The Causes and Prevention of File System Corruption
Before
we discuss the causes and prevention of file system corruption, I think
it's important that you understand what a file system is. Wikipedia
defines a file system as a "method for storing and organizing computer
files and the data they contain to make it easy to find and access
them". It rides on top of the physical hard disk drive's platter like a grid
system on a map.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_system
Essentially, it's like a database that organizes and maps all the
locations to the files on the hard disk drive. Imagine this, a post
office branch keeps track of all the street names and house numbers in
its jurisdiction. When sending letters to a particular address, the
post office knows where to deliver that letter. However, if some of the
post office records become unreadable, they might not know where your
house is located.
There are many different types of file systems. Some of them are the FAT16, FAT32,
and NTFS and these are commonly used for Microsoft Windows-based PCs. There are other
types of file systems used in the Unix, Linux, and other operating
systems but for the purposes of this article, we are going to
concentrate on the NTFS (New Technology File System) and what I've seen
as their major causes of file system corruption.
There's no getting around the fact that sometimes the NTFS file system will become corrupted. When
that happens, some or all of the data stored on their host hard drive
becomes inaccessible. There are many reasons that the file system can
become corrupted but the main ones include...
1. Improper system shutdown
2. Operating system malfunctioning
3. Power failure
4. Electrostatic discharge
5. Overheating due to cooling fan failures
6. Hard disk drive failure
To overcome such data loss situations, you will need to repair the file
system and then restore your data from a valid backup. This is easier
said than done because the extent of the damage needs to be carefully
assessed before simply reusing the hard disk drive on which the file
system corruption has occurred.
So long as the root cause was not an actual failure of the hard disk
drive itself, it may be possible to simply test the hard drive and run
a scandisk to check for and correct any file system problems. If the
file system is too far damaged, then it will be necessary to recreate
and reformat the hard disk drive's partition(s), reinstall the
operating system and then restore your data from a valid backup.
If the root cause was an actual failure of the hard disk drive itself,
then it will be necessary to replace the hard disk drive and reinstall
your operating system followed by restoring your data from a valid
backup.
Now let's turn our attention to the prevention of file system
corruption and potential loss of data and discuss each of the main
causes listed earlier.
1.
IMPROPER SYSTEM SHUTDOWN: Always shutdown your PC correctly. Improper
system shutdown can cause a
file system corruption. This is because when the computer starts up and
shuts down, it utilizes a process called mounting and unmounting in
order
to load and then unload the file system. Most newer
computers have their power buttons programmed so that if turn the
system off by pressing the button, it will invoke a valid shutdown
procedure from the
operating system and therefore properly unmount the file system.
But be careful because some computers do NOT set their power buttons to
perform a valid shutdown process. You should note, however, that with
all PCs if you hold the power button in for 5 full seconds, you will
crash the system and it will not properly unmount the file system and
this type of shutdown could also result in file system
corruption. Sometimes it's
unavoidable to shut down your PC in this way, especially if there is a
process that is hanging up your computer and it seems to be
unresponsive for more than 5 minutes. So if at all possible. always shutdown your PC
using the approved method of invoking a shutdown procedure from within
the operating system's graphical user interface.
2. OPERATING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION: Keep your operating system tuned up at all times. If your operating
system becomes infected with spyware or viruses, they could cause
problems that may result in file system corruption. If you use any of
the Microsoft operating systems, make sure that you have up-to-date
anti-spyware and anti-virus software. Other operating system
maintenance and prevention items include running scandisk, disk defragmentation,
registry defragmentation, on a regularly scheduled basis and resisting the temptation to install
freebie third-party applications from the internet. Performing these
maintenance items can go a long way towards preserving your PC's optimal performance
and preventing loss of data.
http://www.bictx.com/preventive.html
3. POWER FAILURE: Purchase and properly install an uninterruptible power supply, also
known as a UPS or a backup power supply. Not having one is inviting
major file system corruption problems. A UPS provides temporary battery
power for those times when there is a momentary loss of power that
causes your lights to blink off temporarily and cause your PC to reboot
itself. These power losses, no matter how short their duration, can be
more deadly to your PC's file system than even a power surge. Do
yourself and your computer a huge favor by installing one of these.
They can be had for as little as $50 and will go a long way to help
protect your $500 or more investment in your computer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply
4. ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE: Keep the interior of your computer clean and free of excessive dust
build up. These can coat the surfaces of delicate electronic components
and eventually release a static discharge that can damage your hardware
or crash your PC resulting in a corrupted file system. Remember,
computers are not simple appliances that you can sit on the floor or on
the top of your desk and then forget about them. They suck in and process huge
amounts of air through the chassis in order to remain within acceptable operating
temperatures. As a result of this air movement, they also suck in huge amounts of dust. I
have seen many computers die as a direct result of excessive dust
accumulations. If you don't clean it yourself, then schedule your computer
to be cleaned as part of a regular 3, 4, or 6 month preventive
maintenance program.
http://www.bictx.com/dustkills/dustkills.html
5. OVERHEATING DUE TO COOLING FAN FAILURES: Inspect your cooling fans and make sure they are fully functional.
Usually each PC has two cooling fans. One is mounted on or near the CPU to keep it cool and another one
is mounted inside the power supply that evacuates heat produced by the power supply itself. If any of them should
fail, your system will overheat and will result in a system crash
and possible file system corruption as well as hard disk drive or
motherboard damage. Regularly scheduled inspections and maintenance can
help to prevent hardware and file system corruption as a result of
damage caused by overheating.
http://www.bictx.com/preventive.html
6. HARD DISK DRIVE FAILURE: Actual hard disk drive failures are more difficult to predict.
Sometimes the conditions mentioned above can contribute to their
failure and at other times a factory defect will cause them to fail and
result in massive file system corruptions. Factory defects usually
appear within a short period of time. I
have seen brand new computer hard drives fail in as little as 1 or 2
weeks. The best way to protect your
hard disk drive from failure is to maintain a strict regimen of
preventive maintenance.
http://www.bictx.com/preventive.html
Remember, no one can guarantee that your file system will not become
corrupted and result in loss of data, but you can take steps to help
prevent or mitigate the damage. Performing regular maintenance and
inspections of your PC and having, using, and verifying the integrity
of your backup system will go a long way to making your computing life
easier.
Disclaimer:
Please make sure that you possess the fundamental and required skill
sets before you implement any advice or attempt to perform any
troubleshooting steps we, or other websites, might recommend. You
should also be advised that we have no control over how you perform any
troubleshooting steps nor do we have any control over the content of
other third-party websites you might visit that are listed in our
weekly newsletter. We also do not know if you have patched your
computer with the latest security updates nor do we know if your
anti-virus definition files are fully up-to-date.
Therefore,
in no event shall Bright Ideas
Computing or any of its third-party product or service providers be
liable to any person for any special, incidental, indirect,
consequential, or punitive damages of any kind, including, without
limitation, those resulting from loss of use, loss of data, or lost
profits, in connection with any advice provided by Bright Ideas
Computing, damages resulting from visiting third-party websites or
damages resulting from implementing any advice from those third-party
websites, whether or not you are advised of the possibility of such
damages.
|
