How to Recover a Deleted Partition for Free

If you have a Windows backup of your partition, you can restore a deleted partition for free. After you delete a partition, all information is lost, so the only way to restore your files and programs is to use a restoration disk. Windows 7 and Vista have a partition-backup utility. You then restore the partition using the Windows Recovery Console, which is available on the Windows installation DVD.

Things You'll Need

• Windows installation DVD
• Partition-backup file

Instructions

1. Place the installation DVD into your computer's drive. Reboot the computer with the DVD in the drive. Press the spacebar on your computer when the DOS prompt asks if you want to boot to the DVD.

2. Choose your keyboard settings and language on the first screen's drop-down boxes. Click "Next." Click "Repair Your Computer" on the next installation screen. This skips the installation and moves to the Recovery Console options.

3. Click the operating system you want to restore in the list box on the next window. Click "Next." The next window is the Recovery Console screen, which lists several options for Windows repair. Click "System Image Recovery."

4. Switch the Windows installation DVD for the recovery image disk and point the Recovery Console to the disk location. If you have the partition on the hard drive or on an external drive, point to the drive location and backup file. Click "Restore" to start the recovery process.

References

• Microsoft: What are the System Recovery Options in Windows 7?
• How to Geek: Using Windows 7 or Vista System Restore