How to Get Back Lost Data
When data is deleted from your hard drive, it is not totally and permanently deleted until it is overwritten with new data. This is true for other storage devices, such as flash drives, memory cards, floppy disks and other storage media. This makes it possible to recover deleted files, even when they have been deleted from the "Recycle Bin," or even when the drive is formatted. Windows, however, does not have a tool that recovers lost files. A third-party software should be installed for you to get them back.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Search for a data-recovery software and download it to your computer. Read the product description to make sure that it fits the kind of data recovery that you need. For instance, if you need to recover lost files from a flash drive, check whether the software has that feature.
-
2
Install the software to your computer. Make sure that you do not install the recovery software to the same drive where the lost files were previously located. Create a shortcut to your desktop for easier access. When installation completes, reboot your computer.
-
-
3
Launch the application and navigate to the main menu. If the software needs to be activated, key-in the activation code.
-
4
Select or browse the drive that you need to recover. If you need to recover files from an external storage device, make sure that it is plugged into your computer.
-
5
Start the data recovery. Scan the drive for recoverable files. Select the files you need and recover them. If you are trying to recover the whole drive, select "Complete Format Recover," or something similar. Once they are recovered, they will be moved to their original location. Otherwise, you can save them to a local drive in your computer or to an external storage media.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Although recovering lost data is possible, it is not always certain, so remember to back up all your files to avoid permanent data loss. Try to recover data as soon as you realize that it's gone. Also avoid saving new data to the computer until after the recovery process.
Depending on the recovery software you choose, you may use it for free or be asked to pay a charge before you can download it. Use the software manual for detailed and more specific instructions on how to recover deleted data.
Examples of data recovery software include "Recover My Files Advanced," "Boomerang" and "Kernel Recovery."
