Storage

Q1. What is the difference between "recover" and "restore?"
Ans: The terms "recover" and "restore" both refer to retrieving files from a backup device, such as a hard disk, external hard drive or other storage media. However, recovering files typically refers to salvaging one or more files, while a restore usually refers replacing a complete system or hard drive from a full system backup.

For example, if you accidentally erase a document, you may be able recover the file from a recently backup (assuming you have a recent backup). If for some reason, several files in a folder are corrupted and cannot be opened, you may be able to recover the entire folder from a backup. Individual files and folders can be recovered using a backup utility program or by simply dragging files from the backup disk to the original hard disk.

Then there are times when an entire hard drive crashes and stops functioning or the system directory becomes corrupt and the computer cannot boot up. In these desperate times, a full hard disk restore or system restore may be necessary. A hard disk restore can be done using a backup program, which copies every file from the backup to the original disk exactly, essentially duplicating the hard disk. Some backup programs copy a "disk image," or exact binary copy of a hard disk from one the backup drive to the original hard drive.

A system restore can typically be done using the original operating system installation disc(s). A fresh operating system can be installed from the CD/DVD that came with the computer, ensuring there are no problems with the system. While this gives your computer a fresh start, it does not replace the personal data you had previously saved on your hard drive. These files will have to manually be copied back to the new hard drive from a backup device.

So "recover" and "restore" are related, but have different meanings. It might help to think of restoring a hard disk as recovering all files at once. In other words, restoring a hard disk is a much bigger process than recovering individual files. Regardless of how you memorize the difference between the two terms, the important thing to remember is to back up your hard drive!

Q2. Can I use my internal hard drive as an external hard drive?
Ans: Yes, there are external hard drive cases you can buy that will allow you to convert your internal hard drive into an external one. After all, external hard drives are basically standard IDE or SATA drives packaged in an external case. The case protects the hard drive and connects the hard drive interface to the I/O ports. Some external hard drives only include USB 2.0 ports, while others may include USB, Firewire 400 and 800, and external SATA ports.

When buying an external hard drive enclosure, make sure it includes the ports you need to connect the hard drive to your computer. If your computer has Firewire 800 or external SATA connections, you should look for a case that has those interfaces since they will provide faster sustained transfer rates than USB 2.0. Also, make sure it supports your hard drive type, which is most likely either IDE or SATA. Finally, make sure the case is sturdy and made well, since there are few things more important than protecting your data.

Q3. Will adding more RAM give my computer more free space?
Ans: Adding RAM is one of the best things you can do to improve your computer's performance. However, if you need more free space, instead of adding RAM, you may need to add another hard drive.

RAM increases the amount of memory in your computer. When your computer boots up, the operating system is loaded into the memory. Each time you open an application or file, it is loaded into the memory. When the computer shuts down, the memory, or RAM, is erased.

While adding more RAM can allow you to run more programs at one time, it will not increase the amount of space you have for installing new programs and downloading or saving files. To increase your disk space, you need a larger or additional hard drive.

Q4. What is the difference between a USB hard drive and a USB flash drive?
Ans: A USB hard drive is an external hard drive that connects via USB. It uses the same design as an internal hard drive, except comes in an external casing that protects the drive. The case also includes a USB interface, which allows you to connect the drive to your USB port using a USB cable. Most USB hard drives require a USB 2.0 connection, since USB 1.1 does not have a fast enough data transfer rate to be practical.

A USB flash drive, sometimes called a "keychain drive," also connects to the USB port on your computer. Unlike a USB hard drive, a flash drive is a "solid state" device, meaning it has no moving parts. The data is stored electronically, using millions of small gates that have a value of 1 or 0. Hard drives store data using spindles of disks that spin thousands of times every minute.
Because USB flash drives are solid state devices, they are more rugged and less prone to data loss than hard drives. However, flash drives are significantly smaller than most hard drives and cannot hold nearly as much data. Both types of storage media keep their data even when the power to the devices is turned off. However, if you want to archive data for several years, you should burn it to a CD or DVD, both of which do not require electronic charges to store data.

Q5. How can I free up space on my hard disk?
Q6. How do I open files from a USB flash drive?
Computers typically recognize USB flash drives (often called "keychain drives") the same as other hard drives or removable media. This means you can drag and drop files to a USB drive, just like you can with your internal hard disk. If you use a Mac, the USB drive should show up on your desktop a few seconds after you connect it to your computer. If you use Windows XP or later, the drive should show up in "My Computer," along with your hard drives, optical drives, and any other storage media. On both Macs and PCs, you can open USB hard drives by simply clicking drive's icon.

If you have Windows Me or earlier, you should be able to use most USB drives, though some may be incompatible with your computer. Certain drives only support Windows XP or later. If your computer does not recognize a USB flash drive, find out who the manufacturer of the drive is. Then use your Web browser to visit the company's website and see if you can download drivers for your operating system. Installing the correct drivers from the manufacturer may allow your computer to use the USB drive even if your operating system doesn't natively support it.

Q7. How can I make sure everything is deleted off my hard drive before I sell my computer?
Ans: The quickest way to "erase" a hard disk is to initialize it. This process clears the current file system and creates a new directory structure. However, the files on disk are not actually removed -- only their references are gone. This means it is possible to retrieve many of the files on a newly initialized drive.

In order to make sure all your data is truly deleted, you need to "wipe" your hard disk. If you use a Macintosh, the Disk Utility program allows you to choose "Zero All Data" or perform an "8 Way Random Write" when erasing a disk. Either of these options will effectively make your data unrecoverable. Windows does not have a built-in option for wiping the hard drive, but there are several utility programs that will do the job for you. An example is Darik's Boot and Nuke. Several others can be found at CNET's Download.com. If you want to keep any of your data before wiping the drive, be sure to back it up on another drive since you will not be able to recover it.

Q8. How do I know if the blank CDs & DVDs I buy are rewritable?
Ans: Blank CDs come in two varieties -- CD-R and CD-RW discs. CD-Rs are recordable CDs, meaning they can record audio or data only once. CD-RWs, on the other hand, can record data multiple times. But to re-record data on a CD-RW disc, you must completely erase it first. Because CD-RWs can be rewritten, they do not hold data reliably for as long as CD-Rs do.

Writable DVDs come in more varieties than CDs, including DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW. DVD-R and DVD+R discs are nearly the same thing, but are formatted differently. The same is true for DVD-RW and DVD+RW discs. DVD-RAM discs are seldomly used anymore. Like CD-Rs, DVD-R and DVD+R discs can be written to only once, but have more reliable data integrity than rewritable DVDs. DVD-RW and DVD+RW discs can be rewritten, but they must be erased each time you want to record new data on them.

To summarize, look for discs ending in "-R" if you want single-use recordable CDs or DVDs. Look for "-RW" if you want discs that you can use more than once. Recordable (-R) discs are a good choice for burning audio CDs and making DVD movies. If you need media for making frequent backups, it make sense to buy rewritable (-RW) discs.

Q9. Is it possible to recover files off a disk that has been reformatted or initialized?
Ans: When a disk is formatted, the directory structure of the disk is rewritten, but the actual files are not deleted. Therefore it may be possible to recover some of the files from a disk that has been reformatted or initialized. As long as the reformatting did not write over the files you want to recover, it is sometimes possible to recover the files using a program like Norton Utilities Unerase, File Rescue Plus, Handy Recovery, or Final Recovery.

These programs will search the disk, whether it be a hard drive, floppy disk, or other media, for valid files. Even though the files are "invisible" to the system, the program should be be able to find them and list the ones that are recoverable. You have the best chance of recovering files if you run the recovery utility immediately after the disk has been formatted. Most disk recovery utilities can also recover files that have been accidentally deleted.

Q10. What does it mean to reformat a hard drive?
Ans: All hard drives, removable disks, CDs, DVDs, and other media need to be formatted in order for your computer to use them. The formatting process writes the basic directory structure onto the disk so that other directories and files can be added.
On a Windows computer, disks are formatted using the FAT32 or the newer NTFS file system. On a Mac, disks are typically formatted with the HFS or HFS+ file system. Once a disk is formatted, it can only be used by a computer that can read the disk's file system. Therefore, if you want to use a Macintosh-formatted disk with a Windows computer, you would need to reformat it using a Windows-compatible file system. Macintosh computers can read most Windows-formatted disks, but to use a hard drive on a Mac, you will need to format it using a Macintosh-compatible file system.
The most important thing to know about formatting or reformatting a disk is that the formatting process erases all the information on the disk. Well, technically, it just writes a new directory structure that allows all the files to be overwritten, creating a blank disk. There are some utilities that can recover files after a disk has been formatted. But for all practical purposes, formatting a disk is the same as erasing it. This is because the disk needs to be prior to formatting.
You can format most disks with Windows using the "Format" option in the File menu after selecting a disk to format. A Macintosh computer will prompt you to initialize and format an unformatted disk within the Finder or you can use the convenient "Disk Utility" program to reformat any writable disk.

Q11. What is a lost cluster?
Ans: lost cluster, or file fragment, is a small amount of data that does not belong to any file. It does not have a file name and is not mapped to any directory. Because they are invalid files, these enigmatic pieces of data can be deleted with no harm done to the valid data on your hard disk. Lost clusters are usually created when your computer is shut down improperly (i.e. pulling out the plug while some files are copying), or when you eject or disconnect a removable drive before unmounting it.

Q12. What does it mean to defragment a hard disk?
Ans: Over time, new files get written to your hard disk and old ones get deleted. When files are removed, gaps are created in the hard drive where new data can be written. Sometimes the new data doesn't quite fit in the gaps and some files get written in multiple areas on the hard disk. These files become "fragmented," meaning they consist of fragments of data. Because the hard drive has to scan multiple parts of the the disk to read a fragmented file, it can slow down the operation of the computer.

Defragmenting the hard disk cures this problem. A hard disk utility, such as Norton Utilities, can put file fragments together to create contiguous files. Contiguous files are read more efficiently by the hard drive and therefore lead to faster data access. Some defragmentation programs can also optimize the hard disk, which places similar files in similar locations. For example, program files are stored in one area, system files in another, and documents in another area of the disk. It is a good idea to defragment you hard drive about once a month during typical use.

Q13. Are Zip disks more reliable than 3.5" diskettes (floppy disks)?
Ans: Considering 3.5" floppy disks are the least reliable storage medium known to man, Zip disks are a safer choice for storing data. They also store significantly more data than floppy disks. Zip disks can store 100, 250, or 750MB of data, where as a floppy disk can only store 1.4 MB after being formatted. Because Zip disks store much more data than floppy disks, their data transfer rate is also much faster, meaning you can read and write large files quickly. This means you don't have to start major data transfers right before your lunch break or when you go to bed at night.

Just like 3.5" diskettes, Zip disks can be written to repeatedly and erased many times if needed. They can also be formatted and used with both Mac or Windows computers. While the capability to continually add and remove files from a Zip disk is useful, recordable CDs continue to be the cheapest option for making quick backups. Also, Zip disks are not as compatible as CDs since you need a Zip drive in order to use them.

Q14. Why does my hard drive make a lot of noise?
Ans: If your hard drive seems to be making more noise than usual, there is a good chance it has become fragmented. Hard drive fragmentation occurs when files and folders are moved around, added, copied, and deleted.

Your computer's hard drive stores information in blocks of data. When information becomes scattered on your hard drive, some files are written onto blocks that are not next to each other. This is known as file fragmentation. Your hard drive can still run when there are fragmented files on it, but it will run slower. This is because it has to scan more of the disk to access certain files. The extra scanning is what causes the hard drive to make more noise. When you start hearing an excessive amount of grinding from your hard drive, it is time to defragment it. A program like Norton Utilities will do this well.

You can also take the defragmentation process one step further and optimize your hard drive. This process moves similar types of files next to each other, so the hard drive head doesn't need to jump around as much. Optimizing your hard drive is a great way to increase performance. If you like your computer running as fast as possible, it is a good idea to defragment it at least once a month and optimize it every three months.

Q15. What would I want to partition my hard drive?
Ans: When you partition your hard drive, you create different sections of it that your computer reads as separate disks. One reason for partitioning your hard drive is so that you can install multiple operating systems on it. For example, Linux needs to be installed on its own partition in order to work. Another reason to partition your hard drive is so that it will read data more efficiently. If you have a large hard drive (20 GB or more), it would be wise to split it into at least two partitions. This way, the hard disk doesn't have to scan as much to find files. It also allows data to be stored in smaller block sizes, which means more space for your files.

To partition a hard drive that has already been formatted (and which you don't want to erase), you can use a program like Partition Magic, which will create a new partition on a hard drive without erasing any data. Otherwise, you can use your operating system's drive setup program to initialize and partition your hard drive. Though this is the best way to partition your drive, it can only be done by erasing all the data on it first.

Q16. Can I still start my computer if my hard drive fails?
Ans: If you can't boot up your computer from your hard drive, the next best option is to start up off a CD. If you have your Windows or Mac OS CD, you can usually start up off that. Just make sure the CD is in the computer before the operating system loads. You can then use a diagnostic program on the CD to check your hard drive and hopefully repair it. If that doesn't work, you can boot of a utility CD such as Norton Utilities and use the hard drive utilities on the CD to repair your hard drive. If you still can't get the hard drive working, it's best that you call the manufacturer and explain the problem to them.

Q17. Why won't my new IDE hard drive work after I just installed it?
Ans: IDE drives must be set up in a "Master-Slave" configuration. This means one hard drive is designated as the master device, and the other one is called the slave drive. The drive with your operating system installed on it should be the master, and the CD or other hard drive should be the slave. To determine which drive is which, you usually have to change the jumpers on the back of the drives. (They are typically little plastic pieces that go on to small metal pins). You'll need to check the manuals that go with the drives to know how to set them correctly. An improper setup of your devices could likely result in one or both drives not functioning.

Note: You can have one master device per IDE controller. So if you have two IDE controllers on your motherboard, you can have two master devices. Then you don't have to worry about any master-slave issues at all. Yea!

Q18. What is the difference between a double density (DD) diskette, and a high density (HD) diskette?
Ans: The terms high density and double density are pretty confusing. A high density diskette can store 1.44 MB after being formatted. (It can hold about 2.0 MB before being formatted.) A double density diskette can only hold 720K of data, or half that of a high density diskette. Sometimes, high density diskettes are referred to as HD/DD, which makes the difference a little more obvious. Double density diskettes are pretty much obsolete now, and it looks like HD diskettes are soon to follow.