You’ve just realised something is wrong. A file has vanished. The drive isn’t showing up. You’ve accidentally deleted something important. Your stomach drops. It’s one of the worst feelings in the world of computing — and the next few minutes matter more than you might think. The actions you take right now will either give your data the best chance of recovery, or make it significantly harder — or even impossible — to get back. Read this before you do anything else.
STOP — Do These Things First
Before anything else: stop what you’re doing. The single biggest cause of permanently lost data isn’t the original failure — it’s what people do in the panicked moments afterwards. Here’s what you must avoid, and why.
Don’t keep saving files to the affected drive. When a file is deleted, it isn’t immediately wiped from the drive — the space it occupied is simply marked as available for reuse. Every new file you save to that drive risks overwriting the exact data you’re trying to recover. Stop saving anything to it immediately.
Don’t run CHKDSK. Windows offers CHKDSK as a built-in repair tool, and it might seem like a logical first step. But CHKDSK is designed to fix file system errors — it’s not a data recovery tool. On a physically failing or logically corrupted drive, running CHKDSK can rearrange or destroy the very file structures you need intact to recover your data.
Don’t format and reinstall Windows. It feels like a fresh start, but a full format overwrites the drive’s contents. Even a “quick format” changes the file system structure in ways that make recovery much harder. Unless a professional has told you recovery is impossible, don’t format anything.
Don’t install data recovery software onto the affected drive. This is a surprisingly common mistake. If you download and install recovery software onto the same drive that contains your lost data, the installation itself can overwrite those files. Always install or run recovery software from a separate drive — ideally a USB stick.
Identify What Happened
Understanding the type of data loss you’re dealing with will guide everything that follows. Here are the four most common scenarios:
Accidental deletion. You deleted a file — or emptied the Recycle Bin — and now it’s gone. This is the most recoverable type of data loss, provided you act quickly and stop writing to the drive. Recovery software can often retrieve these files if used promptly.
Accidental format. You formatted the wrong drive, or a drive was formatted during a Windows reinstall. Formatting doesn’t instantly destroy data — it rewrites the file system index, but the underlying data often remains. Time and minimal drive activity are your friends here.
Drive not recognised. The drive is plugged in but Windows can’t see it, or it shows up as unallocated space. This could be a logical fault (file system corruption) or a physical fault (hardware failure). Do not attempt DIY recovery if the drive is making unusual sounds — that indicates physical damage and requires professional help.
Ransomware. If your files have been encrypted and you’re seeing a ransom message, do not pay — there’s no guarantee you’ll get your files back. Disconnect the device from the internet immediately, don’t restart it, and call a professional. Some ransomware variants can be decrypted without paying.
Check the Recycle Bin First
It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often this step is skipped in a moment of panic. If you deleted a file in Windows by pressing the Delete key, it almost certainly went to the Recycle Bin rather than being permanently removed. Open the Recycle Bin on your desktop, search for your file, right-click it, and select Restore. Job done.
Files deleted in the last 30 days are typically still recoverable this way, unless you’ve emptied the bin or deleted the file using Shift+Delete. If the Recycle Bin has already been emptied, move on to the next step.
Try Recovery Software (Logical Failures Only)
If your data loss is due to accidental deletion or accidental formatting — and your drive is functioning normally with no unusual sounds — recovery software may be able to help. Recuva (by Piriform) is a free, well-regarded option for Windows users. It’s straightforward to use and can scan a drive for deleted files even after the Recycle Bin has been emptied.
One critical warning: recovery software only works for logical failures — problems with the file system or accidental deletion. It cannot repair a drive with physical damage, and attempting to run it on a physically failing drive can make things significantly worse. If your drive is making a clicking, grinding, or whirring noise; if it’s getting unusually hot; or if it’s not being detected at all — do not run any software on it. Put it aside and call a professional immediately.
When to Call a Professional Immediately
Some situations are beyond the scope of DIY recovery tools, no matter how good they are. If any of the following apply, your best course of action is to stop everything and contact a data recovery specialist straight away:
- The drive is making clicking, grinding, or whirring noises — this suggests physical damage to the read/write head or platters. Running software or even powering the drive on repeatedly will cause further damage.
- The drive is not being detected at all — not in Windows Explorer, not in Disk Management. This could indicate a failed PCB, seized motor, or head crash.
- Ransomware has encrypted your files — paying the ransom is not recommended. A specialist may be able to assist depending on the ransomware variant.
- A RAID array has failed — RAID recovery is complex and attempting DIY fixes without expert knowledge can result in total data loss across all drives.
- Physical or water damage — if the drive has been dropped, submerged, or exposed to fire or extreme heat, do not attempt to power it on. Bring it to a professional as soon as possible.
If any of these situations apply to you, call Mojoo Limited on 07958 468 173, visit our data recovery page, or if it’s urgent, head to our emergency data recovery page. The sooner you get in touch, the better your chances.
After Recovery — How to Avoid This Again
Once your data is safe, it’s worth taking a moment to make sure this never happens again. The good news is that protecting your data doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive.
The gold standard in backup strategy is the 3-2-1 rule: keep three copies of your data, stored on two different types of media, with one copy held off-site (or in the cloud). In practice, this might mean your original files on your PC, a copy on an external hard drive at home, and a third copy in a cloud service like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Backblaze.
Cloud backup services are particularly useful because they run automatically in the background, keeping your files continuously up to date without you having to remember to do anything. Many offer free tiers with a few gigabytes of storage — more than enough for documents, photos, and other irreplaceable files.
If you use an external hard drive for backup, make sure to disconnect it after each backup session. A drive that’s permanently connected to your computer can be affected by the same ransomware attack or accidental deletion as your main drive — defeating the purpose of having a backup at all.
The best backup is one you set up today and never have to think about again — until the day you actually need it.
Mojoo Limited have been recovering data for over 25 years, helping customers across West Bromwich and the wider West Midlands get back files they thought were gone forever. We offer a free initial diagnosis and work on a no data, no fee basis — you only pay if we successfully recover your files. Call us on 07958 468 173, or visit our data recovery page to find out more.
