How to Recover Old Deleted Files
Once you have deleted files from your computer, it can be difficult to recover them. Just how difficult it is to recover them depends on whether the files were simply deleted from the system or permanently deleted from the system. Permanent deletion of a file happens only when the file has been deleted from its original folder and then deleted from the computer’s recycle bin, as well. So, when trying to recover old deleted files, the recycle bin is an ideal place to start..
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Instructions
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Check the recycle bin by double-clicking the icon to view its contents. If the file was recently deleted, or you clean out your computer’s recycle bin infrequently, the deleted file may still be in the recycle bin. Right-click the file and choose the “Restore” option to return the file to its original folder.
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Search for the document on your computer by clicking “Start” and typing the full or partial file name directly into the search box at the bottom of the menu. The entire hard drive will be searched and the results displayed in a box where the “Start” menu options usually appear. If the file appears in the list, click on it or right-click the file and choose “Open File Location” to go to the folder on the hard drive where the file is stored.
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Search for a backup of the file on the computer’s hard drive if the file you are trying to recover was created in a program that has auto-backup features, such as Microsoft Word or Excel. Backup files generally have “bk” in the extension, though the rest of the extension varies depending on the program the file was created in. To do this, go to the “Start” menu and type simply “bk” into the search box to bring up all backup files stored on the computer.
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Run a data recovery program on your computer, if all else fails. Some recovery programs can be downloaded for free at CNET (see Resources.) Once installed, follow the screens of the recovery program to attempt to find and recover files that you could not find through searches of your own.
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