The FAT Undelete Process

FAT undelete is becoming less common nowadays, because Windows 95 is slowly becoming obsolete with mainstream computer users. In fact, most new software packages are not very compatible with this old technology.

However, if you have made it here, there is a good chance you want a FAT undelete product to fetch a file you have lost. You may also want to know what steps you need to take if an automated FAT undelete tool is not able to solve your deleted file problem.

Why You Can't Find Your Files

The reason FAT undelete is impossible without a data recovery program is because communication has been cut off between the directory structure (the yellow folders on your computer) and the files that lie within it. This means, that although your file still exists on the hard drive, the file system refuses to link to it any more. In turn, you cannot access your files and need a FAT undelete utility to recover them.

FAT undelete utilities can be found under the products category. And the best news is they are inexpensive and easy to use.

How FAT Undelete Works

FAT is acronym for File Allocation Table. FAT formally is defined as: "a file system developed by Microsoft for MS-DOS and is the primary file system for consumer versions of Microsoft Windows 95."

Technically, in order to successfully undelete FAT file, the file system requires that the deleted files exist in the appropriate directory, sectors, and cannot be fragmented. If the FAT undelete program does detect these file system components and the files in question have not been fragmented, it is then designed to restore the directory entry as being "in use."

The FAT system then marks all of consecutive sectors, commencing with the one that was recorded in the initial directory entry as utilized in the File Allocation Table. At this juncture, the computer user must examine the data retrieved to know if it is the right data. 

When FAT Undelete Fails

If the files recovered are not the correct data, the user must obtain a more sophisticated FAT undelete software application, or seek the assistance of a professional to manually examine the disk to determine where the lost data may be located.

Time Is An Important Factor

In the end, when it comes to a successful FAT undelete, it is important to remember that time is of the essence. You need to recover the data before the directory and sectors have been overwritten, or the file itself has been fragmented.

Provided that these three elements are in place, FAT undelete software should be able to identify, restore and undelete the subject file in most cases. If not, feel confident that you can call an expert to do it for you when the data is crucial.