Basic Data Recovery Concepts

An organised troubleshooting strategy

• Interpreting disc error messages
• Creating emergency rescue discs
• Disc repair tools

How disc drives work

• Tracks, cylinders, sectors, clusters
• Master boot record
• Partition table
• File systems (FAT16/32, ExFAT, NTFS5)

Recovering Files and Directories

Useful data-recovery techniques

• Recovering erased files
• Editing disc sectors
• Rescuing data from USB flash drives
• Transferring recovered files to back up media

Surviving disc disasters

• Reviving nonbootable discs
• Repairing the master boot record
• Fixing a damaged partition table

Solving common disc problems

• Recovering from accidental reformatting
• "Invalid drive specification"
• When Windows won't start

Fighting Malware: Viruses, Spyware and Rootkits

The malware epidemic

• Preventing infection
• Diagnosing virus
• Treating spyware infections
• Detecting and removing rootkits

Macro viruses

• Protecting key system files
• Checking for macro viruses missed by scanning programs
• Protecting against script-based viruses

"Turbocharging" the Hard Drive

Optimising disc organisation

• Repartitioning discs on the fly
• Reducing wasted cluster space
• Eliminating disc fragmentation
• Managing MBR (Master Boot Record) and GPT (GUID Partition Table) Discs

Implementing Windows recovery strategies

• Creating complete disc images with GHOST
• Repairing damaged systems
• Creating a WinPE ISO image

The Windows Registry and Other OS Configuration Files

Overview of OS boot files/configuration tools

• NTLDR
• NTDETECT.COM
• NTOSKRNL.EXE
• BOOT.INI
• BCD (Boot Configuration Database)
• BCDEdit
• DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management)

Troubleshooting Registry problems

• Repairing corrupted Registry files
• Removing unwanted Registry entries
• Solving .INI/Registry conflicts

Configuring and Troubleshooting Windows

Windows emergency repair tools

• Booting a "blue-screened" system with the Windows Recovery Console
• Performing emergency repairs with Microsoft Diagnostic and Recovery Tools (DaRT)
• Creating bootable Windows PE repair discs

Troubleshooting start-up problems

• Windows Plug-and-Play architecture
• Windows boot files
• Windows 7 startup sequence
• Creating Windows backups

Windows administrative tools

• Computer Management Console
• System tools, storage, services and applications
• Viewing event logs

Securing your computer

• Physical security and hardware authentication devices
• Authentication technologies: CHAP, digital certificates, Kerberos
• Controlling access with User Accounts and Group Policies
• Installing and configuring Windows firewall programs for maximum protection