Computers can be one of the most valuable assets in a company’s business. It is important to protect their hard drives as well as any software or information they contain.
This video will explain the importance of regular drive maintenance and the average lifespan of hard drives. It also explains how to deal with overheated or failing drives. If you are looking for a professional organization that takes care of Disk Storage Maintenance Services in your company, You can indeed contact sureworks. Sureworks is one of the Disk Storage Maintenance services providers in India
How to maintain hard drives
Computers and the data they store are near the top of any business’s most valuable equipment.
Failure of a hard drive can have serious consequences. Regular checkups are essential.
Average Lifespan of Hard Drives
Recent studies have shown that hard drives last an average of 4 years. The biggest drops occur between years 3-4. These numbers would indicate that roughly half of all drives will fail after 6 years.
Even though survival rates eventually drop to zero, and there are always exceptions like malware that cause early failures, regular maintenance is the best strategy to extend lifespans.
What can you do with an unusable drive?
It is important not to throw away a hard drive that has crashed and become dead.
Depending on the extent of the damage, sensitive information could be recovered and used against you. Hard drive destruction is the best way to dispose of a hard drive that fails, despite its regular maintenance. The drive bits can be safely recycled and information is not recovered.
Think Twice before Downloads & Installations
Web security has become more important as technology improves and the time passes. To avoid installing viruses or malware, ensure that you only download software from an authorized source.
A computer’s memory is used to run programs, but it also makes use of the hard drive to speed up loading times. This is in addition to security. It will help keep your computer and drive running smoothly by limiting the amount of space that is used for unnecessary software.
Make Sure You Are Secure
It is essential to keep firewall and antivirus software current for downloading scans.
Limit the amount of data stored on hard drives to reduce the damage in the event of a breach. Only business-essential files and software should be stored on hard drives.
Update Software on a Computer – Keep the OS Current
A slow operating system can cause problems with security and functionality. OS updates often include critical security updates and patches that fix current threats. Ignoring these can lead to problems and eventually hard drive failure.
Only store and install what is necessary
Keep only business-essential software and information on your office computers to maximize drive speed and minimize security risks. There is no way for critical business software or information to be compromised by installing or using malicious web software.
Defragment hard drives
Hard drives do not use a particular order. Instead, they use the first available space to save files. This includes the space created by deleting files. This scatters data, which makes it difficult to access data stored on the hard drive and slows down the computer. It is therefore important to regularly defragment the drive.
Keep backup copies
You can always hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst. Keep a backup copy of your data in case your hard drive fails. Many companies either store data on external storage devices or use digital cloud storage services to back it up.
Clean in and around the Machine
To extend the life of a hard drive, it is important to avoid overheating. Keep the cooling mechanism of your hard drive working efficiently by keeping dust out of the air vents and clean inside.
Lack of air and debris can cause fans and mechanisms to become clogged and drive components to fail. It is important to keep computers clean and to use compressed air to remove dust.
Safely Handle Overheated Vehicles
Make sure you have adequate ventilationClear ventilation and functional cooling systems should be checked if hard drives heat up. Drives that heat up from insufficient air can still be recovered after cooling.
Take backup immediately
If overheating persists or gets worse, be sure to backup data. It is recommended to have a backup drive, cloud storage or a DMS in case of damage to the drive.
Do not Boot
Do not start the drive if you continue to experience overheating even after you have checked ventilation. Hardware issues such as actuator heads can lead to overheating. Self-repairs and booting the drive may cause more damage
Computer Asleep Utilize Power Save/Sleep Modes
Like a car’s miles, the life expectancy of a hard drive will decrease the more it is used. Power sleep and save modes can be used to reduce the drive’s time in use. They allow you to quickly wake up after periods of inactivity.
Stay Away from Static
Static electricity is like lightning strikes to a computer and should be avoided. Static electricity can cause damage to drive microchips, but it is not possible for humans to feel until 1,500 volts.
