Undelete
You are working on the computer, and the unthinkable happens. An important file has disappeared without a trace. What could have happened to it? You remember deleting a folder or file earlier, and quickly check the Recycle Bin. The Recycle Bin has already been emptied, before you had an opportunity to restore the file. This scenario is more common than you might think, especially when given the complexity of modern file systems. Deleting a parent directory can unknowingly destroy an important file, one that you may have been unaware was located there.
Does this mean that the file is forever beyond reach? Despite your worst fears, the file can most likely be recovered. There are many freeware utilities available on the internet that are designed to handle just such situations. When a file is deleted by the user, it actually remains on the hard drive. The operating system flags deleted files as writable. The next time data needs to be stored, the operating system may decide to overwrite the original information.
This is an important factor in the restoration of any file. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that the file will be partially or completely overwritten. Avoid saving anything until the file in question has been restored. In fact, move immediately to restore the file, avoiding any other activities. Many reliable freeware programs exist that are designed to undelete files.
The Undelete Plus is an excellent program, capable of restoring files on Windows NTFS/FAT16/FAT32 based machines. As long as the user moves promptly to use the program, the file should be immediately recoverable without any damage. With Undelete Plus a listing of all deleted files is displayed, along with their condition.
For Mac users, the FileRecovery Professional 2 can provide the same undelete services. FileRecovery Professional 2 scans a hard drive for deleted files and displays a list that the user may choose from, allowing immediate recovery. The program also allows recovery of files even when partitions are not present.
Disk Doctors Instant File Recovery is another popular tool of choice when attempting to undelete files. Disk Doctor easily recovers files recently emptied from the recycle bin, or lost due to software malfunction. Disk Doctor also provides recovery of files after accidental formatting or partition deletion. The program supports a wide variety of file types, and works quickly to restore files.
Be sure to place file recovery tools on a separate hard drive, keeping the program backed up in case the main drive fails. In the case of drive failure, files can only be recovered if the faulty drive is connected to another computer where an alternate drive will provide operating system bootup support.
Filed under: Data Recovery