How to Recover a Deleted File

In the course of computer usage in is inevitable that a user will eventually delete a file that was not intended for deletion. This is usually followed by a angry stampede of obscenities and flying PC peripherals. Once the dust has settled; sit down, take a deep breath and read on. Thanks to some handy built-in and third-party tools, you don't have to get fired for trashing the big presentation due on Monday. Although, you might need a new mouse. Follow these simple steps and you will maximize your your chance of recovering deleted file(s).

If you are already rolling your eyes, skip to number two, I won't blame you. The first mistake that many users make is assuming their file is gone when all they have done is right-clicked and selected delete. Unless a user depresses the 'Shift' key while deleting, then the file(s) in question will be sent to the Recycle Bin to await a slow death. Hence, the first step to take in the recovery process is to double-click the Recycle Bin icon, located on your Windows desktop. If your file is locate here, congratulations, your job is really easy! Right-click the file and select 'Restore'. Like magic, your file is right back in the original location. If your fortune is not so great and you have not found your file here, then flip the tape over to side B(not really) and continue on to step 2(really).

The worst thing you can do while trying to recover deleted data is to introduce new data to the drive. Stop any downloads, installations, updates, etc. This step is related to how Windows manages it's data. There are two parts to a file in a Windows system. The first is a flag, which is a small file with the location(or address) of the actual data, and the second is the data itself. When data is initially deleted on a Windows system only the flag is erased. The actual data is not erased until Windows needs the space for new, incoming data. By stopping the influx of new data you preserve the integrity of the erased data making restoration more likely.