Data Recovery vs. Data Transfer

Data Transfer

Data transfer is the process or act of using computing techniques and technologies to move or copy information from one computer (or device) to another. Data transfer is usually just transferring files from one computer to another. It can also be moving files to an external hard drive. It can usually be done fairly quickly and easily.

Examples of data transfer

• You need all the files off of your current working computer to move to a new computer
• You need to backup you iPhone to iCloud
• Your laptop screen does not work, but the media (hard drive or SSD) is fine
• Imaging a working computer with Macrium, and moving the image to a new drive
• You could also classify a full backup of a computer, then moving the data to a new computer as a data transfer

Data Transfer requires that the hard drive or media in a device be working correctly. Normally data transfers are done on the computer or device, but the media can be removed in certain cases like if a computers power supply, or motherboard are broken.

Data Recovery

Data recovery is the process of restoring data that is inaccessible due to hardware, software, accidentally deleted, or corrupted on a piece of media – like a hard drive or a SSD.

Data recovery looks at the media (or device) in a diagnostic stage to find out what is wrong, then the media is worked on for a hardware or software recovery.

Examples of data recovery

• An external hard drive is dropped, had physical damage and no longer reads by a computer
• A mechanical hard drive no longer spins
• Files or folders are deleted by accident, or by a virus or malicious software
• The partition on a laptop becomes corrupt
• An iPhone has water damage and will not turn on

The difference with Data Recovery vs. Data Transfer

If data can be transferred from a drive or device then the media or device is working. If data is inaccessible it requires data recovery.