How to Recover Deleted Files from Hard Drive for Free?

How to Recover Deleted Files from Hard Drive for Free?

It is not the end of the world when you delete a file in your computer. In most cases, Windows will just overwrite the reference to the file, and until the file is overwritten, it will still be on your drive. The most effective methods to recover deleted files are listed below.

1. Check the Recycle Bin

The Recycle Bin is the first place to check after deleting files. Windows temporarily stores deleted items there before they are permanently removed.

However, if you used the “Shift + Delete” keys, your files were permanently deleted, and this method will not work. Here is how to recover deleted files hard drive free.

• Double-click the “Recycle Bin” icon on your desktop and look for the deleted files you want to restore.

• Select the desired items and right-click them. Click “Restore” to return them to their original location.

  

If you do not see the file, try sorting by “Date Deleted” to find it more easily. This simple step works for most accidental deletions that did not bypass the Recycle Bin.

2. Restore from File History

If you had File History enabled before the data loss, this built-in Windows feature automatically saved versions of your files at regular intervals. This allows you to restore older or deleted copies without using third-party tools.

Note that this method only works if File History was turned on in advance. Here is how to recover data from hard drive for free.

• Press “Windows + I”, then go to “Update & Security”, then select FFiles Backup” from the left side.

• Click “More options” under Back up using File History, and in the new window, choose “Restore files from a current backup”.

  

• Browse through the folders or use the arrows at the bottom to find the version you want.

• Select the files or folders, then click the green “Restore” button to put them back in their original location.

  

3. Retrieve from Backup

If File History is not enabled, your next option is to recover files using Windows Backup or cloud backups like OneDrive or Google Drive. This approach is useful for users who regularly back up important data either locally or online.

Let’s see how to recover data from a dead hard drive for free with the backup.

Using Windows Backup:

• Go to “Control Panel” and select “Update & Security.”

• Click “Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7) under the “Files backup.”

  

• Select “Restore my files” and follow the instructions.

• Choose the backup that contains your deleted data and click “Next.”

• Finally, click “Restore” to recover your files.

Using OneDrive or other cloud services:

• Log in to your OneDrive or preferred cloud account.

• Open the “Recycle Bin” section to see all the files that are available in the recycle bin.

• Select the files and click “Restore.”

  

Most cloud services keep deleted files for up to 30 days. If you use a local backup drive, remember to check it regularly to ensure copies are current and usable.

4. Recover with Free Data Recovery Software

In case files are not in the Recycle Bin or are not backed up, professional recovery tools can be used. A good and secure solution is Tenorshare 4DDiG Free Data Recovery, which is a complete recovery solution that can be used with internal and external hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, and partitions that are formatted.

Unlike traditional manual methods, 4DDiG uses advanced scanning technology to locate deleted, hidden, or lost files. It recovers even from drives that are corrupted or recently formatted. It accepts all the major file formats, such as documents, photos, videos, and system data, and hence it is one of the most versatile tools.

Steps to use 4DDiG Free to recover files from an internal/external hard drive for free:

• Open 4DDiG after installing it on your computer. As said, you can recover up to 500MB for free the first time you use it. And if you need more, you can share the software on social media to get an extra 1.5GB.

  

• Choose “Hard Drive” from the left side and pick the drive you want to recover data from. 4DDiG will automatically begin scanning and analyzing your drive for recoverable files.

  

• Browse the scan results by file type or location. You have multiple options to shortlist your results, which makes recover accurate and easier. Click any file to preview it, and if you wish to restore, click “Recover.”

  

• Choose a location to save the recovered files and click “Save”.

  

4DDiG makes recovery easy, even for beginners. For users who value safety, it also guarantees a read-only process, meaning your original data will not be overwritten during recovery.

5. Use Command Prompt

For advanced users comfortable with command-line tools, Command Prompt (CMD) can sometimes restore hidden or lost data from a hard drive.

However, this method is technical and should be used carefully to avoid further file loss. Avoid using it if you are unfamiliar with CMD commands. Follow the steps to see how to recover lost data from hard drive for free.

• Type “cmd” in the Windows search bar. Click on it and select “Run as administrator.”

  

• Now, run the following commands one by one:

• “chkdsk X: /f” where X will be the letter of your hard drive

• “attrib -h -r -s /s /d X:.”

  

This unhides and restores readable files on the drive. While CMD recovery is not as user-friendly as dedicated software, it can help retrieve files hidden due to drive errors or corruption.

What to Do When Free Recovery Methods Aren’t Enough?

In case the above methods fail to restore your files, then you may have a physically damaged or heavily corrupted drive. In such a scenario, do not use the drive anymore, any further use will simply overwrite data left.

You can either:

• Install a recovery program of professional quality, like the full-key of 4DDiG, which allows sector-level deep scans, or
• Contact a data recovery service. This is a business that specializes in recovering data on damaged or unresponsive hard drives.

Do not open the drive and reformat it several times. This will decrease the probability of successful recovery significantly.

How to Prevent Data Loss from a Hard Drive?

Preventing the loss of data is much easier than recovery. You can save your files by adhering to basic maintenance habits to ensure that your files do not fall prey to a future incident.

To begin with, save significant files frequently with the help of File History, OneDrive, or an external drive. Second, do not perform any risky procedures such as deleting system folders or formatting a drive without verifying the contents. In order to avoid corruption, it is always advisable to use the " safely remove hardware " feature prior to unplugging external storage.

Conclusion

You can indeed retrieve deleted files in the hard drive when properly done. Checking the Recycle Bin to restore backups, and using advanced recovery tools are some of the ways to recover deleted files hard drive for free.

In case of deeper or more complicated recovery requirements, 4DDiG free data recovery offers a cost-effective and secure alternative. It is secure, user-friendly, and a good option for everyone who wants to know how to recover deleted files hard drive free of charge.

FAQs About Recovering Deleted Files from Hard Drive