Can’t access files on your external hard drive? You may be unable to access, locate, or open the contents of your external hard drive. It could be caused by accidental deletion, a virus attack, or even data corruption.
So the question comes up, how can I recover deleted files from my external hard drive?
In this article, I have compiled a few external hard drive recovery methods that have worked for me in the past and I hope they work for you too. Using the solutions you may be able to recover deleted files from external hard drives with ease.
- Is it Possible To Recover Deleted Files From External Hard Drives?
- Part 1: How To Retrieve Deleted Files From External Hard Disks?
- Part 2: Recover Deleted Files From External Hard Drive Without Software
- Part 3: Recover Deleted Files Using Data Recovery Services
- Tips to Protect External Hard Drive Data
Is it Possible To Recover Deleted Files From External Hard Drives?
Yes, it is possible to recover deleted files from your external drive. However, the chances of a successful recovery may vary. For the best possible results, I would recommend that you take the following precautions-
1. Stop Using The External HDD
Any further usage of your external drive may cause your deleted data to get overwritten with new data and this will reduce their chances of recovery.
2. Make use of the best possible Solutions
Sparing no expense and acting fast is key. Especially if your data is important. Trying out incorrect methods could make matters worse. Get it right the first time.
Part 1: How To Retrieve Deleted Files From External Hard Disks?
One of the safest options is to use professional data recovery software.
SFWare Data Recovery Software is a professional data recovery software that is equipped with an advanced algorithm and a user-friendly interface. This allows anyone to easily recover data from problematic external hard drives within a few clicks.
You can try it out for yourself by downloading the software today!
Step 1: Download and Install the SFWare recovery tool.
Step 2: Launch the software, select the external hard drive from which the files were deleted, and click on Start Scan.
Step 3: Locate the files in the Deleted Files folders (use Filter and Search box to make the process easier)
Step 4: Double-click to preview the recovered files.
Step 5: Once the recovery is completed, You can select the files and click Save to store them at your preferred locations.
Make sure you save the recovered data in a new location to avoid losing them again.
Part 2: Recover Deleted Files From External Hard Drive Without Software
Almost all external hard drives have a recycle bin in them, You will need to unhide to find the deleted data on it and recover your deleted files. By default it is hidden, you will need to manually unhide it.
To Unhide the external hard drive’s recycle bin: In File Explorer select the external hard drive click on the View tab click on options in the folder options window uncheck Hide protected operating system files, and click on OK.
Once you made the above changes you can see the recycle bin folder on the external hard drive.
You can surf the folders in the recycle bin to locate your deleted data right-click on it and restore the data.
The limitation of this solution is that you cannot find the shift-deleted files in the recycle bin.
BONUS: If your external hard drive has an auto backup feature and you have set it up previously then, congratulate yourself. You can recover the data from auto-backup as well.
If you notice evident damages on your external hard drive which is stopping you from accessing data then DIY solutions will not be sufficient to recover the deleted data from external hard drives. You need to…
Part 3: Recover Deleted Files Using Data Recovery Services
Choose data recovery services with a good reputation in the industry. Additionally, here are some other aspects you should check before handing your external hard drive to any recovery services:
- The cost of recovery
- Estimated time of recovery
- Review terms and conditions
- Success Rate
- Confidentiality of your data
By now you would feel “I’m so done with this.” if you haven’t got any data back. Hang in there We’ll help with some tips you can follow to safeguard your external hard drive data from data loss.
Tips to Protect External Hard Drive Data
- Backups: Make sure you backup data regularly to avoid data loss by accidental deletion or other issues. You can use features like File History(Windows) and Time Machine(Mac) to automate the backup process.
- Enable write protection: Ensure that the necessary data is write-protected to prevent deletion and modification of the external hard drive data.
- Check before deleting: Avoid rushing when you are deleting multiple files and folders because accidental deletion is one major cause of data loss in external hard drives.
- Protect against Viruses: Scan your external hard drives with an updated antivirus tool to shield against viruses and malware.
Conclusion
We hope this article helped you recover deleted files from the external hard drives and provided detailed insights about deleted file recovery on the external hard drive.
You can choose any of the external HDD data recovery solutions listed in this article. if you are looking for a dependable and effective solution try SFware and let us know your experience.
