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A method of data storage that has become increasingly popular is the use of external hard drives. Home computer users today have more data than ever, and many find that the storage capacity of their computer's hard drive is not sufficient. As the usage of external hard drives increases, there is also a rise in the number of external hard drive failures. Listed below are various physical problems that cause external hard drive failure:

Accidentally Dropped the external hard Drive

There have been many cases where the external drive has been accidentally dropped by the user. Many of these hard drives are designed to sit upright on a flat surface. This can cause the drive to be susceptible to tipping over. The easiest way to prevent this from happening is to allow the external hard drive to lay flat instead of upright. This can prevent tipping. Otherwise, you should place the drive in a safe location away from the edges of a surface.

Twisted Electrical Cords and cables

Many times, twisted cords and cables can cause an external hard drive to be pulled off a surface onto the floor. It is always important to make sure cords and cables are not twisted and are a sufficient length to reach from the computer to an electrical outlet.

Using the Wrong Power Cord

If you have several different power cords in the vicinity of your external hard drive, it is important to make sure you are using the correct power cord with your hard drive. There have been many instances where a user has plugged a different power cord into their external hard drive causing a power surge which will overheat the hard drive.

Power Surges from Lightning Strikes

It is important to always power down and unplug your external hard drive during a lightning storm. A power surge from lightning strikes can cause external hard drive failure by overheating the hard drive.

Contact a Data Recovery Company If You Have Experienced external hard Drive Failure

If the data on the hard drive is worth preserving, you can contact a data recovery company to recover the data. A data recovery lab can repair or replace the damaged internal parts of the hard disk and retrieve any existing data.

external hard drives are a popular method of data storage. By following the tips above, you can protect your external hard drive and ensure that your data remains safe.

# posted by 89048 @ 6:02 PM 0 comments

If you know anything about gaming you will know that the xbox 360 will be almost impossible to get hold of this Christmas. In fact the only place you will probably have success is ebay. As long as you are prepared to pay.

This is fine as at least if you want an xbox the chances are you will get one. However, this causes a problem. There are scammers out there to fleece you out of your hard earned cash.

While browsing the xbox 360 listings I noticed an alarming amount of auctions simply selling a picture of an xbox or an email address. The worst thing was some of these items were bid up to over 300. Obviously there are going to be some very disappointed people out there and this will only damage eBay's reputation. However, the listings clearly state what the item is and some would say if you are stupid enough not to read the item properly there is no wrong doing. I would have to disagree as the titles are misleading and it is a scam.

So what can I do to avoid being scammed?

First of all make sure you read the item description carefully, especially the title.

Check the sellers feedback, if they have made their feedback private this is a sure sign of a scam. Also a low rating should be approached with caution.

If the ebay account is new be suspicious.

Check the sellers other items for sale. Most sellers will only have one xbox for sale. More than one could be a sign of a scam. Unless the seller is registered as a business seller.

Use the 'ask seller a question' feature. A genuine seller will respond.

Use PayPal for payment. This protects you as a buyer.

Use common sense. If it looks too good to be true it probably is.

As long as you are careful you should have no problems and you will get that xbox 360 in time for Christmas.

Good luck!

# posted by 89048 @ 6:08 AM 0 comments