Guide
Data recovery: what to do first (and what not to do)
When files vanish or a drive stops working, what you do in the first hour matters more than anything else. The right first move keeps the data recoverable; the wrong one can destroy it permanently. Here is how to give yourself the best possible odds.
The one rule: stop using the drive
Whether a file was deleted or a drive is failing, every further write to it can overwrite the very data you want back. So the moment you realise something is wrong, stop saving to it, stop installing things on it, and — if you hear clicking or grinding, or the drive is not showing up — power it off entirely. Doing nothing is genuinely the safest first step.
Which kind of data loss is it?
The right approach depends completely on whether the loss is logical (the data is still there but the system cannot see it) or physical (the drive itself is failing). Getting this wrong is how recoverable data becomes unrecoverable.
- Deleted or formatted — you removed it, or reformatted — the data is usually still physically there until overwritten, and often recoverable
- Corrupt or will not boot — the computer will not start but the drive is intact — frequently the data is completely fine
- Clicking, grinding, not detected — a physical failure — this is the one where DIY makes things worse, and it needs a professional
If the file was simply deleted
For an accidental delete on a drive that is otherwise healthy, there is a good chance of getting it back — as long as you have not been busily writing new data over it. Check the easy places first, then recovery software, and always recover onto a different drive than the one you lost it from.
On Windows
- Recycle Bin first — the obvious one, but also check whether it was only emptied recently
- Previous Versions / File History — right-click the folder > Restore previous versions, if File History or a restore point covered it
- OneDrive recycle bin — if the file lived in OneDrive, its online recycle bin keeps deleted items for weeks
- Recovery software — tools like Recuva scan for recoverable files — install and save them onto a different drive, never the source
On a Mac
- Trash first — and if it was emptied, do not keep using the disk while you decide next steps
- Time Machine — if a backup drive is connected, enter Time Machine and restore the file from before it vanished
- iCloud "Recently Deleted" — iCloud Drive and the Files app keep deleted items for 30 days
- Recovery software — tools like Disk Drill can scan the disk — again, recover onto a different drive, never back onto the source
If the drive is physically failing
Clicking, grinding, disappearing from the computer, or an SSD that suddenly is not detected all point at physical failure — and this is where good intentions do real damage. Do not keep powering it on hoping it comes good, do not run DIY recovery software against it (that stresses a dying drive), and never open it. A failing mechanical drive often needs a clean-room and specialist tools; every extra spin-up lowers the odds. Power it down and get it assessed.
So it never happens again: 3-2-1
Once your data is safe, the lesson is worth taking: keep three copies of anything you cannot bear to lose, on two different types of media, with one kept off-site or in the cloud. A backup that runs automatically is the only kind that survives contact with real life — and it turns the next drive failure from a disaster into a shrug.
Worked through these and still stuck? Read us the symptoms and we will tell you what is likely wrong — free, any hour.
Call 0478 953 755Common questions
I deleted a file and emptied the trash — can I still get it back?
Often, yes — deleting does not immediately erase the data, it just marks the space as reusable. The key is to stop using that drive straight away so nothing overwrites it, then check backups (Time Machine, File History, OneDrive, iCloud) and, if needed, recovery software that saves onto a different drive.
My external drive is clicking — should I try recovery software?
No. Clicking is a physical failure, and running software against it — or repeatedly powering it on — stresses a dying drive and can push recoverable data out of reach. Power it off and have it assessed; this is a specialist job.
Can you recover data from a computer that will not turn on?
Usually, yes. A machine that will not start very often has a perfectly healthy drive — the fault is elsewhere — so the data can be retrieved even when the computer itself is not worth repairing. The main exception is a drive that is itself failing, which is why we assess before doing anything.
Are my files gone forever after a factory reset?
Usually they are overwritten, but not always immediately or completely. If a reset removed something important, stop using the machine and ask sooner rather than later — the less it is used afterwards, the better the odds of getting anything back.
Still not sure?
Describe what the machine is doing and we will tell you what is likely wrong and whether it is worth fixing — before you spend anything. Diagnosis over the phone is free, 24 hours a day.
Call 0478 953 755