How to GetData Back
"Where did my file go?"
"Yikes! My hard disk just crashed and all of my data is gone!"
"Can I get data back?"
"My son said he could get more performance by cleaning out my computer but he got carried away and deleted an entire partition – the one where I store all of my financial files!"
If these quotes sound familiar and you also need to get data back, take a deep breath. There are several relatively easy ways to get data back – even if entire partitions are missing or the hard disk was formatted.
First, make sure the computer isn't ready to crash and burn for good. Is the hard drive making clunky, mechanical noises? If you hear grinding or clicking sounds, you may not be able to get data back using these tips. A physically damaged drive requires expert data recovery services and immediate attention.
GetData via the Recycle Bin
Once you've determined that your problems are not physical drive malfunctions, check your Recycle Bin. The Recycle Bin has a "restore" feature that allows you to get data back with just a click or two of the mouse. It also has its limitations. If you've emptied the Recycle Bin, you cannot get data back using this tool.
GetData via your Backup
Do you regularly back up your data? If so, you can get data back by using your backups and restoring the missing file back to your hard disk. If not, you'll need a better solution.
Where else is your Data Stored?
If you're only missing a file or two, you may be able to get a copy back from one of your friends or co-workers. For example, did you email your favorite family photo to your best friend or the latest sales report to your boss? Check your "sent items" folder in your email program. When sending attachments, a temporary file is created. If you haven't yet deleted your temporary files, you may be able to access the temp file and get data back.
GetData by using Data Recovery Software
Okay, now that you've exhausted all of your resources and have found that you still can't get data back, it's time for data recovery software. Data recovery software can get data that has been deleted by bypassing the Windows index and finding the actual file. This is because when data is deleted, only the reference to the file is deleted in the index – not the file itself. So long as the deleted file is not overwritten by another process, you can get data back!
While checking your options, it's important not to do anything that could overwrite data on your hard drive because once the actual file gets overwritten by something else, it's gone for good. Go ahead and poke around your Recycle Bin, check your backup, and see if you've emailed the file in question but don't install new programs or create and save new data files. If you do so, you may not be able to get data back.
