Deleted file recovery programs are almost endless, and fortunately for you, they are also inexpensive and easy to use.

The right deleted file recovery software allows you to retrieve files, and in some cases, data that has been lost due to other more severe circumstances, like a virus attack. But, it's not the solution that I worry about. It's the User, you. To prevent permanent data loss, the sooner you are able to stop using your computer, once a file has file has been deleted, the better chance you will get it back using a deleted file recovery utility.

A deleted file doesn't just disappear

If you have deleted a file, you have not lost it yet. That is why deleted file recovery is in business. What has actually happened is, your operating system has marked the file as deleted, and it can no longer be seen.

What you have done is given the computer permission to write new information to the space where your file is. And once this happens, you can say goodbye, sayonara, hasta la vista, to your data. The problem is: Without using a deleted file recovery program, you will never know if the deleted file can be recovered or not.

In techno lingo, the deleted file is seen by the file system as unallocated space, and therefore new data is allowed to be written on top of it - then 'it's a goner'. If you know Hex and the file system being used, go recover the data. But, if this is beyond your grasp, you will need a deleted file recovery utility, or expert to do it for you.

Common occurance 

Almost everyone that uses a computer has experienced accidental file deletion, and has the need for a deleted file recovery tool. I remember one client that said, 'I have never deleted my files accidentally. I make regular backups and have a power supply for my computer to protect me against power surges. For the first time, I just accidentally deleted a large file that was too big for the Recycle Bin.' He then went on to ask, "Is it possible to recover a file that is no longer located in the Recycle Bin?" The answer was and still is, yes deleted file recovery is possible, but the chances decreases as time passes.

Deleted file recovery utilities should recover data in the following cases provided the file system has not been altered: accidental file deletion, malfunctioning software, formatted hard drives, deleted partitions, files erased by a virus or power failure; but not in corrupt file recovery cases. In cases where the components, such as MFT or a boot sector, have been compromised, deleted file recovery is not qualified to recover data; a stronger file recovery tool is needed.

Taking it to the next level 

In more advance file systems like Linux, recovery is also possible, but standard deleted file recovery packages will not work. The best chance to recover the deleted file is to use software that has a "raw recovery" method. Upon recovery, the names and their attributes will be wiped clear, but the file extensions will still exist. This means, you need to sift through the files, painstakingly one by one, to see if you data still exists. You want your data back, don't you?

You will never know unless 

The deleted file recovery process is not that difficult and there is always a possibility to recover your data. Remember, deleted files still resides on your computer somewhere, but are no longer visible to you as the end-user. Various software tools are available that promise to help recover deleted files, and they all have their pros and cons, although most of them recover the common cases.

What you need to know is: There is no single deleted file recovery program out there that can guarantee recovery before using it, because there are too many factors and situations that effect the outcome. In other words, trying a deleted file recovery program is the only true way to know if it will actually recover the deleted file.