How to Recover Permanently Deleted Data from Hard Disk(2024)

Can permanently deleted files be recovered from hard drive?

Yes, you can recover permanently deleted data from hard disk. Even if you delete these files while pressing "shift + delete," or if you accidentally clean the recycle bin, the files don’t just disappear. You just can't see them in the Windows File Explorer unless they are overwritten.  

To prevent data overwriting, please turn off the computer or stop using the hard drive from which you permanently deleted the files. Don't add new data to your computer or hard drive as well. Thus, if you know the methods to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, you can get them back quickly and completely.

Common reasons for permanently deleted files

When working on a Windows 10 system, you may mistakenly hit the Delete key, causing a file or folder to be moved to the Recycle Bin. In other cases, you may delete files and folders to free up space on your hard drive for new data. Let’s find out the common reasons for permanently deleted files.

Empty the Recycle Bin accidentally or intentionally.

Press “Shift+ delete” to delete files.

Virus or malware attacks lead to file corruption.

The Recycle Bin bypasses the large files.

The system will delete the user’s associated files if the user’s account is erased.

Using Command Prompt to delete files.

How to recover permanently deleted files from Recycle Bin

if you delete files using the Delete key or clicking the Delete option from the context menu, there is a chance it is still in the Recycle Bin. It will keep all the deleted data for 30 days. 

Step 1: Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on your Desktop.

Step 2: Find and select the recently deleted file. Right-click the file and select the Restore option. You can then go to the original location and check if your files have been recovered.

How to recover permanently deleted data via Windows backup

Protecting your computer's data is one of your most crucial responsibilities. A frequent backup of your system using the backup program of your choice, such as, Backup and Restore, or File History, is the best way to achieve this.

You need to check your recent backup to restore permanently deleted files in Windows 10. If you haven’t set it up, you still can seek help from data recovery software.

Restore permanently deleted files using Backup and Restore

If you backup files to external hard drive using Backup and  Restore in Windows 10, try the following steps to restore permanently deleted files:

Step 1: Press the Windows key on the keyboard and type Control Panel, then press Enter.

Step 2: Select “Update and Security” > “Backup and Restore (Windows 7)”

Step 3: Click on “Restore my files” and follow the wizard to recover permanently deleted data.

Recover deleted files in Windows 10 from previous versions

If you turned on File History, you can directly recover deleted files from previous versions by selecting the file or folder containing them. Follow the steps below:

Step 1: Right-click on the file or folder that contains the permanently deleted files.

Step 2: Select “Restore previous versions”.

Step 3: Select the versions containing the files & folders.

Step 4: Click “Restore” to recover the deleted files.

How to recover permanently deleted files using software

Data recovery software like Windows File Recovery or MyRecover will be a great choice to recover permanently deleted data from hard disk if you don't have a backup or it's not in the Recycle Bin.

Restore permanently deleted files using Windows File Recovery

Windows File Recovery, released by Microsoft, has no icons or menus and it is a text-based system. It applies to Windows 10 2004 and newer systems and you can download it through the Microsoft Store.

If you are not familiar with the command line interface,  you can also try another data recovery software - try MyRecover.  It's user-friendliness software and has a higher success rate.

Step 1: Open the "Microsoft Store" app and input Window File Recovery. Download and install the app on your computer.

Step 2: Open Windows File Recovery from the Start menu.

Step 3: In the command prompt, enter commands as the following command format:

winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]

If you want to know more commands of Windows File Recovery, you could go to this page to check more methods to recover deleted files.

Recover permanently deleted data from a hard disk via MyRecover

If you can't recover files using Windows File Recovery or have problems using it, try GUI-based data recovery software - MyRecover.

Step 1. Launch MyRecover on your computer. Hover the mouse over the drive and click Scan to scan.

Step 2. The program runs the scanning process quickly and finds deleted files and other missing files in this partition. During scanning, you can recover any file you want. 

You can also use the Search and Filter feature to locate deleted files faster. It has 3 options in the following:

• Type: It will contain all the file types in the local drive, such as, images, videos, documents, mails, webpage, compressed files, etc.
• Data Modified: It supports today, yesterday, last 7 days, last 30 days, and custom. 
• Size: It allows you to filter file size from less than 128KB to 128KB ~1MB to 1MB ~ 512MB and above, or custom.

Step 3. Select the file or the folder that you want to recover and click "Recover files". Select a new location to save the recovered files, otherwise your permanently deleted files will be overwritten and go forever.

FAQs

1. Is it possible to recover permanently deleted data from a hard disk?

Yes, it's often possible to recover deleted data from a hard disk even if it has been permanently deleted. However, success depends on various factors such as the method used for deletion, the amount of time elapsed since deletion, and the extent of disk activity post-deletion.

2. What are the common methods used to recover permanently deleted data from a hard disk?

Common methods include using data recovery software, seeking professional data recovery services, and attempting manual recovery techniques. Data recovery software is often the first approach, while professional services are recommended for more complex or critical data loss scenarios.

3. Can I recover data if my hard disk has been formatted or overwritten after deletion?

It's still possible to recover data even if the hard disk has been formatted or overwritten after deletion, although the chances of successful recovery may decrease. In such cases, professional data recovery services with advanced tools and techniques may be necessary to retrieve the lost data.

4. How should I proceed to recover deleted data to maximize the chances of success?

If you've deleted important data accidentally, immediately stop using the affected hard disk to prevent further data overwriting. Then, use reliable data recovery software or consult a professional service provider for assistance. Avoid installing or downloading any new software on the disk where the data was lost to avoid overwriting the deleted data sectors.

5. What precautions should I take to prevent permanent data loss in the future?

Regularly back up your important data to external storage devices or cloud services to prevent permanent loss in case of accidental deletion or hardware failure. Additionally, consider using file recovery software that includes features for real-time data protection and automatic backups to minimize the risk of data loss.

Conclusion

It is possible to restore permanently deleted data from hard disk in a number of methods. You could choose one of the methods according to your needs.

In order to avoid the possibility of losing crucial files, it is advised to constantly make a backup of them. To keep your data safe, you might utilize an external disk or online storage or a reliable backup tool-AOMEI Backupper. File recovery on Windows 10 or other systems should be started as soon as you discover that the deleted data is still usable. Your files will be protected if you turn on File History. A copy of each file is automatically stored on a network drive or USB drive.

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