We've all been there at some point. You delete an important file, somehow it skips your Recycle Bin altogether, and for all practical purposes, it's disappeared into the ether. But before you hit the big red panic button, there's a very good chance that your file is still alive and kicking somewhere on your hard drive—you just need to know how to find it. With the right tools, finding and recovering that deleted file can be as simple as a few clicks of your mouse.Part I: The Overview
Ok, so you've lost an important file. Don't panic. Take a breath, and let's see if we can find it. Before you go into full-on file recovery mode, make sure you double-check the folder you had saved it in and the Recycle Bin or Trash. Still nothing?1. Stop What You're Doing
When your operating system deletes a file, all it really does is mark the space on your hard drive that your file occupies as free space. It's still there, but your computer is now perfectly happy to write new data on top of it—at which point the file recovery process becomes a lot more difficult. That means you should do as little computing as possible until you find the file you're looking for, since every time you save a new file—every time your computer writes information to your hard drive—your chances of recovering the file go down.2. Find the Right File Recovery Program
Windows: You've a lot of really great freeware options for file recovery if you're running Windows. Notable apps include Undelete Plus (original post), PC Inspector File Recovery (original post), and Restoration (original post). Undelete Plus is the most user-friendly option of the bunch, with advanced filtering options that make it easy to find your needle of a file among the haystack of deleted garbage, but in my tests I found both Restoration and PC Inspector File Recovery to be more effective at recovering files. (Of course, your mileage may vary.) As an added bonus, the bare bones Restoration is portable, which makes it an excellent addition to your thumb drive.UPDATE: Per several readers advice, you may also want to check out Recuva (original post), another freeware Windows file recovery tool.
Mac: If you're on a Mac and aren't afraid to lay down a few bucks in the name of data recovery, the $99 Data Rescue II is the go-to application for file recovery with a friendly graphical interface.
All Platforms: If you're not afraid to crack open a terminal window or command prompt, the free, cross-platform command-line tool PhotoRec (original post) is a crack shot at recovering photos (as the name implies) as well as virtually any other file type from your removable media or hard drives.3. Recover Your Files
Once you've picked a tool, it's time to scan your hard drive for your lost file or files. This process varies depending on the app you're using, but it's basically the same for all of them: Just point the program at the hard drive or folder that was holding your missing file and start your scan. Once the scan is complete, you're going to see a big list of jumbled file names. Often most of these files are nothing more than system files that your operating system has created in the course of basic operation, and you won't need to worry about them. You're just looking for the file type and name that matches what you've lost.Once you find what you're looking for, saving it is a matter of right-clicking the file and choosing where to save it.
Went through steps one through three and still aren't having any luck? It might be worth trying again with a different application, since there can be a lot of variation between apps. If you're still not having any luck, part two discusses a few other ways you can try addressing more specific problems when your data goes missing.
Part 2: More Specific Problems
Above you got a basic overview for recovering deleted files from your computer. Now we'll take a closer look at some more specific problems, methods of data recovery, and tools that may be of help in your quest for your elusive lost data.Recover Files from a Wiped or Unbootable Hard Drive
So you didn't just accidentally delete a file or two and empty your Recycle Bin prematurely—instead you've got a whole hard drive worth of missing data. You can still use many of the applications mentioned above to recover files from these drives as long as you have or can get the hard drive into a bootable computer. For more details, check out how to recover files from a wiped hard drive with PhotoRec (original post) or how to recover data from a crashed hard drive with PC Inspector File Recovery (original post).If you can't or don't know how to get your unbootable drive into another computer, a Linux live CD can be perfect for rescuing files. If the Linux route scares you off, give the popular BartPE (original post) a try.
Finally, if none of these options can even read your hard drive, you still might be able to get it working for just long enough with a few tricks of the data recovery trade, like putting the busted hard drive in the freezer.
Recover Lost Photos
If you need to resurrect photos from a damaged flash memory card from your digital camera, you'll be happy to know that most of the applications listed in part one above will do the trick—you just need plug in your camera or insert the card into your computer's card reader before running your data recovery application of choice. That said, you can find other applications, like Zero Assumption Digital Image Recovery (original post), that are focused specifically on image recovery that you may want to add to your data recovery toolbox.Recover Lost Word Documents
If your lost dissertation was saved as a Word document, you've got a few more interesting options for getting to your lost or deleted documents—read more about them here and here.Recover Data from Scratched or Corrupted CDs and DVDs
If your munged data is sitting on optical media like a CD or DVD, the recovery process can be slightly different. Freeware application CD Recovery Toolbox (original post) is made specifically to read the portions of a CD that are readable in an effort to rescue as much data as possible from a damaged disc. If that doesn't work, you may want to give a look at the 30-day trial of shareware application CDCheck, as recommended by a reader. Then again, if scratches are the issue, you may be able to get away with simply fixing your scratched CD or DVD yourself.Part 3: Don't Let This Happen Again
Whatever the cause of your lost file, the best method of data recovery is a good preemptive data backup plan. If you're on Windows, we've taken you step-by-step through how to automatically back up your hard drive so that this sort of thing never happens again. If you're running a Mac, do yourself a favor: Get an external hard drive and flip the switch on the easy-to-use Time Machine. Linux users should check out backup options like FlyBack, TimeVault, or the time-honored rsync.Have you ever raised deleted files from the hard drive graveyard? What software did you use to do it? Tell us your tales of file recovery victory and woe in the comments.
Adam Pash is a senior editor for Lifehacker who early in life learned to love the backup. His special feature Hack Attack appears every Tuesday on Lifehacker. Subscribe to the Hack Attack RSS feed to get new installments in your newsreader.
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How to Recover accidentally Deleted File(s) and Folder(s)?
Have you ever deleted a file or a folder, then realized three weeks later that you really needed that file? No backup before, and you went to the Recycle Bin but it had already been emptied? And you started kicking yourself for being so stupid as to delete such an important file or a folder? It happens to the best of us, but fortunately there are ways to get these lost files back.
Usually when we talk about file or data recovery, we're talking about trying to restore data from a hard drive that's crashed or just flat out isn't working. That's the big time. But just because you aren't trying to recover your entire hard drive doesn't mean you don't have options open to you.
It's Almost Impossible to Remove a File From Your Computer Accidentally.
When it comes to data on your computer, it is almost impossible to accidentally remove it beyond recoverability. Even if you are intentionally trying to completely wipe a file from your hard drive it is exceedingly difficult. In fact, there is an entire market of software products out there designed to help you securely remove data from your system because of the difficulty in doing so.
When it comes to data on your computer, it is almost impossible to accidentally remove it beyond recoverability. Even if you are intentionally trying to completely wipe a file from your hard drive it is exceedingly difficult. In fact, there is an entire market of software products out there designed to help you securely remove data from your system because of the difficulty in doing so.
When you delete a file from your computer, you aren't actually doing anything to the file itself. It stays on the hard drive right where you left it. What you're doing is changing the way the operating system looks at the file. You're telling the computer "This file isn't here anymore." Even though the file is still there, as far as the operating system is concerned it isn't. This means that you can't see it or open it when you are using your computer, because as far as the computer is concerned the file is gone forever.
There is one concern here. The file is still occupying space on your hard drive, but the computer isn't viewing the file as being there. The space that file is occupying is then being viewed as free space. That means that it's possible the computer will write new data over this old data, because it doesn't see the file as being there. If this happens, it can make it more difficult to retrieve your data, but usually it takes even more than this for your file to be completely removed.
If you want to recover files due to deletion, format, partition lost or damage, system crash, etc. especially under Windows Vista/2008/Windows 7, our free data recovery software - Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition is recommended. It works well with hardware RAID and hard drives, SD and Memory Cards, etc.
As always, Do Not Forget to Backup Your Partition or Disk in Case of Data Loss! Get Started with Free Windows Backup Software - EASEUS Todo Backup!
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How do I Recover Missing or Lost Logical Drives?
What is partition?To divide memory or mass storage into isolated sections. In DOS systems, you can partition a disk, and each partition will behave like a separate disk drive. Partitioning is particularly useful if you run more than one operating system. For example, you might reserve one partition for Windows and another for UNIX.
In addition, partitioning on DOS and Windows machines can improve disk efficiency. This is because the FAT system used by these operating systems automatically assigns cluster size based on the disk size: the larger the disk, the larger the cluster. Unfortunately, large clusters can result in a wasted disk space, called slack space. There is an entire sector of the software industry devoted to building utilities that let you partition your hard disk, such as Fdisk, EASEUS Partition Master, Partition Magic and Super Fdisk.
Explanation: Whether partition can be recognized by system or not depends on the partition table and boot sector of partition. More partition table details see "About Partition Table". If partition table or boot sector of partition is destroyed by virus or deleted accidentally, you will not see the partition you need. In fact, the partition is not actually lost.
Mostly, Partition Table Doctor will help you to recover partition table and recover lost or deleted partition except physical damage, or failure of the hard disk or other storage medium.
If you want to recover files due to deletion, format, partition lost or damage, system crash, etc. especially under Windows Vista/2008/Windows 7, our free data recovery software - Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition is recommended. It works well with hardware RAID and hard drives, SD and Memory Cards, etc.
Download | Learn More | SupportAs always, Do Not Forget to Backup Your Partition or Disk in Case of Data Loss! Get Started with Free Windows Backup Software - EASEUS Todo Backup!How do I recover files from formatted drive?
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How Do I Recovery Files From Formatted Drive?
What is format?
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How Do I Recovery Files From Formatted Drive?
What is format?
To prepare a storage medium, usually a disk, for reading and writing. When you format a disk, the operating system erases all bookkeeping information on the disk, tests the disk to make sure all sectors are reliable, marks bad sectors (that is, those that are scratched), and creates internal address tables that it later uses to locate information. You must format a disk before you can use it.
Note that reformatting a disk does not erase the data on the disk, only the address tables. Do not panic, therefore, if you accidentally reformat a disk that has useful data. A computer specialist should be able to recover most, if not all, of the information on the disk. You can also buy programs that enable you to recover a disk yourself, such as free data recovery software - Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition .
The previous discussion, however, applies only to high-level formats, the type of formats that most users execute. In addition, hard disks have a low-level format, which sets certain properties of the disk such as the interleave factor. The low-level format also determines what type of disk controller can access the disk (e.g., RLL or MFM).
Almost all hard disks that you purchase have already had a low-level format. It is not necessary, therefore, to perform a low-level format yourself unless you want to change the interleave factor or make the disk accessible by a different type of disk controller. Performing a low-level format erases all data on the disk.
If you want to recover files due to deletion, format, partition lost or damage, system crash, etc. especially under Windows Vista/2008/Windows 7, our free data recovery software - Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition is recommended. It works well with hardware RAID and hard drives, SD and Memory Cards, etc.
As always, Do Not Forget to Backup Your Partition or Disk in Case of Data Loss! Get Started with Free Windows Backup Software - EASEUS Todo Backup!
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What is MBR?
MBR, short for Master Boot Record, a small program that is executed when a computer boots up. Typically, the MBR resides on the first sector of the hard disk. The program begins the boot process by looking up the partition table to determine which partition to use for booting. It then transfers program control to the boot sector of that partition, which continues the boot process. In DOS and Windows systems, you can create the MBR with the FDISK /MBR command.
Entire MBR record in hex and ASCII
OFFSET 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F *0123456789ABCDEF*
000000 fa33c08e d0bc007c 8bf45007 501ffbfc *.3.....|..P.P...*
000010 bf0006b9 0001f2a5 ea1d0600 00bebe07 *................*
000020 b304803c 80740e80 3c00751c 83c610fe *.....t....u.....*
000030 cb75efcd 188b148b 4c028bee 83c610fe *.u......L.......*
000040 cb741a80 3c0074f4 be8b06ac 3c00740b *.t....t.......t.*
000050 56bb0700 b40ecd10 5eebf0eb febf0500 *V.......^.......*
000060 bb007cb8 010257cd 135f730c 33c0cd13 *..|...W.._s.3...*
000070 4f75edbe a306ebd3 bec206bf fe7d813d *Ou...........}.=*
000080 55aa75c7 8bf5ea00 7c000049 6e76616c *U.u.....|..Inval*
000090 69642070 61727469 74696f6e 20746162 *id partition tab*
0000a0 6c650045 72726f72 206c6f61 64696e67 *le.Error loading*
0000b0 206f7065 72617469 6e672073 79737465 * operating syste*
0000c0 6d004d69 7373696e 67206f70 65726174 *m.Missing operat*
0000d0 696e6720 73797374 656d0000 00000000 *ing system......*
0000e0 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 *................*
0000f0 0O000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0001b0 00000000 00000000 00000000 00008001 *................*
0001c0 0100060d fef83e00 00000678 0d000000 *...........x....*
0001d0 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 *................*
0001e0 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 *................*
0001f0 00000000 00000000 00000000 000055aa *..............U.*
Some operations with a hard disk, such as an error when installing an additional operating system, can damage the boot sector of the disk then your computer will fail to boot from it. If you got the MBR error, just recover/repair MBR with Partition Table Doctor.
Recover/Restore MBR(Master Boot Record)
Partition Table Doctor is a partition recovery and repair software and it can also repair partitions, MBR, boot sectors, etc. It is quick and simple to restore MBR with the function "Rebuild MBR" of Partition Table Doctor to restore MBR when the computer can not be accessed.
How to Restore MBR with Partition Table Doctor?
"Rebuild MBR" is the function of Partition Table Doctor for recovering/restoring MBR. Use this function to manually rebuild the master boot record (located on cylinder 0, head 0 and sector 1) when it was destroyed and the computer couldn't boot from it. If you can not boot your system to Windows, you can create a bootable CD with the build-in ISO file in it and then restore MBR or recover the partition table.
Select "Rebuild MBR" on "Operations" menu or press "F7" key to recover/restore MBR.
So, if you got MBR error, just use Partition Table Doctor to restore/recover the correct MBR. Buynow, Download.
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How to restore/recover MBR?
What can computer users do if you computer failed to access and the MBR needed to be restored? Now, take it easy, there are solutions to recover/restore MBR, for example, it can be restored or recovered by the MBR restore software. Partition Table Doctor is a best choice for MBR restore/recovery when there is error with it.What is MBR?
MBR, short for Master Boot Record, a small program that is executed when a computer boots up. Typically, the MBR resides on the first sector of the hard disk. The program begins the boot process by looking up the partition table to determine which partition to use for booting. It then transfers program control to the boot sector of that partition, which continues the boot process. In DOS and Windows systems, you can create the MBR with the FDISK /MBR command.
Entire MBR record in hex and ASCII
OFFSET 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F *0123456789ABCDEF*
000000 fa33c08e d0bc007c 8bf45007 501ffbfc *.3.....|..P.P...*
000010 bf0006b9 0001f2a5 ea1d0600 00bebe07 *................*
000020 b304803c 80740e80 3c00751c 83c610fe *.....t....u.....*
000030 cb75efcd 188b148b 4c028bee 83c610fe *.u......L.......*
000040 cb741a80 3c0074f4 be8b06ac 3c00740b *.t....t.......t.*
000050 56bb0700 b40ecd10 5eebf0eb febf0500 *V.......^.......*
000060 bb007cb8 010257cd 135f730c 33c0cd13 *..|...W.._s.3...*
000070 4f75edbe a306ebd3 bec206bf fe7d813d *Ou...........}.=*
000080 55aa75c7 8bf5ea00 7c000049 6e76616c *U.u.....|..Inval*
000090 69642070 61727469 74696f6e 20746162 *id partition tab*
0000a0 6c650045 72726f72 206c6f61 64696e67 *le.Error loading*
0000b0 206f7065 72617469 6e672073 79737465 * operating syste*
0000c0 6d004d69 7373696e 67206f70 65726174 *m.Missing operat*
0000d0 696e6720 73797374 656d0000 00000000 *ing system......*
0000e0 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 *................*
0000f0 0O000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0001b0 00000000 00000000 00000000 00008001 *................*
0001c0 0100060d fef83e00 00000678 0d000000 *...........x....*
0001d0 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 *................*
0001e0 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 *................*
0001f0 00000000 00000000 00000000 000055aa *..............U.*
Some operations with a hard disk, such as an error when installing an additional operating system, can damage the boot sector of the disk then your computer will fail to boot from it. If you got the MBR error, just recover/repair MBR with Partition Table Doctor.
Recover/Restore MBR(Master Boot Record)
Partition Table Doctor is a partition recovery and repair software and it can also repair partitions, MBR, boot sectors, etc. It is quick and simple to restore MBR with the function "Rebuild MBR" of Partition Table Doctor to restore MBR when the computer can not be accessed.
How to Restore MBR with Partition Table Doctor?
"Rebuild MBR" is the function of Partition Table Doctor for recovering/restoring MBR. Use this function to manually rebuild the master boot record (located on cylinder 0, head 0 and sector 1) when it was destroyed and the computer couldn't boot from it. If you can not boot your system to Windows, you can create a bootable CD with the build-in ISO file in it and then restore MBR or recover the partition table.
Select "Rebuild MBR" on "Operations" menu or press "F7" key to recover/restore MBR.
