On365

You’ve just written the last word in that all-important company report or the next great work of historical fiction. Now all you have to do is hit “Save,” and…your computer crashes before you can save the document. All your hard work is gone…or is it?

The truth is that you can recover deleted files, if you work quickly.  When you delete something, usually it gets sent to the recycle bin.  If you haven’t emptied your recycle bin since you deleted the file, it should still be there.  Just open the bin and retrieve the file, and you’re set.

But some files don’t go into the recycle bin when they’re deleted.  If the file is bigger than the available storage space in the bin, it won’t appear there. If you delete something from a network file or removable media like a CD or thumb drive, it won’t go into your recycle bin. The same goes for files in compressed folders, deletion at the DOS prompt, and files deleted by a virus or as the result of a power glitch.

If you’ve emptied your recycle bin or your file doesn’t appear there, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gone forever—it’s just been marked for deletion.  This means the file has been marked as available space for your computer to use.  If you save something on your hard drive after deleting, you might inadvertently overwrite that file—and then it truly is gone forever.

You may still be able to recover lost files using retrieval software, if they haven’t already been overwritten.  But bear in mind that if you have to install the software first, you could overwrite the file you want to retrieve. Look for a software solution that will run from a disk drive so you don’t overwrite your file by accident.

Here are a few tips to make sure you don’t delete your files accidentally.

Back up your data.  Save your important files on a CD, thumb drive, or other removable media at regular intervals—anywhere from once a week to once a day. This will ensure that if you do accidentally lose data, you may not have to go through a data recovery process or worry that your file will get overwritten before you can retrieve it.

Look into Autosave.  Some programs, including some email clients and Microsoft Word, have an Autosave function that will save your work automatically at regularly scheduled interviews—as often as once every few minutes.  They may also save the file automatically when you exit the program.

Some versions of Windows have an Automatic Save feature that saves Word documents in a recoverable format to preserve them after an inadvertent shut-down, an unrecoverable application, general protection or invalid page error.  

If you lose data, unplug your computer.  The problem with modern computers and data retrieval is that today’s computers tend to create unseen system files for even the smallest actions—like shutting down your computer. And you may have programs running in the background that are creating new files without your knowledge. If you lose data and you’re afraid of overwriting it, unplug your computer or remove its battery rather than shutting it down.

If your data is overwritten, it may still be retrievable. But this is usually beyond the scope of most home computer users—and it’s not always possible.  If you’ve tried to recover files using file retrieval software and were not successful, take your computer to a professional. They may be able to pick up where you left off and restore some if not all of your information.

It can be terrifying to lose a file you’ve spent a lot of time on. But it’s often possible to recover data even after it’s been removed from your recycle bin, with the right software.  Still, prevention is often the most effective course—so be sure to back up your files often and use the Autosave feature when possible.  If you do lose data, avoid doing anything that might overwrite the deleted files—your chances of recovery are slim after you do this, even if you use professional help. Follow these tips, and you should be able to recover most files before they’re overwritten—and avoid losing files in the first place.