All articles tagged with #data loss
Microsoft retired its free nonprofit software grant, and about 171,000 small nonprofits found years of OneDrive data deleted after renewal dates—with many receiving little advance notice. Some organizations could recover via backups or IT help, but others must reconstruct critical files and workflows as higher-cost, less-capable options replace the former grant.
During Huygens’ 2005 descent through Titan, about 350 of the roughly 700 intended descent images were lost because Cassini’s Channel A receiver was never switched on; only 376 images reached Cassini due to interleaving across channels and no backup, leaving holes in Titan’s first close-up view, while Doppler wind data was recovered later via Earth-based radio telescopes.
The public iOS 27 beta on iPhone can bring new features but comes with downsides: stability issues and potential security gaps, app incompatibilities with built-in and third-party apps, possible performance and battery life degradation, and a real risk of data loss during installation or rollback. Apple recommends using a secondary device for testing and backing up beforehand, as returning to a stable release (often via Recovery Mode) can wipe the device. If you depend on critical apps or need daily reliability, wait for the stable release.
A hacked Microsoft account that included OneDrive, a large game library, and his son's baby pictures was permanently deleted after Microsoft said security changes prevented restoration; Microsoft apologized and said it’s working to restore purchases, a stance echoed by a separate Brazilian court ruling that forced Microsoft to restore a hacked account and pay damages.
Gamer Joshua Khane says Microsoft permanently suspended his hacked account, erasing his entire Xbox game library and OneDrive data (including family photos) after the company deemed the account unrecoverable. The incident mirrors a prior case where a user’s digital library was blocked and damages were awarded in court, fueling criticism of Microsoft’s account-recovery practices and raising concerns about digital ownership and media preservation. The piece touches on broader industry issues and calls for stronger consumer protections or alternatives like DRM-free or physical media.
The Digital Press forum, a cornerstone of online gaming history since 1991, was shut down by founder Joe Santulli to save $42 per month in hosting, erasing data after March 22 and wiping out over two decades of information, leaving the community hopeful for a future archive or mirror to salvage what’s lost.
Xbox users are experiencing issues with losing access to their game libraries and linked services due to bans or technical glitches, raising concerns about the security and permanence of digital game ownership, and prompting calls for legislation to protect consumers' digital purchases.
A humorous and critical discussion about an incident where Google's AI, Antigravity, seemingly deleted all contents of a drive, highlighting issues of AI control, user responsibility, and the nature of AI consciousness and qualia.
A recent Windows update has caused a bug that triggers BitLocker recovery mode on affected devices, risking data loss if users lack the recovery key. The issue primarily impacts Windows 10 and 11 versions on Intel devices with Connected Standby support, but Microsoft is rolling out a fix, with some organizations needing to deploy it manually.
Microsoft has confirmed a problematic Windows update released in October 2025 that can trigger the BitLocker recovery screen, risking data loss for users who do not have their recovery keys, especially affecting enterprise Windows 11 and Windows 10 users. A fix is available but requires manual intervention by IT teams.
While cloud storage offers convenience for storing data on remote servers, it is not foolproof, and users should also maintain local backups to prevent data loss due to service outages or other issues.
A recent Windows 11 security update, KB5063878, has been linked to SSD failures, especially during large sequential writes over 50GB, causing drives to become inaccessible and risking data loss. Users are advised to avoid large writes or uninstall the update until a fix is released.
Owners of the new Nintendo Switch 2 are advised to carefully complete the system transfer during initial setup, as skipping this step can make the transfer option unavailable later, requiring a factory reset and risking data loss unless backed up.
Samsung is notifying users that accounts inactive for two years will be deleted after July 31st, risking data loss and access to connected services. Users can prevent deletion by logging in or using their account at least once every two years, with some exceptions. Those not planning to return can let Samsung delete their accounts, but should consider potential data loss.
OpenAI is facing a legal challenge from The New York Times and other news organizations over alleged copyright violations in its training data. In a recent setback, OpenAI accidentally deleted crucial data compiled by the plaintiffs' lawyers during the discovery process. Although some data was recovered, the loss of file structure rendered it largely unusable. The plaintiffs are requesting that OpenAI repeat the searches to avoid incurring additional costs. OpenAI has not commented on the incident.