Recovering deleted pictures from an external hard drive can be a straightforward process if you follow the correct steps. Here’s a guide on how to do it:
1. Stop using the external hard drive: When you realize that you have deleted pictures from your external hard drive, immediately stop using it to prevent any further overwriting of data. Continued usage increases the chances of unrecoverable data loss.
2. Check recycle bin or trash: If you have deleted the pictures recently, check the recycle bin or trash folder on your operating system. If the pictures are there, you can easily restore them to their original location on the external hard drive.
3. Utilize data recovery software: In case the pictures are not in the recycle bin or trash, you can employ data recovery software. There are several reputable options available, both free and paid, such as Recuva, Disk Drill, or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard. Install the software and follow the provided instructions to scan your external hard drive for recoverable files.
4. Start the scan: Launch the selected data recovery software and choose the external hard drive as the target location for scanning. Ensure you are using the latest version of the software to maximize compatibility and effectiveness.
5. Select the picture format: Most data recovery software allows you to specify the file types you want to recover. Since you are looking for pictures, select the appropriate image formats (JPEG, PNG, etc.) to speed up the scanning process.
6. Scan the external hard drive: Initiate the scan and allow the software to thoroughly examine your external hard drive for any recoverable pictures. This process may take some time, depending on the drive’s size and the number of files it contains.
7. Preview and recover the pictures: Once the scan is complete, the data recovery software will present you with a list of recoverable pictures. Take advantage of the preview feature to verify the integrity and quality of the deleted pictures. Select the desired files and choose a safe location to restore them, ideally not on the same external hard drive to prevent accidental overwrite.
8. Back up your recovered pictures: After successfully recovering your deleted pictures, it’s crucial to back them up to avoid potential data loss in the future. You can use cloud storage services, external drives, or another reliable backup solution of your choice.
Remember, the chances of successful data recovery decrease over time, so it’s essential to act quickly. Additionally, prevention is always better than cure, so regularly backing up your important data is the best way to avoid such situations and ensure their recoverability.
Video Tutorial:How to recover permanently deleted files on external hard drive?
Where do deleted files from external hard drive go?
When files are deleted from an external hard drive, they are not immediately wiped off or permanently erased. Instead, the operating system marks the space they occupy as available for reuse. Until new data is written in that same space, the deleted files remain intact and can potentially be recovered.
The exact location where deleted files go on an external hard drive depends on the file system being used. Most modern external hard drives are formatted with file systems like NTFS (Windows) or HFS+ (macOS). In these file systems, when a file is deleted, its entry in the file table is removed, and the space it occupies is marked as free. However, the file’s actual data remains on the drive until it gets overwritten by new data.
If you want to recover deleted files from an external hard drive, it is advisable to stop using the drive immediately to minimize the chances of overwriting the deleted data. There are several data recovery tools available in the market that can scan the drive and attempt to retrieve the deleted files.
It should be noted that the effectiveness of file recovery depends on various factors, such as the time that has passed since the deletion, the extent of drive usage since then, and whether any data has been written on the sectors previously occupied by the deleted files.
To prevent accidental file loss from an external hard drive, it is always recommended to have regular backups of important data. Additionally, being cautious while deleting files and using a reliable data recovery tool when needed can help mitigate data loss risks.
How do I recover permanently deleted photos from USB?
Recovering permanently deleted photos from a USB drive can be challenging but not impossible. There are a few steps you can take to increase your chances of recovering the lost data:
1. Stop using the USB drive: As soon as you realize that your photos have been deleted, stop using the USB drive immediately. Continued use could potentially overwrite the deleted files, making them unrecoverable.
2. Use a data recovery software: There are numerous data recovery software options available online that specialize in recovering deleted files from various storage devices. Research and find a reputable one that suits your needs. Install the software on your computer, but make sure not to install it directly on the USB drive you want to recover files from.
3. Connect the USB drive to your computer: Plug the USB drive into your computer using a USB port or an appropriate card reader if required. Ensure that the computer recognizes the device.
4. Run the data recovery software: Open the data recovery software you installed earlier and follow the instructions provided by the software to scan the USB drive for recoverable files. It may take some time depending on the size of the drive and the number of files stored on it.
5. Preview and recover the photos: Once the scan is complete, the software should display a list of recoverable files. Look for your deleted photos and preview them if possible to ensure they are intact. Select the photos you want to recover and choose a safe location to save them, preferably on a different drive or location than the USB drive.
6. Safely eject the USB drive: After recovering the desired photos, safely eject the USB drive from your computer to avoid any damage or data loss.
Remember that data recovery success depends on various factors such as the length of time since deletion, your computer’s activities, and the amount of data that has been overwritten. It is recommended to act quickly and seek professional assistance if needed for a higher chance of successful recovery.
Can you recover permanently deleted photos from hard drive?
Yes, it is possible to recover permanently deleted photos from a hard drive, but the success of the recovery largely depends on various factors. When you delete photos from a hard drive, they are not immediately erased but rather marked as deleted in the file system, which means the space they occupy is available for reuse. Until new data is overwritten on those sectors, there is a chance to retrieve the files.
To increase the chances of successful recovery, it is essential to act quickly and avoid any further activity on the hard drive. Here are a few steps you can take:
1. Stop using the affected hard drive immediately: Continuing to use the drive could lead to overwriting the deleted data, making recovery more difficult.
2. Use data recovery software: Many data recovery tools are available that can scan the hard drive for deleted files and attempt to recover them. Popular software options include EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, Recuva, and Disk Drill.
3. Professional data recovery services: If the files you need to recover are extremely important or the recovery attempts using software aren’t successful, you can consider consulting professional data recovery services. They have specialized techniques and equipment to recover data from damaged or inaccessible drives.
Remember that the success of photo recovery depends on factors such as how long ago the files were deleted, how much the hard drive has been used since deletion, and the condition of the drive itself. Regularly backing up your data is the best way to ensure you don’t lose important files permanently.
Are permanently deleted files gone forever?
Permanently deleted files are generally considered to be gone forever, but it depends on a few factors. When you delete a file from your computer or device, it is usually moved to the Recycle Bin or Trash folder, where it can be easily restored. However, if you empty the Recycle Bin or Trash, the file still exists on the hard drive or storage medium, but the operating system marks the space as available for reuse.
In most cases, regular file deletion does not securely erase the data. It is usually possible to recover deleted files using specialized software or by seeking professional data recovery services. These methods can sometimes retrieve the files by accessing the remnants of the data that have not been overwritten.
To ensure permanent deletion, you need to use secure deletion methods. One common method is to overwrite the file multiple times with random data, making it extremely difficult to recover. There are utilities and software available that facilitate this process.
It’s important to note that even with secure deletion methods, there is always a small possibility that remnants of the file may still exist. However, the average user would not have easy access to such remnants.
It’s worth mentioning that cloud services may have their own mechanisms for handling deleted files. Some services retain deleted files for a certain period or offer a "trash" or "deleted items" folder, allowing users to recover them for a limited time. However, once deleted files are purged from these folders, they are generally considered gone.
In conclusion, while permanently deleted files are typically gone from common access, it is essential to follow secure deletion methods if you want to ensure the data cannot be recovered.
Can you recover data from hard drive after deleting?
Yes, it is possible to recover data from a hard drive after it has been deleted. When you delete a file or format a hard drive, the data is not immediately erased. Instead, the operating system marks the space that the file occupies as available for use and removes the file from the file system index. However, until the space is overwritten by new data, the deleted file can still be recovered using specialized data recovery software.
To increase the chances of successful data recovery, it is important to stop using the affected hard drive immediately to prevent any new data from overwriting the deleted files. You can connect the hard drive to another computer as a secondary drive or use a data recovery tool specifically designed for this purpose.
Data recovery software scans the drive for traces of the deleted data and attempts to rebuild the file structure. It can recover a wide range of files, including documents, photos, videos, and more. However, the success of the recovery depends on various factors, such as the extent of the data overwritten and the condition of the hard drive.
In some cases, if the hard drive is physically damaged, data recovery may require the expertise of a professional data recovery service. They have specialized tools and techniques to recover data from physically damaged drives.
Remember to always have a backup strategy in place to prevent potential data loss. Regularly backing up your important files to an external storage device or cloud service is crucial to ensure you have a copy of your data in case of accidental deletion or hardware failure.
Are deleted files are removed completely from the hard drive?
When files are deleted from a hard drive, they are not completely removed. The operating system marks the space occupied by the deleted file as available for reuse, but the actual data remains intact until it is overwritten by new data. This means that with specialized software or forensic techniques, it is often possible to recover deleted files.
To ensure files are thoroughly removed from a hard drive, it is crucial to use specialized tools that overwrite the data multiple times or utilize secure deletion methods. These methods effectively scramble the data, making it extremely difficult or even impossible to recover.
It’s important to note that solid-state drives (SSDs) handle data deletion differently from traditional hard drives. SSDs use a technology called TRIM to optimize performance by erasing data blocks internally when files are deleted. This process helps maintain the SSD’s performance but also makes data recovery more challenging.
Therefore, while deleting files may make them appear inaccessible, it’s essential to take appropriate measures if you require permanent removal to protect sensitive or confidential information.