogue box with Check disk options appears. Check-in and scan for bad sectors. Click on ‘Start.’ The scan will fix and reveal if there is any physical damage to the hard disk.
Fix 2: Update your system BIOS to the latest version
Fix 3: Restore the MBR information of hard disk
Fix 4: Reinstall your Windows operating system
It might be possible that you lost data while fixing “Error loading operating system!” we suggest to opt for a professional data recovery software like Stellar
Here is the download link: Download
Hi,
Hope you can help me. I have a MACBook Pro that is turning off while booting.
They said hard disk failed. Is there any chance to recover the data from the hard disk?
Hello Alessandra,
Thanks for contacting Stellar Data Recovery
You can mount your MacBook Pro drive on another Mac using an external drive enclosure. Further, Stellar Mac Data Recovery can help you recover files if the internal drive is unmounted or have other accessibility issues when plugged-in.
The way you guys educate the content is highly applauded. +1 for infographics.
Hello Naoh,
Really appreciate your kind words.
I had done an unethical shut down several times now I get a blue screen with a QR code (corrupt windows 10 files I think) when I try to boot a computer.
is it possible to repair the hard drive or can I only recover the data?
Please perform the scan with the demo version of Stellar Windows Data Recovery Professional to check the possibility of recovery.
Once you are satisfied with the preview shown in the demo version then you can purchase the software to recover the data.Unfortunately, we do not repair the hard drives you may recover the data using our software.
Hello Kristen,
We feel glad that our software helps you.
Please don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.
I have a brand new Lenovo laptop x260 i7, but after installing MS Office 2007 I keep getting the black screen, hard failure notice. Thanks for sharing Informative Information. I love this site, it’s really helped me!
Hello,
Media of my hard drive has an issue, and my hard disk is weak now, can i recover from Stellar Windows Data Recovery – Professional. ?
Hello Rayyan,
Thanks for contacting Stellar Data Recovery
Can you please let us know what issue/error message display at your end so that we better assist you.
Hey, I Install Windows on my PC Unfortunately, shows blue screen error on hard disk stop 0x0000007b how to resolve?
Hello Neil,
You may receive this error because your computer is infected with a boot-sector virus. You either move the drive to another computer and run chkdsk command on that drive it may fix some error. You may need one virus-detection software to detect and remove viruses.
My HDD is not detected by the BIOS after the machine(Laptop) was switched off by just pulling the charger without first hitting the powering button from then the HDD couldn’t boot till now.
Hello Thabang,
As your hard drive is not recognized by BIOS, the system won’t boot (if this is the boot drive). A Boot DVD is bundled with the box version of Stellar Windows Data Recovery – Pro. You can use this DVD to boot your system. Run the software and then recover all data to an external media.