Hard drives work contact-free, the data is read out ferromagnetically. The writing/reading unit engages between the magnetic disks. In normal operating conditions, at high rotation speeds, an air cushion forms between the head and the disk. The read/write heads thus float on a cushion of air, just a few nanometers above, with a rotation speed of 5,400, 7,200 rpm. or higher, rotating magnetic disks and do not touch them. A hard drive head crash describes damage to the surfaces of the magnetic disks caused by contact with the heads of the read/write unit. The heads of the writing/reading unit come into contact with the rotating disks (crash) and thereby release microscopic particles from the coating of the magnetic disks. The smallest particles that are dissolved get between the writing/reading unit and the rotating magnetic disks. This causes new particles to detach from the coating and increases the risk of further contact. In this case we are talking about a domino effect that gradually gets worse.

If a hard drive in a RAID array fails, redundancy is lost with common RAID levels and in most cases this results in serious damage. If an error message such as “drive missing” or “disk failed” appears with RAID-5, RAID-6, RAID-10 and similar RAID levels, there is the possibility of replacing the defective hard drive with a new one due to the redundancy of these systems replace and start a “rebuild”. Depending on the configuration, this process can be done with or without a hot spare hard drive. During a “rebuild”, the RAID array uses certain RAID algorithms and parity data to copy the data from the defective hard drive to a new drive or to a hot spare disk. However, this process puts a lot of strain on all of the hard drives in the RAID array, so it is not uncommon for one or even several additional hard drives to fail during the rebuild. Most of the time, all hard drives in a RAID or NAS server are the same age, so the cause of further hard drives failing is wear and tear. A hard drive mechanism can fail or parts of the mechanism can be damaged. With RAID-5, a maximum of one hard drive can fail; with RAID-6, up to two hard drives can fail. A failed rebuild attempt can have fatal consequences and lead to more complex corruption. RAID systems are very sensitive storage that requires special handling.

If the internal or external SSD is no longer recognized by Windows, Linux, MacOS operating system, then this can be attributed to serious damage to the SSD. The cause can lie in the electronics, in the firmware controller or on the logical level. A total controller failure may be responsible for this. The flash memory controller is a component of a solid state drive (SSD) that controls communication between flash memory and the computer. The controller not only manages where and how the data is stored on the memory cells, but is also responsible for wear leveling, error correction (ECC) and mapping (Flash Translation Layer). This storage of data is fragmented, i.e. the data is not stored “in one piece”, but in many small fragments on the memory blocks of the memory chip, for example in order to increase the performance and lifespan of the flash memory. Among other things, a damaged connection or the electronics of the SSD can also be the cause of the damage; so-called bad blocks – defective memory modules are also possible. Failure due to wear and tear is not uncommon with SSDs either, as the memory cells wear out.

If the internal or external SSD no longer starts, the cause can often be a controller failure or wear and tear. Errors in the firmware are also nothing unusual, as they sometimes come onto the market in an immature state and are only corrected later through updates. This is a typical error pattern, as SSDs wear out over the course of their operating life due to frequent use, which causes the memory cells of the NAND memory chips to wear out and more and more so-called bad blocks are created. A flash memory consists of a certain number of individual memory elements depending on the memory size; in short, it is divided into memory blocks. But with an SSD, only a limited number of write-commands are possible; deleting a block ages it, so the SSD controller ensures that the writes are distributed as evenly as possible across all cells/blocks in order to control even wear. In addition to the pure performance, the longevity of the SSD also depends on the controller. To increase the average lifespan of the SSD, the controller uses a method called “wear leveling”. The algorithms used for this are manufacturer-specific, but in any case, neither visible nor influenced by the rest of the computer. This distribution process is available in various stages.

If a flash disk is no longer recognized by the operating system, the cause is usually an electrical or physical defect. In most cases there is a controller failure or a controller firmware problem. Due to wear and tear over the course of operating time, the memory cells of the NAND memory chips also wear out and more and more so-called bad blocks are created. Damage to the electronics, especially to the conductor tracks (electronics) between the controller and the memory chip, cannot be ruled out. Communication between the two elements is therefore no longer possible. It is important to note that memory cards / USB sticks usually differ from each other in their internal construction. An increasingly used structure for the two is monolith technology, which is used to increase the capacities of these data carriers. Rare triggers are errors in file management, for example if the memory card was originally used in a camera and is then no longer recognized on a PC.

If a flash drive suddenly needs to be formatted, there can be several reasons. If Windows repeatedly requires the storage medium to be formatted, it is either already defective or is not only being used with a Windows PC, but has already been formatted in advance for another operating system. The error can also lie in the controller’s firmware. The computer recognizes the disk, a drive is assigned in the disk management, but since access to the data is not possible, the logical consequence is for the operating system to request that the disk be formatted. Different operating systems use different formats to access a disk. For example, if a memory card is used in a camera or smartphone, it is formatted into the appropriate file system so that it can be used. This formatting usually happens unnoticed and can result in the memory card being inaccessible on a PC with a different operating system. It is not uncommon for the data to even be encrypted. It is important that the requested formatting should under no circumstances be carried out!

If the battery is not completely discharged or is defective, the so-called Boot loop responsible for the error. If the smartphone screen remains dark after switching on or only reaches the manufacturer’s logo, the Android or IOS operating system is in an endless loop and keeps restarting without getting to the start screen. Reasons could be a faulty circuit board, a failed update, a software/hardware error, or the operating system crashed completely. The errors often occur when there is not enough storage space or a sudden loss of power (battery empty). Do not try to solve the problem yourself by starting “Soft Reset” and do not use any key combinations. In the worst-case scenario, you reset the file system (“hard reset”) and lose your data. Restoring data from a cell phone is a very time-consuming and complex job that depends on many factors (the model, the year of manufacture, the total capacity, the damage, and the technology used).

When you are cooking, bathing or out and about, you don’t pay attention for a moment and it happens. If a smartphone has fallen into the water or been exposed to high humidity over a long period of time – for example during a holiday at the sea – in most cases (as long as the memory and processor of your device have not been damaged) we have electronic short circuits Components on the smartphone circuit board and/or corrosion on the conductor tracks and electronic components of the cell phone. Please do not try to disassemble the device and simply dry it yourself at home on kitchen paper. Or even worse: don’t put the mobile device in a container with rice! The first step after the accident is to turn off your cell phone as quickly as possible. If it is already turned off: Do not turn it on. This way you avoid a short circuit. The best thing to do is contact us immediately and we will help you!