Among the most frustrating incidents are undoubtedly those related to data corruption on the hard drive. MBR ( Master Boot Record ) and GPT ( GUID Partition Table ) are standards for defining the partition table of hard and SSD drives.
GPT is the evolution of the well-known MBR and, as explained in the article, Differences between MBR and GPT. This is how partitions are managed. The system boot offers several more features than the “predecessor.”
GPT takes advantage of the potential of UEFI (see what UEFI and what you need to know about the new BIOS ), the default firmware interface for PCs that has replaced the BIOS, to offer a whole series of new features. The GPT standard allows you to create a theoretically unlimited number of partitions, even if most operating systems reduce the number to 128. And if MBR cannot handle partitions larger than 2 Terabytes, GPT allows – on paper – to reach 9.44 Zettabytes (9 billion Terabytes).
In practice, for example, Windows reduces the maximum size of GPT partitions to 256 Terabytes. However, GPT also offers interesting advantages regarding protecting data stored on the hard disk or SSD unit. Let’s say right away that GPT does not allow you to avoid the loss of data contained in the disk but uses an approach that allows you to restore the correct start of the operating system if the information on the partitions should be damaged.
Compared to MBR, which stores the partition table in the initial part of the hard disk, GPT is redundant: the same information is also saved in the final part of the unit. Thanks to the integrity checks exercised by GPT ( CRC32 checksum ), errors in the disk header or the partition table can be detected and corrected. The diagram shows the scheme used by GPT:
- The GPT standard allows you to create a theoretically unlimited number of partitions, even if most operating systems reduce the number to 128.
- And if MBR cannot handle partitions larger than 2 Terabytes, GPT allows – on paper – to reach 9.44 Zettabytes (9 billion Terabytes).
- In practice, for example, Windows reduces the maximum size of GPT partitions to 256 Terabytes.
- However, GPT also offers interesting advantages regarding protecting data stored on the hard disk or SSD unit.
Let’s say right away that GPT does not allow you to avoid the loss of data contained in the disk but uses an approach that allows you to restore the correct start of the operating system if the information on the partitions should be damaged. Compared to MBR, which stores the partition table in the initial part of the hard disk, GPT is redundant: the same information is also saved in the final part of the unit. Thanks to the integrity checks exercised by GPT ( CRC32 checksum ), errors in the disk header or the partition table can be detected and corrected.
The diagram shows the scheme used by GPT:
- Furthermore, it is possible to use a convenient service that allows you to copy or move files between cloud services if you need to: Copy files from OneDrive to Google Drive or other cloud services (and vice versa).
- Typically, major cloud storage service providers encrypt user files on their servers. Those who prefer to rely on an additional security measure can evaluate data encryption using “ad hoc” applications: Encrypting files in the cloud, such as protecting data on online storage services.
Use NAS Servers And Scheduled Backups
For those who do not like the cloud solution, we suggest purchasing a NAS server to avoid losing data from the hard drives. A NAS server is a device that also allows you to store the same data simultaneously, in a transparent way, on several different disks. Many NAS servers allow you to access the contents of shared folders on the local network and automatically backup or synchronize the files they contain.
In this way, you will not have to install any software on the client systems connected to the local network: it will be enough to share the folders of interest on the LAN (see Sharing files and folders on the local network with Windows and Sharing files and folders in Windows 10 ) then indicate, via the administration interface of the NAS server, which resources to draw on.
In this regard, we suggest reading the article NAS server Synology’s DS216 tested for you. In the article NAS and cloud servers: differences and What to Choose, we explained in more detail what a NAS server is and how to choose it. And above all, how and in which cases it can and should be an alternative to the cloud. By following the instructions given in the article Building a professional NAS server, it is possible to build a NAS by recovering a PC or, better yet, setting up a very silent Mini PC based on a Mini ITX motherboard.
Install Multiple Hard Drives And Configure Them In RAID Mode
Another way to avoid losing hard disk data is to install at least two disks configured in RAID-1 mode. The operation must be performed on systems containing important data. Always using a redundant approach does not preclude the possibility of combining backups on the cloud or NAS servers.
The RAID-1 configuration is undoubtedly the most common and simplest: it allows you to mirror the data saved on the hard disk to another accessory unit. Thus, the same information will also be saved on another hard disk, minimizing the risk of data loss (should one unit be damaged, the other will most likely remain functional).In the article Avoiding Data Loss: How to Configure RAID, we explained the benefits of RAID and all the various possible configurations.
