How to recover a formatted disk. The best programs for recovering data from a hard drive

Sometimes a user finds himself in situations where he has to format a hard drive or partition on his computer, either intentionally or accidentally. As a result of formatting, all information from the partition subjected to this procedure disappears. Most often, this happens involuntarily, or data from the hard drive is erased without the user’s knowledge. What to do if the formatted media contains valuable information that must be restored?

Is it possible to recover data from a formatted drive?

A formatted partition or disk can be restored if you get down to business in time. Moreover, you can perform this procedure yourself, completely free of charge.

The task of formatting is to clean the media of all files, viruses and errors on it. A partition formatted in the desired file system makes it possible to increase the performance of your computer.

Types of hard drive formatting

Any formatting consists of the following main steps:

1. When manufactured at the factory, any hard drive is low-level formatted. At this stage, its physical structure is created. Such markings cannot be changed during the operation of the disk.
2. The second stage is the creation of several sections on the storage medium. They can be created in almost any number, depending on the disk capacity. The user can independently create such sections.
3. High level formatting. These are actions to delete files from the media. It is divided into fast and complete.

First, you need to understand what processes occur during formatting of partitions. Without this knowledge, it is difficult to carry out high-quality hard drive recovery. When you try to format any partition, you are asked to select the method by which this action will be carried out. That is, you can specify whether quick or full formatting will be performed. The final result of all work depends on the right choice.

Let's consider what the difference is between these methods, and whether it is possible to recover information after such operations:

• Quick formatting. If you check the box for selecting formatting methods, only the file table will be overwritten. The files themselves will remain untouched. They will only disappear from the visibility of the system. After such actions, it is quite possible to restore information from the hard drive even using the operating system.
• Full formatting allows you not only to hide files, but also analyzes the state of the disk, corrects detected errors and damage. After this, a new file table is formed. Recovering a formatted disk is only possible using a special program. However, in this case there is no guarantee that after such actions all data will be restored.

Attention! If partitions or the entire disk are accidentally formatted, new files cannot be written to the supposedly empty disk. The more new information is recorded, the less likely it is that the lost data can then be recovered.

Recovering a formatted hard drive

Let's look at the procedure for restoring information from a disk after formatting. The Handy Recovery program will help us with this.

Main characteristics of the Handy Recovery program:

• Complete recovery of data deleted after formatting from any hard drive partitions and removable media.
• Working with compressed NTFS disks.
• Deep partition scanning.
• Ability to create an image for a delayed recovery procedure.
• The program indicates the probability of successful recovery of any selected file.

How to work in Handy Recovery

1. After starting the program, a window opens in front of the user asking you to select the disk from which information needs to be recovered.
   
2. You must make a selection and then click the “Analyze” button. Another window will open, displaying the structure of the entire computer.
   
3. In order to find all files on the selected media, it is necessary to conduct a so-called advanced analysis. To do this, click the corresponding button at the bottom of the window.
4. A selection of file types to recover will appear. For example, if you do not need any service files or documents, but want to return photos, videos or other data, then check the boxes only in front of the required file types.
5. If you want to install certain extensions for a certain type of file, then the folder opens by clicking on the “+” sign next to it, and the necessary extensions are indicated there. Actions are confirmed with the “Ok” button.
6. After the analysis, the program will create an additional folder “Unnamed deleted files”, and in it - a folder “Images”. The found files will be located in these folders. The program allows you to restore them to disk. To do this, you can simply right-click on the desired file and select the “Recovery” command that appears.
   
7. In the window you need to specify the location to save these files. In the same way, you can restore not only individual files, but also the entire folder.
8. Based on the scan results, you can create an image of the recovered disk. This will simplify the user's actions when repeatedly accessing this data. The next time you start the program, you will be able to continue working with the recovered information.

And folders or after formatting hard drives and logical partitions. It's okay if an accidental deletion simply places files in the Recycle Bin or even empties it. You can recover such data using simple utilities. But what to do if the disk or partition has been formatted? Now we will look at the best programs for recovering files after formatting, since this problem is solved purely in software.

How are disks and logical partitions formatted?

First of all, you need to understand what the process of formatting a hard drive and its partitions is. There are two types: quick formatting (clearing the disk table of contents) and full (so-called low-level) formatting.

Let’s make a reservation right away that data recovery can only be done with quick cleaning. If a complete formatting has been performed, no program for recovering files from the hard drive will help.

Let's look at options for formatting disks and logical partitions. Quickly clearing the table of contents only involves overwriting the file allocation tables. In other words, the system is given an indication that the disk or partition is empty, although in fact the deleted data is still physically present there. Just like after emptying the Recycle Bin, during the quick formatting process, the files are renamed in such a way that they are not visible to the system, much less to the user. In this case, the first letter in the file name is changed and replaced with the “$” symbol.

As for low-level (full) formatting, the situation here is much worse. The data on the disk is completely erased, so that no program for recovering deleted files will find absolutely nothing on it. The difference between these two processes can be illustrated with a simple example. Let's say we have some kind of foggy glass surface on which something was previously written. If the moisture simply dries, the inscription will become inaccessible. Sometimes, if you breathe on it again, the inscription may appear again. This is a quick format. If you walk over such a surface with a sponge with detergent, wiping everything thoroughly, no matter how hard you try, you will not see the inscription again. This is full formatting.

Of course, this is a rather rough example, however, it almost accurately reflects the formatting process. Here you need to understand that any program for restoring files after formatting can only work if the table of contents is quickly cleared.

Is it possible to recover files after formatting?

Naturally, after a quick formatting, you can restore the files. This is why file recovery programs are created. They work, in principle, based on the search for renamed files (as mentioned above), as well as on entries in the MFT (Master File Table) allocation tables, extracting the necessary byte sequences from there.

As for what exactly any program for recovering files from a flash drive or hard drive is capable of, each application of this type has its own capabilities. Some software products are designed purely for recovering multimedia files, others are designed exclusively for office documents, and others can recover files regardless of type using a search by extension.

What needs to be done before recovery?

Before you launch, say, a program to recover deleted files from a flash drive, hard drive or logical partition, it is strongly recommended to take into account some important points. First of all, you should not use a logical drive, logical partition, or removable USB drive to which you intend to restore data to save new information. It is also advisable not to open the Internet browser as it may save temporary files.

The situation is that even if the renamed deleted file is still present on the disk, it can be recovered. But if information is overwritten in this place (sector or cluster), then no program for restoring and formatting files will cope with its direct task, no matter how hard you try.

Next, before recovery, it is advisable to check the disk for errors or for the presence of bad sectors. Of course, you can use standard Windows OS tools to automatically correct system errors, but it is better to turn to professional utilities such as Victoria. If there is sufficiently severe damage to the surface of the hard drive, you will have to seek help from the unique HDD Regenerator program, which is capable of restoring damaged sectors using the magnetization reversal method.

Recuva

File recovery programs are quite varied. They have different capabilities and purposes in terms of restored categories. Recuva is considered one of the most powerful and advanced applications.

The Recuva software product is a disk file recovery program that is distinguished not only by its rich functionality, but also by its ease of use. Users of any skill level can understand it.

When launched, the application displays a window indicating the types of files to be recovered (music, videos, documents, etc.). After selecting a category, the scanning process simply starts. In this case, the application requests the location of the files you are looking for. If you are not absolutely sure or the user simply does not remember exactly where the files were previously located, you can use a line that indicates that the location is unknown.

At the end of the scanning process, a complete list is displayed indicating the status of the deleted file. In this case, you can only restore those files whose status is marked as “Good”. Among the advantages of the application, it is worth noting that it has a preview function, but the disadvantage is the fact that you can only select one from the list of categories at a time.

Please note that during the recovery process it is better not to use the original location where the desired file was stored. It is better to use a removable hard drive or any other USB drive and specify the path to it.

By the way, although it is believed that no program for recovering files from a hard drive gives a 100% guarantee of successful recovery, this application is capable of a lot. And, as practice shows, it even restores some files that other programs simply ignore due to their poor condition.

Pandora Recovery

There is another interesting program. You can recover deleted files from your hard drive using the Pandora Recovery application.

The application is quite simple. The program itself for recovering files after formatting is intended exclusively for hard drives and logical partitions with FAT32 and NTFS file systems. Although the application can work with removable USB media such as regular flash drives, and even more so with memory cards (as stated by the manufacturer), it nevertheless often refuses to do so.

On the other hand, one of the advantages is the presence of a special “Wizard” in it, which allows you to configure the search in a few simple steps. The search, however, is quite slow, so you will have to wait. In general, this utility is designed more for beginners than for experienced users.

Undelete Plus

An interesting solution is the simple Undelete Plus application. Despite its apparent simplicity, it can be used, for example, as a program to recover deleted files from a flash drive or memory card of any format.

When launched, the program scans the selected disks or partitions, and then displays a complete list of files that can be recovered. A special feature of this application is that it allows you to set a custom filter, which will sort the data by type or, say, by the date of deletion or the location where it was originally saved.

PC Inspector File Recovery

As already mentioned, file recovery programs are quite widely available. And one of the most powerful utilities is PC Inspector File Recovery.

It will be difficult for the average user to figure it out the first time, but experienced users can appreciate all the capabilities that this software package offers. Not surprising, because the application can work with FAT12/16/32 and NTFS file systems. Among other things, the program easily recovers information from SATA and IDE hard drives by scanning at the sector level. This approach allows you to find absolutely all fragments of files that survived after formatting, which cannot be determined by regular scanning. Naturally, this application can also be used as a program for recovering files from a flash drive. For example, restoring a photo from a memory card of a modern camera using this utility is as simple as possible.

Free Undelete

Free Undelete is another free application for recovering lost data. The program is one of the most primitive and is designed only for FAT32 and NTFS file systems.

Unfortunately, there is no preview function here, and recovery of multiple files at once is not provided. In each individual case, manual confirmation is required, that is, selecting several files at a time simply will not work. But as a last resort for novice users, the application will certainly be useful.

SoftPerfect File Recovery

This application is another tiny utility with a minimal size that can be conveniently stored on a Flash drive.

Of course, it is far from professional utilities, but it can even work with NTFS5 file systems. Unfortunately, the program does not show the extent of damage to the deleted file. But, as already mentioned, its small size and fairly high performance make this program very popular among beginners, so to speak, as a last resort.

Diskinternals Uneraser

Diskinternals Uneraser is one of the most powerful and interesting utilities of its kind. It may not be able to scan hard drives by sector, but it can easily restore data even if the hard drive has crashed. Moreover, it starts even from damaged hard drives without any problems.

The application interface is very simple and somewhat reminiscent of standard Windows Explorer. In addition to the fact that the application can work with multiple file systems, it can also be used as a tool for creating an image of an entire logical partition.

Among the disadvantages, we note that this utility is paid. In addition, it simply does not work with versions of Windows OS higher than XP and 2003 Server. But for other “operating systems” in case of home use if the hard drive is damaged, it will be suitable.

What's better?

Of course, we have not reviewed all file recovery programs, however, to summarize, it can be noted that simple utilities are perfect for home use. But if you are looking for a comprehensive solution, when you need to take into account every little detail, it is naturally better to use the professional utilities mentioned above. In general, you should just try each software product in use, and then draw your own conclusions regarding its functionality and ease of use.

Hetman Partition Recovery is the flagship product from the line of programs for recovering deleted documents. Thanks to its advanced data recovery algorithm, Hetman Partition Recovery reliably retrieves both digital documents and other types of files from formatted hard drives, memory cards and USB flash drives. Supporting NTFS and FAT file systems, the program is a universal solution for all occasions.

• Price: RUB 2,999

NTFS Recovery™ 2.8

If your documents were located on a formatted or deleted NTFS partition, use Hetman NTFS Recovery. You'll save big by getting essentially the same functionality as Hetman Partition Recovery, with the exception of FAT support. With Hetman NTFS Recovery you can recover documents from damaged, inaccessible or unreadable drives with a 30% discount on the Hetman Partition Recovery price.

• Price: RUB 1,999

FAT Recovery™ 2.8

If you need to recover documents from formatted, damaged or inaccessible USB drives, memory cards, then use Hetman FAT Recovery. The tool is identical to Hetman Partition Recovery and offers the same features except support for NTFS partitions. The FAT file system is widely used on built-in and external storage media, which makes the program an ideal tool for recovering documents from various devices.

• Price: RUB 1,999

Office Recovery™ 2.6

Designed specifically for recovering deleted documents and spreadsheets created in Microsoft Office, Open Office and Adobe Acrobat, the program is by far the best choice for working with large volumes of documents. Supporting DOC, DOCX, RTF, XLS, XLSX, PDF, ODT file formats, Hetman Office Recovery quickly recovers documents deleted with "Shift" + "Delete" or deleted from the "Trash". Thanks to built-in document integrity checking, Hetman Office Recovery recovers 100% working files.

If an accident happens and files are lost, it doesn’t matter how it happened - accidental deletion, hard drive failure, or simply a file system failure during reinstallationWindowsto the wrong disk. We all think about how to get our precious data back. But to choose the right method, you should first find out what are availabledata recovery programs .

Very often, developers of such programs deliberately cut down on functionality, leaving only the ability to search for erased files on various media, while making them completely free and as easy as possible to use. A striking example -Recuva. The program's capabilities are enough to eliminate most common problems.

If the problem is more serious, you need to find a damaged or deleted hard drive partition orUSBmedia, and without going beyond the range of certain sectors - here more advanced programs such as PC INSPECTOR File Recovery or GetDataBack can help us.
As a rule, such software is already shareware at best. This is understandable - the abundance of features and unique operating algorithms cost money, but at the same time they guarantee a high percentage of successful recovery of lost files.

The user’s task comes down to choosing software that is suitable specifically for your tasks and the level of knowledge available to you.

In our example, to recover lost data after formatting a hard drive, we will use the professional utility GetDataBack, which is designed for a wide range of tasks, but also - which is no less important - has a clear interface and a very good translation into Russian of specific terms.

There are two different versions of GetDataBack- for disks with the NTFS file system and with the file systemFAT. The user is only required to guess what version of the file system was on the disk before formatting. Usually this is NTFS, butFATused on flash drives.

Since the recovery process itself is simplified to answering the Wizard’s questions, we will only have to launch the program and select actions from the proposed options.

In the first window of the Wizard, we will need to select our option for data loss - this is either a file system failure, for example, due to disk programs likeAcronis Disk Director, or unintentional installation of Windows on an existing data partition. In the latter case, select “Significant file system losses” and so on.

In our example, we will consider the scenario where, when installing Windows, we accidentally formatted a disk that contains data and now we want to recover files from it.

In this case, the most suitable item is File system loss. Mark this item in the selection window and click “Next”.

Step 1: Selecting disks for recovery.

Next, the Wizard will prompt you to select a disk on the left side of the window on which we will search for deleted data. Do not forget - this is the physical disk of your computer on which the lost data was located.

Even if you see a damaged partition in the drop-down list of partitions on a physical disk, it is better to select the entire hard disk, as done in the screenshot.

We will not consider all other settings, for example, selective scanning; usually this is not necessary. Therefore, it is better to scan the entire disk, leaving the default values.
But let’s pay attention to the “Settings” sectionin which we note the points:

“Recover deleted"
“Allow duplicate files”

Only now you can begin the scanning process itself by clicking the “Next” button. The progress of the search for data available for recovery is displayed as a ticker.

After the scan is completed, a list of found file systems will open, select it and click “Next”.

In this window we will be able to see the files that are available for recovery.
If necessary, their contents can be viewed directly from the program interface to make sure that the files are not damaged.

Formatting is a useful function whose task is to mark out the data storage area. Carrying out the formatting procedure will entail the deletion of all user files stored on the media.

Reminder before starting recovery

If the user accidentally formatted the hard drive, then first of all it is necessary to remember the set parameters. The type of procedure plays a special role:

• Fast;
• Full.

After a quick format, the file system headers are cleared, but user data will not be affected. But a complete one will erase all information stored on the hard drive (it can only be returned using third-party software).

To successfully recover photos and other user files, you must follow two “Don’ts”:

1. Do not write the recovered information onto the same media. It is recommended to create an image of a formatted disk and start the recovery procedure from there.
2. Do not operate storage devices unless you know the possible consequences.

After formatting, I repeat, it is important to remember the first “No”, since new arrays will replace old data and it will be impossible to restore them.

Comment. Windows XP and Vista automatically create new files and directories, so owners of these operating systems may have problems during recovery.

Another important nuance: time. So, for a 200 GB disk, the duration of the procedure can be from 2 to 7 hours. It all depends on the capabilities of the computer itself.

It is impossible to return lost photos and other data using the built-in operating system software, but you can use third-party software.

The article will present the following utilities:

• Power Data Recovery;
• Easy Data Recovery Wizard.

R-Studio program

The program has the following advantages:

• Easy to use;
• You can recover information from any media (hard drive, flash drive, etc.);
• Speed ​​of work.

After the restoration of photos, videos and other files is complete, go to the specified path and look at the files (photos, documents, etc.) that were recovered.

Power Data Recovery

As soon as the program is launched, it will offer three methods for data recovery (after formatting the disk, it is recommended to choose the second or third, they are described in more detail):

1. Deleted by accident;
2. Basic method. When choosing this method, all recovered files will retain their structure, but not all information will be returned.
3. Full analysis (in the latest versions, deep scanning). In this case, a thorough scan of the disk will be performed, which will return more files, but the folder hierarchy will not be preserved (photos and folders will be numbered).

Actions:

1. Click on any of the methods you like:
   
2. A menu appears from which you can select a formatted hard drive. Click “Full Scan”:
   
3. A long analysis procedure is initiated. The time depends on the amount of data. So, 16 GB took 20 minutes. Progress is indicated as a percentage:
   
4. Once the scan is complete, sections with information will appear. We open each one in turn, mark the files that we want to restore with a checkmark in the left panel and click on “Save”:
   

After clicking the button, the program will prompt you to select a path to save photos and other information.

Easy Data Recovery Wizard

The program will also offer a choice of recovery type after startup:

• Complete Recovery – allows you to completely restore a formatted disk;
• Partition Recovery – recreates individual volumes;
• Deleted File Recovery – makes it possible to recover recently deleted data.

To restore the partition we use the following algorithm:

1. After selecting the method, indicate the type of data to be restored:
   
2. A window with disks pops up. Click on the one you need:
   
3. An automatic scan of the formatted disk will start. Once the process is complete, the deleted files will appear in the left pane: