Changes

For hard disk drives, the disk itself is most vital part.  If the shell and all other components are destroyed, there is a chance some information can be recovered by reading it from the disk using a different head.    However, some of the circuitry on each hard disk is specialized for that specific device.  While it may be possible to recover information without it, this will be more difficult.  Also, this makes it nearly impossible to simply place on disk into another enclosure and use it as-is.

For hard disk drives, the disk itself is most vital part.  If the shell and all other components are destroyed, there is a chance some information can be recovered by reading it from the disk using a different head.    However, some of the circuitry on each hard disk is specialized for that specific device.  While it may be possible to recover information without it, this will be more difficult.  Also, this makes it nearly impossible to simply place on disk into another enclosure and use it as-is.

===Optical disks===

===Optical disks===

For optical disks, the foil is most important.  The most common damage to optical disks is the scuffing and scratching of the plastic covering, which prevents the read laser from being refracted properly, making the information difficult to access.  This problem can be easily resolved by resurfacing the disk, polishing it, or applying a sort of transparent wax. Since these methods are so effective, other methods are hardly needed.  however, due to the simplicity of optical disks, the foil could theoretically be transferred to another shell.  This may be necessary if the disk becomes warped and cannot be flattened.  Alternatively, there is the option for scratched disks of using software to use a "best guess" approach of recovery.<ref name="lifehacker.com">http://lifehacker.com/393084/how-to-recover-deleted-files-with-free-software</ref>  While not an ideal option, it can be cheaper and easier than actually repairing the disk.

For optical disks, the foil is most important.  The most common damage to optical disks is the scuffing and scratching of the plastic covering, which prevents the read laser from being refracted properly, making the information difficult to access.  This problem can be easily resolved by resurfacing the disk, polishing it, or applying a sort of transparent wax. Since these methods are so effective, other methods are hardly needed.  however, due to the simplicity of optical disks, the foil could theoretically be transferred to another shell.  This may be necessary if the disk becomes warped and cannot be flattened.  Alternatively, there is the option for scratched disks of using software to use a "best guess" approach of recovery.<ref name="lifehacker.com"/>  While not an ideal option, it can be cheaper and easier than actually repairing the disk.

However, if the disk is broken, little can be done, since the so many bytes are lost at the point of separation.  Not only are the contents themselves corrupted, but also the file system is damaged.

However, if the disk is broken, little can be done, since the so many bytes are lost at the point of separation.  Not only are the contents themselves corrupted, but also the file system is damaged.

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[[category:Computers]]

[[Category:Computers]]