E.R. for Hard Drives – New York Times

Date: 2005.07.15 | Category: General | Tags:

E.R. for Hard Drives – New York Times
Mr. Gaidano says that hard drives are so unreliable that they “should not exist today.” Yet they are ubiquitous – in laptops that are tossed onto airport security belts, and on iPods and camcorders used while jogging and maneuvering around moguls. When they fail, panic is often the reflex. Many call Mr. Johnson’s company, or ActionFront, DriveSavers and ESS Data Recovery, fearing that their most crucial records and most cherished memories have just been incinerated.

DriveSavers employs Kelly Chessen, a former suicide-prevention counselor, to calm distraught customers.

“You get nervousness, anger, crying,” Ms. Chessen said. “People fear they’ll lose their jobs” if the data is not recovered. And at times they say that life will no longer be worth living. “I ask them if they’re really thinking about committing suicide,” she said. Fortunately, no one has.

Luckily, my problem isn’t with my hard drive, but it’s still a nuisance.