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4 storage mistakes that will silently corrupt your data over time
Storage failure is one of the most undesirable problems when it comes to PC hardware. The reason why most storage failures hit users like a truck is because the signs of failure aren't fully obvious, and to account for storage health you may have to look beyond the benchmarks and take a look into the physical state, environment and usage of your devices.
While most online advice is quite comprehensive, there remain several insidious drivers of storage failures that aren't common knowledge yet. Here are four of the least anticipated storage failures that can cost you your data, if not preemptively managed.
Using an HDD? Watch out for Helium diffusion
Physical damage hurts HDDs and the data within
HDDs remain a popular choice for NAS applications thanks to their superior price-per-terabyte value. What most users aren't aware of is that many high capacity HDDs are hermetically sealed and filled with helium rather than air, as the gas is less dense than air. This design reduces turbulence inside the enclosure and allows manufacturers to stack thin platters together, thereby improving efficiency. It also reduces drag associated with atmospheric air.
Over time, however, helium can slowly diffuse out of the enclosure, as highlighted by data recovery firms. In this case, even minor physical stress such as a small drop or chassis damage can potentially accelerate this process, changing the internal pressure and density inside the drive. On rare occasions, quality control checks also do tend to fail, and a few defective units can make it through the cracks, so it's best to inspect your HDDs for signs of visible damage and consider making routine back-ups if you find any.
Leaving your SSDs unpowered for long
SSDs suffer from charge leakage
Installing a SATA SSD is a hassle that some users usually don't want to go through for aesthetic and cable management reasons, so it's common practice to store important files into external SSDs and put them away for long periods of time. It is, however, a mistake to assume that your data is perfectly safe for years and years while your SSD sits in a forgotten box.
NAND-based flash storage suffers from a unique form of degradation known as electron tunneling. Since NAND flash stores information by trapping electrical charges inside the cells, electrons have a general propensity to leak through the insulating layer over time. When an SSD stays in an unpowered state for a long time (say, 5 or more years according to JEDEC standards), the controller is unable to re-calibrate cells. Eventually, this can give rise to voltage driftthat can cause data corruption. This problem is further exacerbated if your SSD is left in a warm room, attic or storage box, and can degrade faster than expected, leading to some unpleasant surprises the next time you decide to access your data.
If you plan to use an external or internal SSD for archival storage, the best practice is to power them on periodically so that the controller has a chance to refresh and stabilize cell charge.
Not using a surge protector
Rare, but a non-zero possibility of data corruption exists
When people think of the possible use cases for a surge protector, they often believe it's only required in areas that frequently experience power outages. That's a misconception. The fact is that every day, high draw appliances going through power cycles or routine occurrences such as grid switching induce voltage fluctuation. Without a surge protector to absorb these spikes, your PC endures the resultant electrical stress.
Given enough time, this strain degrades capacitors and puts stress on controller circuitry. Another important consideration is that voltage fluctuations can affect other components on your motherboard as well, and that's why it's highly recommended to get a surge protector or a UPS that features one for your rig.
Overlooking essential maintenance
Write Amplification, NAND wear, and premature SSD death
The word "maintenance" for digital storage sounds like a bit of a misnomer, neglecting the health metrics of your storage (especially if you're using modern NAND flash devices) can contribute to data loss. Without periodic oversight of your usage habits, such as keeping your drive near full capacity or running cache-heavy operations can carry heavy implications that reduce its lifespan. This happens because these actions on flash storage give rise to a phenomenon known as Write Amplification, which forces the controller to perform aggressive "Garbage Collection", which, in turn, burns through the limited P/E (Program/Erase) cycles at a faster pace.
Ignoring your drive's S.M.A.R.T. data is often the last preventable mistake. You can access metrics like Percentage Used and Media and Data Integrity Errors which alert you to early warning signs. By the time bad sectors appear, the drive's spare blocks have usually been exhausted and as such, wear-leveling has little room left to remediate. Some SSDs can enter a read-only state, while others simply lose controller functionality altogether.
Ignoring your drive's S.M.A.R.T. data is often the last preventable mistake.
Your data deserves a little vigilance
Storage failures can literally happen overnight. By keeping an eye out for some signs of trouble, you stand the best chance of protecting your data. As is evident, even non-volatile storage comes with a little volatility, so your best bet is to back up your data regularly, practice good electrical hygiene with your rig, and every once in a while check for S.M.A.R.T data. A few small habits can ensure your storage remains reliable and your data remains intact.
