How To Recover Deleted Files From Hard Disk Drive

How To Recover Deleted Files From Hard Disk Drive


Sometimes you drag certain files to the recycle bin and empty it without thinking. It takes a while to realize that you accidentally deleted your important files. And when you realize that, it is too late as you have already emptied your recycle bin. Do not panic if this happens anytime as you can potentially recover your files with the help of data recovery programs. Follow this guide in order to learn how you can recover your deleted files.

Stop using the disk drive

You may minimize your chances of file recovery if you keep trying to recover the data without using any proper program for this purpose. Removing or adding more data to your disk drive may corrupt the files on your drive. To maximize the chances of data recovery, do not download or save any unnecessary program on your disk drive.

Find a program for File Recovery

There are various paid programs available for recovering data. There are also certain useful and work-able free programs available to recover deleted files and folders. You need to find an appropriate program for recovering your files. Some of the popular free programs include Glary Undelete, Restoration, Puran File Reader and Recuva.

Install the portable version if possible

Ensure that you do not download the program to the disk drive that you wish to recover from. Download the portable data recovery program to another computer and then save a copy to your USB drive. Note that not all programs for file recovery provide portable versions.

Run your data-recovery program now

If you have installed a portable version of data-recovery program, insert your USB in the computer and run the data-recovery program. If you have installed the recovery program on another drive in the same computer, run it. You are not required to download different programs for separate drives because most of the programs will recover data from both USB drives and disk drives.

Select the correct drive for scan and specify the files

You must select the correct disk drive for scan in order to recover your desired data. You also need to tell the program to search for a specific kind of file. Not all data-recovery programs will need you to select the type of file, but if they do, you can boost the process of search by inserting the correct details.

Browse through the displayed list of recoverable folders and files

Certain file-recovery programs will show you the list of files that can be recovered. Select the desired file from this list and follow the instructions to recover it.

Take your disk drive to a specialist for data recovery

If your hard disk is non-functional and the data-recovery program cannot access it, take your disk drive to a specialist. The professionals may help you in recovering data from a non-functional hard disk with their specialized programs and tools.

Retrieve Hidden Files From External Hard Disk

Retrieve Hidden Files From External Hard Disk


Hidden files can be explained as the files that are invisible for the users while browsing on the computer. Sometimes these files and folders are hidden on your external hard disk drive because they are corrupted or outdated. The operating system may also hide files from the users to prevent any accidental tampering. You can gain access to the hidden files on your "Microsoft Windows" computer by simply changing the settings. Follow these easy steps to access the invisible or hidden folders on your external hard disk:

    Firstly, connect your external disk drive to the computer and wait for a while to ensure proper functioning.
    Wait a few seconds for an "AutoPlay" screen to appear on your computer.
    Inside this "AutoPlay" screen, make a click on the option called "Open Folder" to view files.
    Now you can see an option called "Organize" on top of your screen. Click on this option and then select "Folder and Search Options".
    Click on the "View" tab and then select "Show hidden files".
    Now under the "Navigation Panel", make a click on "Apply" and click "OK" to confirm it.
    Hidden folders and files are now visible and you may easily access them on the computer.

This method works in most cases. If your external hard disk is badly infected with multiple viruses, then there is a chance that you will never be able to access the hidden files using this procedure. If this method does not retrieve hidden files, you may need to use file-recovery software.

Software for Retrieving Hidden Files
"Yodot File Recovery" is one of the most reliable and praiseworthy software for gaining access to hidden files. It is ideal for recovering files from external disk and other storage devices. With an amazingly innovative scan technology, it scans each sector of your disk drive to retrieve folders and files with precision and high speed. You do not need to be an IT professional to use this software, the simple interface of "Yodot File Recovery" enables all the users to use it without any difficulty. You can restore PowerPoint, Access, PST, MS Word, DBX, Excel and other files using this user-friendly software.

Retrieve Hidden Files using Software

    Connect your external disk to the computer.
    After your computer has detected the external hard disk, install "Yodot File Recovery" software.
    Run the program to begin the recovery process.
    While running the application, you will see two options called "Lost File Recovery" and "Deleted File Recovery".
    Now select "Lost File Recovery" to retrieve all the hidden files from your external drive.
    Select the drive that shows your external disk.
    After selection, the software begins scanning process and displays all recoverable files.
    You can see your recoverable files in two view types named as "File Type View" and "Data View".
    At last select a location and save all your recovered files on an internal hard disk drive. Make sure that you do not save the recovered files on the external drive again.

How To Recover Deleted Files From Hard Disk Drive

How To Recover Deleted Files From Hard Disk Drive



Sometimes you drag certain files to the recycle bin and empty it without thinking. It takes a while to realize that you accidentally deleted your important files. And when you realize that, it is too late as you have already emptied your recycle bin. Do not panic if this happens anytime as you can potentially recover your files with the help of data recovery programs. Follow this guide in order to learn how you can recover your deleted files.

Stop using the disk drive

You may minimize your chances of file recovery if you keep trying to recover the data without using any proper program for this purpose. Removing or adding more data to your disk drive may corrupt the files on your drive. To maximize the chances of data recovery, do not download or save any unnecessary program on your disk drive.

Find a program for File Recovery

There are various paid programs available for recovering data. There are also certain useful and work-able free programs available to recover deleted files and folders. You need to find an appropriate program for recovering your files. Some of the popular free programs include Glary Undelete, Restoration, Puran File Reader and Recuva.

Install the portable version if possible

Ensure that you do not download the program to the disk drive that you wish to recover from. Download the portable data recovery program to another computer and then save a copy to your USB drive. Note that not all programs for file recovery provide portable versions.

Run your data-recovery program now

If you have installed a portable version of data-recovery program, insert your USB in the computer and run the data-recovery program. If you have installed the recovery program on another drive in the same computer, run it. You are not required to download different programs for separate drives because most of the programs will recover data from both USB drives and disk drives.

Select the correct drive for scan and specify the files

You must select the correct disk drive for scan in order to recover your desired data. You also need to tell the program to search for a specific kind of file. Not all data-recovery programs will need you to select the type of file, but if they do, you can boost the process of search by inserting the correct details.

Browse through the displayed list of recoverable folders and files

Certain file-recovery programs will show you the list of files that can be recovered. Select the desired file from this list and follow the instructions to recover it.

Take your disk drive to a specialist for data recovery

If your hard disk is non-functional and the data-recovery program cannot access it, take your disk drive to a specialist. The professionals may help you in recovering data from a non-functional hard disk with their specialized programs and tools.

Backup Your Backup

Backup Your Backup


If you didn't know by now, anything electrical or mechanical can fail. Hard drives and motherboards do fall into that category.

Why should I worry about this?

If either one of these (or both) fails you may have lost everything you worked so hard to get. Most people have a large amount of photos and/or videos or other valuable data stored on their hard drive. The biggest reason to do a backup is due to a computer crash or due to a catastrophic event. Other reasons are theft, vandalism, fire, tornado and many others.

How can I protect my files and/or Information?

You need to back everything up in some fashion. Many people use USB drives (also known as Thumb drives, backup drives or other names) By luck these now come in large storage sizes. I recommend buying a Cruzer thumb drive. The sizes go up to 32 GIG as of this writing. The advantage is that you can set a password using a special program that comes with the drive. General this is good protection.

Another choice

Another choice you do have now is cloud drives. Several companies now offer this option. Large size backup drives are available also. These have grown in storage size and can be at least 2 Terabyte. Some do have programs that will allow you to automatically backup your data. You could use an internal hard drive if you have a desktop computer. However, many people now have laptops and therefore this option is rarely used. USB drives have taken the market away from internal drives. They are very easy to install because you just plug them in.

Why You Need to Back up The Backup

As mentioned above, products can fail. Media such as USB drives can fail especially if they are cheap. Also, if you haven't removed the drive properly you may never be able to recover the information it contains. This could corrupt the data and therefore you will not be able to recover it. You should backup your data in at least two different places. Backing it up on a USB drive and taking it to a bank safety deposit box is one option. You can purchased two drives for this. They should be labeled so you know when you did the backup. Just swap them once per month. You can also backup data to a cloud drive. This is a real-time backup. This means you will not lose anything that you have saved. REMEMBER! If your USB drive does fail, your computer is now the backup. Be sure that you are covered in any case.

Recovery

Recovery of data and files will be much easier if you take time and effort to back them up and protect them. One backup should be kept offsite at all times in case of catastrophic failure, Disaster or other unexpected event.