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What to do when you have deleted files from a Desktop, Laptop or External Hard Drive

Written By: Ontrack

Date Published: August 28, 2022

What to do when you have deleted files from a Desktop, Laptop or External Hard Drive

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It may be that you’ve lost files due to them being deleted accidentally, purposely or by another party.

Usually, when you delete a file from a storage device, it’ll go straight to the operating system’s recycling bin or trash folder. From here, you can recover it to the original location by right-clicking to open the file menu or simply dragging the file back out to another location.

Check here first, just in case the file is still there.


Image: Ontrack EasyRecovery for Windows in action

Find out more about  Ontrack EasyRecovery software and the different versions on offer.

An important note about any type of Data Recovery Software however is that these tools should only be used for logical data recovery cases where the device is mechanically sound. In situations where a drive is making unusual noises, or has been bumped, dropped or otherwise damaged, software data recovery efforts may actually cause more damage. In these cases a professional data recovery service is the only way to go.

 

Using a professional recovery service

Even the best data recovery software has limitations. For the best chances of success, you should contact a professional data recovery service provider and explain the situation.

An experienced professional will ask you some questions and assess the situation properly to determine the best course of action for recovery. Questions you might have to answer include:

  1. What type of hard drive is it? (HDD, SSD, NAS etc.)
  2. Which manufacturer made it?
  3. Do you know the reasons it has failed?
  4. What symptoms are you experiencing?
  5. Are there any symptoms of physical damage
  6. Have you tried any other recovery methods already?
  7. Is there a specific file or files you’re trying to recover?

An accredited company should also be able to complete a recovery or repair job without voiding your device’s warranty. This wouldn’t be the case if you opened it yourself.

After an in-person inspection, a professional should be able to estimate the amount of data that can be recovered, along with the cost and timeframe.

They’ll then use their experience, expertise and tools (including a clean room) to recover as much valuable data as possible.

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