Kroll Ontrack Offers Data Recovery Discount for Storage Devices Affected by Storms

With historic rainfall wreaking havoc in South Carolina and along the East Coast, Kroll Ontrack, Inc. is offering free diagnosis and an $850 flat fee for data recovery of all desktops, laptops and USBs affected by flooding along the East Coast.

This offer runs through November.

Valuable business and personal data is stored on computers and laptops, whether financial information, irreplaceable and sentimental photos and videos, music, tax forms, contact lists, and passwords. When natural disasters occur, it can lead to devastating data loss scenarios. This fact is reinforced by the increase in the number of jobs Kroll Ontrack receives following natural disasters.

“The widespread power outages and water damage caused by heavy storms and flooding pose a major threat to business and personal property, at times leading to unfortunate data loss situations,” said Todd Johnson, VP of operations, Kroll Ontrack. “While many possessions can be replaced, and are usually covered by insurance, the same cannot be said for digital data. Loss of data can be both personally and professionally overwhelming.“

The extent of damage to digital files and information stored on HDDs will remain unknown until power is restored. Fortunately, the majority of digital data can be recovered from water-damaged or power-affected drives with the help of data recovery software and or services.

Kroll Ontrack also recommends that victims fearing loss of their vital information
consider the following before assuming that the damage is permanent:

• Never assume that data is unrecoverable, no matter what it has been through
• Do not shake, disassemble or attempt to clean any HDD or server that has been damaged – improper handling can make recovery operations more difficult which can lead to valuable information being lost
• Never attempt to dry water-damaged media by opening it or exposing it to heat – such as that from a hairdryer
• Do not attempt to operate visibly damaged devices
• Do not attempt to freeze-dry media
• Do not use common software utility programs on broken or water-damaged devices
• If you are dealing with large servers, make sure they have adequate air conditioning. Increases in computer processor speed have resulted in more power requirements, which in turn require better cooling – especially important during the summer months
• Invest in some form of Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), which uses batteries to keep computers running during power outages. UPS systems also help manage an orderly shutdown of the computer – unexpected shutdowns from power surge problems can cause data loss
• Check protection devices regularly: At least once a year you should inspect your power protection devices to make sure that they are functioning properly. Most good ones will have a signal or light to tell you when they are protecting your equipment properly
• For mission critical situations, contact a data recovery professional before any attempts are made to reconfigure, reinstall or reformat