Nothing can describe the dreadful sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when your beloved computer’s hard drive stops working. Immediately you think of the data you cannot access or the work that has yet to be done. The good news is that your files are likely to still be accessible, there are solutions to fix a damaged hard drive and hard drive repair specialists can always be called upon to help. Read on to learn the most common causes for hard drive failures, plus some simple steps you can take to try and retrieve your data.

Common Causes For Broken Hard Drives

You would think that with a name that includes the word “hard,” that the item would at least be a tad bit durable, right? Well, unfortunately, that is not the case. Hard drives are actually quite sensitive and susceptible to damage. Hard drive crashes can generally be broken down into two categories: physical crashes and logical crashes.

Physical Hard Drive Crashes

Simply put, four major factors contribute to physical hard drive failures:

• High Temperature: Abnormally high temperatures within your machine can lead to issues with your hard drive’s functioning. Check to ensure that your computer’s air filters are clear and have good airflow and if your computer fan is operating. When did you last hear it click on? Does it start then stop abruptly? Or make a strange noise?
• Water Damage: While water damage doesn’t usually impact a hard drive itself, it can prevent access to data if the device’s hardware prevents it from booting. A good rule of thumb for all electronic devices is to keep liquids as far away from them as possible.
• Impact: You’ve fallen asleep watching a movie in bed, and you hear a crash. Maybe you thought you were being responsible and stowed your computer on the floor before dozing off, just to step on it the following morning. Well, any high impact or collision can cause a physical hard drive failure.
• Age: This is the most common reason for hard drives to fail. Unfortunately, hard drives degrade over time and the older they are, the more likely they are to fail.

It should be noted that some of the issues that arise from physical hard drive crashes can be avoided by replacing your hard drive with a solid-state drive (SSD). SSDs tend to be smaller, have fewer moving parts, and therefore, can be more durable in the long-run.

Logical Hard Drive Crashes

Often in the case of a logical failure, your hard disk works without issue, but your operating system (OI) does not have access to any data.

With this sort of problem, you might be greeted by the notorious blue screen, notice that your UI is sluggish, or that you’ve lost data. The main culprits for logical hard drive failures are attacks from computer viruses or damage caused by malware. But it could also be human error in the form of accidental deletions or changes to the hard drive formatting or partitioning.

If an external drive fails, it prevents the hard drive from accessing data. And if an internal drive fails, it prevents the computer from starting completely. It can be confusing to determine if the problem lays with a laptop or the hard drive itself. This is where specialist help comes in handy.

Okay, so enough about the reasons why your hard drive doesn’t work. Let’s move on to how to repair your hard drive.

Steps To Take To Try And Fix Your Hard Drive

Here are a couple of steps you can take to try and retrieve your data. The further down the list you go, the more complex the steps are. We would not recommend you attempting DIY software and hardware repairs (steps 4 and 5) without the relevant knowledge, as you could risk losing your data permanently. If in doubt, it is always best to take your hard drive straight to a hard drive repairs specialist.

Step 1: Look For Damage

Are you working on your laptop poolside? Is there any spilled liquid or moisture? Have you got the fear-inducing “blue screen of death” in front of you? Examining your machine for physical damage can help root out the problem. Physical cues could be:

• Dents on the body of the machine
• Cracks on the screen or monitor
• Burns or scorch marks on the inside

Step 2: Check Power And Restart

The go-to solution in any IT professional’s playbook is to check the power source. Is everything plugged in correctly, like your computer itself or the components on the inside?
Make sure your machine is plugged into a reliable power source. Completely power off and hard reboot your machine. Do this by pressing and holding the power button for approximately 5 seconds. Then wait 30 seconds before pushing the power button once again.

Step 3: Try To Access The External Drive

Purchase a hard disk case, such as this one from Amazon, to try and access your hard drive as an external drive. You’ll need to remove your drive, place it in the hard disk case and connect it to another device, such as a games console or TV to access your files. Note, this will only work if you don’t have a built-in hard drive.
H2: Steps Not To Be Attempted Without Adequate Knowledge
The following two steps are more advanced, and should not be attempted if you do not know what you are doing, as you risk irreversible data loss. If in doubt and important data is at risk, it is best to take your hard drive straight to a hard drive repair specialist, who will have all of the necessary knowledge to help retrieve your missing data.

Step 4: DIY Software Repair

Whether you are on Windows or Mac, there are also methods to do a software check and repair of your external hard drive and internal hard drives from the comfort of your home. However, this is not recommended for the faint of heart as these programmes are aimed at people with software know-how.

On Windows

Using Windows Tools is the most reliable way to check the condition of your hard drive. The hard drive is analyzed to detect and recover files found in defective areas. If your hard drive is 100% inaccessible, using a free software program called TestDisk can help you find the problem and repair it. You should note that albeit free, this program can be a bit convoluted to use.

On Mac

On the OSX operating system, the Self Monitoring Analysis and Repair Technology System (SMART) can be used to get health reports of your disk. SMART can tell you if a drive is failing or has some fatal error to the actual hardware. When you locate the problem, and whether you are on a Windows or Mac, there are various tools you can use to try and resolve the issue. If you think it has all gone over your head, then considering professional data recovery services could be the next step.

Step 5: DIY Hardware Repair

If your goal is to keep the repairs “in house”, then doing the hardware repairs yourself is always a possibility. However, you should note that the process could be complicated and should only be undertaken if you possess the right tools and know-how to succeed. Otherwise, you might cause more hurt than help to your machine.

Is your computer still under warranty? Opening up the machine to attempt your own repairs could void your warranty. We recommend you verify with your service provider before attempting to do any hardware repair yourself.

Turn To The Professionals For Peace Of Mind

So, nothing seems to be working. You’ve consulted forums, called friends and prayed to the gods of damaged hard drives. Maybe you have calmly and cooly decided to skip straight to this step and hire a professional. Well, you’re in luck. Fixfactor is here to help you with just about any technical problem you might encounter with your hard drive. Book an appointment today to get your hard drive fixed by our specialist hard drive repairs team.

Everyone has felt that particular kind of panic that washes over your entire body, that panic that says, “I just dropped my iPhone in water.” Please don’t get too upset, though, because it may not be as bad as you first think. In many cases, your phone can be saved if you act quickly and take it straight to a phone repair specialist. However, if that’s not an option, say you’ve dropped your phone in water late at night, there are a few steps you can take that will prevent worsening damage and increase the chances that your phone will work again. So, simply follow these steps:

Step 1 – Act Immediately

While modern phones are designed to be more resistant to water damage being made from metal frames and glass, and sealed, they’re not waterproof. So, it’s important to act fast to have a chance of saving your phone. Water short circuits the phone and sitting water causes corrosion of circuits, coils and resistors. Salt, minerals, chemicals and dirt can make this worse, compounding the damage to the phone’s internal components.

Step 2 – Turn Off the Phone

If the phone has managed to remain on, turn your phone off. Don’t push any other buttons or try to perform any other functions as this could further damage the phone. Turning the phone off stops electrical connections which cause damage when the phone is wet.

Step 3 – Remove Case and Dry Your Phone

Remove any phone case and dry off the outside of the phone with a microfiber cloth (paper towels will work fine if you don’t have these). You can sanitise the phone with your screen cleaner. When it comes to how to dry out a phone, don’t rub it dry, pat it carefully to soak up the water.

Step 4 – Remove SIM Card and Attachments

Remove SIM cards, microSD cards and attachments such as headphones and cords. If it hasn’t been damaged, you may be able to use your SIM card in a spare phone so that you will have some access to the things stored on your phone while you are getting your phone repaired.

Step 5 – Remove the Battery

Remove the battery if possible. You will not be able to do this with an iPhone. You should still take all of the other steps listed in how to get water out of your iPhone, and then move on to step 6.

Step 6 – Stand the Phone Upright

It is important to prop the phone up so that no water can sit on an electronic component, as this will cause corrosion. This is also how to get water out of the charging port. Try to keep from putting your phone down flat and then get it to a mobile phone repair specialist as quickly as possible.

Avoid Doing These Things If You’ve Dropped Your Phone In Water

• Don’t rub your phone dry, pat it.
• Don’t shake the phone or blow on it, as this could cause water to travel even further inside.
• Don’t use it if it remains on, pushing buttons could cause even more damage.
• Don’t use an electrical device such as a hairdryer, microwave or vacuum to dry it.
• Don’t put it in the freezer or near the radiator, as extreme temperatures can damage the phone.
• Don’t disassemble the phone beyond removing the battery, SIM and memory cards as this could allow for more damage or invalidate your warranty.

The Uncooked Rice Method to Get Moisture Out of a Phone

All over the internet people recommend getting moisture out of a phone by placing it in a bowl or bag of uncooked rice. However, we strongly advise against you trying this. While this may have worked temporarily for older mobile phone models with removable backs and batteries, this won’t work for new style phone models. And it won’t work for any phone in the long term. A phone exposed to water will eventually be damaged by the minerals left behind, causing it to stop working weeks or even months down the line. Specialist help is the only true way to prevent this from happening.

Get Your Phone Fixed By The Specialists

Can a water damaged phone be fixed? Yes, in most cases we’re able to fix your phone for you. And it usually works out cheaper to get your phone fixed than to have to buy a new one. If you need your phone back now and you don’t want to chance losing everything stored on it, get a quote to fix your water damaged phone today. Fixfactor remains open to serve your tech needs, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bad luck, you’ve cracked your iPhone screen. We’ve all done it. Now that you’ve cracked your screen, I’m sure you have questions—How do I unlock my phone if the screen is broken? Is it easy to fix a cracked iPhone screen? I’m here to reassure you that you have nothing to worry about. A cracked iPhone screen is such a common issue and there are different ways to tackle it depending on how severe the damage is. Even if you only have a small crack, it’s best to deal with it right away to avoid it getting worse at an inconvenient moment. Read on for our tips on how to tackle a cracked iPhone screen.

Backup your iPhone if you can

Whether you can backup your iPhone depends on the severity of the damage. If you can still use the touchscreen, it is still usable. If it is still usable, save yourself a massive headache by backing up your iPhone right away. Head to “Settings” and click on your name. After that, navigate to “iCloud”, then “iCloud backup”, and turn that setting on. iCloud will automatically back up all of your data daily and you can also initiate a manual backup easily. If your phone is unusable and you didn’t back your data up, you’ll need to contact a professional mobile phone data recovery specialist.

Protect your cracked screen

Keeping moisture out of your cracked iPhone screen is key to preventing further physical damage to your phone. A temporary solution, while you arrange for the screen to be repaired, is to use packing tape around your phone and screen. This should hold everything in place so you don’t get shards of glass falling off. Alternatively, you could use a robust phone screen protector that will help add a bit of protection to your phone while you arrange a more permanent solution.

However, while you might be tempted to stick on a protective cover and forget about the crack, this isn’t wise. Cracked screens do leave a phone vulnerable to further damage. So, try and see this as a temporary fix only. The last thing you want is a small crack in your phone causing issues with your phone’s software.

Trade-in or sell your phone

One option if your screen is considerably damaged and you were thinking of getting a new one anyway is to trade in your iPhone for a new one. Many mobile phone repair companies will provide a quick, free quote for taking your old phone off of your hands. As they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Dig out an old phone

Got an old phone collecting dust in a cupboard? Dig it out, dust it off and see if you can still use it. It might be the case that your SIM card won’t work in it if it’s not a phone with the same network provider. So, you may need to unlock your phone. While you might have to take a step back in terms of functionality, this can be a good low-budget option while you consider your options.

Buy a new phone

Certainly one option, but not the cheapest, is to just bite the bullet and buy a new phone. iPhones can be costly, so it’s always worth considering refurbished models or less expensive brands. But, if you’re an avid iOS user, chances are you won’t want to move to an Android. It’s always worth waiting for any deals that come up in Black Friday or January sales to try and recoup some of your outlay.

Get a replacement screen for your iPhone

It’s easier than ever to get your iPhone screen replaced using a professional mobile phone repair service. And, with the rising costs of mobile phones, it’s a more attractive option than ever to simply repair your mobile phone than buy a brand new one. One option is to turn to Apple for a fix, but this is generally considered to be a costly option. Another option is to turn to an iPhone screen repair service. However, you’ll want to make sure you’re dealing with somebody that knows what they’re doing. Incorrectly installing a replacement screen can leave you with more problems than you started with.

Turn to the experts in iPhone screen replacement

If you want to avoid the risk of a dodgy phone repair company, then turn to the professionals. At Fixfactor, we’ve helped thousands of customers repair their cracked iPhone screens with an affordable, friendly service. What’s more, you can simply send your iPhone in the post for us to repair from anywhere in the UK. Get in touch today to get your iPhone screen fixed by the pros.