Degaussing is a data sanitization procedure that destroys data by applying powerful magnetic fields. Here’s how the process works.

No, magnets will not damage solid-state drives. However, changes in magnetic fields might cause data loss under certain circumstances. Strong magnetic fields can destroy data on hard disk drives (HDDs) and data tapes, for a simple reason: Those devices use...

Recently, we digitized ¾-inch Sony U-matic cartridges that had sat in storage for about four decades — with no considerations for humidity, heat, or other factors that could cause signal loss.  That project was largely successful, but it highlights the...

Defragmenting (or defragging) your hard drive can improve performance by reorganizing data. Here’s how it works: As your hard drive operates, it constantly writes and deletes files. A single file might be written to two completely different areas of the...

The Microsoft Surface is a popular series of touchscreen-based devices. Some models boast a terabyte of data storage — however, if you open up your Surface Pro (we do not recommend doing so), you won’t see anything that looks like...

With help from Datarecovery.com, an award-winning filmmaker and television producer has digitized some of his earliest work — including a rare 1979 interview with Chris Frantz, then-drummer for the Talking Heads. Greg Crutcher has had a storied career, serving as...

ESXiArgs is ransomware that encrypts VMware ESXi virtual machines and demands payments via cryptocurrency. The attackers reveal the infection with a ransom message demanding payment. Here’s a typical example of a ransom: Security Alert!!!We hacked your company successfully All...

The Windows Management Instrumentation Command-Line Utility (WMIC) is a simple tool that allows users to manage their Windows operating system.It runs through the Command Prompt and can access information from Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART), a monitoring system...

Hard drive crashes remain a leading cause of data loss, and while solid-state drives (SSDs) offer better performance and (arguably) better reliability, they’re still a single point of failure.  If an HDD or SSD fails, you lose data — unless...

If you’ve got a large number of U-Matic cassettes, digitization is essential. Like all analog formats, Sony U-Matic tapes degrade over time. Oxidation, which reduces the quality of recorded images and audio, can set in within a few years, though...