Data Protection on Humid Days

– Sunil Chandna, CEO, Stellar Data Recovery

Be it phones, camera, tablets, laptops, desktops or even your kindle – monsoons or high humidity days can wreak havoc through multiple ways. Here are a few data protection tips.

For most of us, Monsoon is a reminiscence of childhood fun, playing in the rains or simply looking out of the window with a cup of hot steaming cup of coffee or tea. So while you are busy on reflecting to the old memories or creating the new ones, do spare a thought to take due precautions to protect the information stored on your valuable gadgets during this season because humidity is one of the biggest enemies of gadgets.

Be it phones, camera, tablets, laptops, desktops or even your kindle – monsoons or high humidity can wreak havoc through multiple ways.

Here are the tips, which will enable you to save your contacts, pictures, videos and documents in case of any mishap.

While at home
Make sure taking back-ups is a daily ritual. Invest in an external hard drive or a cloud backup. Availability of internet connection can be erratic during heavy rains, therefore prefer a physical back-up medium when possible.
Monsoons can be damaging to the power supply.

Power can go unannounced thereby damaging the power unit within desktop computers. Sometimes, it can also lead to fatal surge in voltage, thereby damaging the internals including hard drives. While investing into external hard drive will ensure that the back-up is available; one should also invest in a Universal Power Supply (UPS) than a mere surge protector as UPS systems not only play the role of surge protectors but will also defend your computer from unexpected shutdowns due to power dips and outages.

The rains mean more moisture in the atmosphere and the dampness following from it means electronic components are at risk. Remember that water is the most dangerous of the natural elements as far as electronics is concerned. Moisture may seep  into your computer (desktops and laptops) and sometimes sets off a short circuit in it, damaging the components and causing loss of your important data. The solution lies in three easy steps – one, keep windows closed and maintain a moisture-free environment. Two, carry silica gel pouches and keep it near to the devices. And finally, always remember to disconnect the power cord from the mains and ensure that the computer is completely disconnected from the electrical system of the house or office even if the computer is already switched off. It would also help if you checked that the power lines are well grounded.

Do not store data in low lying areas or sumps, since low lying areas are prone to flooding, lack proper ventilation and there are more chances of corrosion of the storage devices due to accumulation of heavy vapors and smoke. Investing into air-conditioning is advisable in such cases.

While Going out of Home
Invest in a case, which can keep water at bay for your mobile phone or tablet or laptop. Alternatively, NEVER leave home without an umbrella, or a raincoat or a waterproof cover or bag.

The risk of damage to critical PC components is much higher during the rains as also in coastal areas. Thundershowers, bolts of lightning and the attendant surges in power supply can cripple your computer and cause data loss or even result in a dead computer.

If Calamity Strikes!
If your gadget or hard-drive gets wet, always consult an expert. Refrain from tampering with water-damaged hard disk. Tampering with the device could reduce the chances of data recovery.

Do not panic or lose your calm in case of loss of data. Simply consult an expert.

Never depend on unskilled technicians for data recovery, doing this may permanently destroy the chances of data recovery.

Finally, remember that the maximum hard drive failures take place due to mechanical issues, which is a recurring process of gradual degradation of storage media. Regular monitoring of the S.M.A.R.T features of a hard disk can help evade this problem.