| Humans, true to their nature, will always make | | | | The ADRC data recovery tools application should |
| mistakes. That said, how much effect that mistake has | | | | open. No installation is required. |
| on their daily routine depends on how quick that | | | | Create Disk Image |
| mistake is found out and rectified. | | | | Creating a disk image file, while not really necessary, |
| And one of the main reasons that you lose data is | | | | gives you a buffer so that if anything happens during |
| through human error. Deleting a file (or even formatting | | | | the recovery phase, you can always fall back on the |
| even) is a fairly common occurrence and is not fatal | | | | original disk as it remains untouched. |
| mistake on its own. Deleted files by default will go to | | | | Once ADRC data recovery tools is running, You need |
| the recycle bin first and if you are missing any files, just | | | | to open the "image backup/restore" window. To do |
| check your recycle bin. | | | | this, under the tools menu, select "image backup |
| However, the problem arises when you have emptied | | | | restore". Then, click the "Create Image from Disk" radio |
| the recycle bin OR pressed (shift+del) to permanently | | | | button. |
| delete the file (like I always do). When this happens, | | | | Click the browse button under "Image File" and choose |
| you have no way of retrieving the data through | | | | a suitable file name before saving. Under "Image Disk", |
| conventional methods. | | | | select the drive you want to create the image from, i.e.; |
| To get them back, you need special software, another | | | | the drive that you have lost data on. Then click the |
| computer, and loads of luck. Oh, and stop using the | | | | transfer button and wait for imaging to finish. |
| computer. You do not want to accidentally overwrite | | | | Remember that you must never ever save the image |
| the data and lose any chance of recovering data. | | | | file to the same drive as the one you lost data on. |
| Setup | | | | Recovery Phase |
| First you need to remove the hard disk (the one with | | | | Once the imaging and backup is done, we can finally |
| the deleted data), connect it to another computer and | | | | proceed to the recovery phase. |
| set it as a secondary/slave drive. | | | | We are still going to use ADRC data recovery tools |
| Why do you need to do this though? | | | | software. This time however, under "tools", select |
| This measure is taken to ensure that you do not | | | | "undelete". Select the image file that you created and |
| accidentally overwrite the data which you just lost. To | | | | click "search". After this, there will be an agonising wait |
| do recovery, you will be working on an image file of | | | | for the process to finish. With luck, the file you need |
| the hard disk instead of the hard disk itself. I will tell you | | | | and deleted can be found in the list. |
| the reason later. | | | | Select the files (to select many files, press ctrl and |
| Software | | | | click) that you need. This can be a tedious process as |
| Remember that you need to attach the hard disk as a | | | | there may be many files which you do not need |
| secondary/slave drive? If you haven't done it, do so | | | | populating the list. Persevere! You need the files! Once |
| now! After you have done that, you need data | | | | you have selected the files, simply click the "Undelete |
| recovery software to help you recover the data that | | | | Files" button. You will then be prompted to specify a |
| you just deleted. I'm using ADRC's data recovery tools | | | | location to save the files. |
| software, as it is free (and it works well too!). | | | | And there you have it! As long as you do not do |
| Download it at this location: | | | | anything (much) to the hard disk, you should have no |
| ADRC Data Recovery Tools | | | | problems in recovering the files you need. |
| Download, unzip and double-click on the program icon. | | | | |