How to Recover Lost Data from Formatted Hard Drive 

Data is crucial in the normal operation of a business. Normally, it enables the normal operation of a business, continuation of a project or accessibility of certain information. There are situations where data is lost. This can affect the normal operation of a business. As such, it will result into time and resource wastage as nothing can be done.

Data loss is unpredictable and occurs when we least expect. Below are some common ways data might be lost:

Human mistake- An individual might mistakenly delete data or overwrite a crucial file. This will result into the loss of an important data.

Malware and viruses- A virus attack on your computer can occur when you open a corrupted link or receive a malware attack inform of an email.

Damaging of hard drive- Hard drive is very fragile as it stores data saved on a computer. You will lose your data if it crashes or get damaged.

Formatted hard drive- Hard drive formatting is common, especially if you misunderstand error message displayed on the screen or the system prompts. We are going to explore more on a formatted hard drive.

Can Files Be Recovered From a Formatted Hard Drive?

Yes, it’s possible to recover data from formatted hard disk if you want to retrieve the lost information. Stop using your device immediately the hard drive has been formatted. You should also disconnect your device from any connected network.

It is one way of ensuring the missing or corrupted data isn’t overwritten by new data. As a result, it will be easy to restore the lost data. Please note that recovery of lost data take time, depending on file system of the lost data. Some are straightforward, whereas others take time.

The process of recovering lost data begins by a recovery program scanning the file in question. This helps identity the system of the file and also accesses the data damage. Afterward, the recovery program will look for crucial information to determine if it will reformat or repair the lost information.

Why Format A Hard Drive?

Before looking at how to recover files after format, it’s important to understand why people format their hard drives. Formatting a drive is more than fixing a computer.  Below are some instances when formatting a hard drive might be necessary:

Erasing data- Formatting a hard drive will automatically erase data stored in it. Normally, this happens if the hard drive is meant for your own use, or you want to sell it.

Changing your computer’s operating system- It’s common for people to change their operating system of their computer. Installation of a new operating system removes the files from the previous operating system.

Hard drives can use different systems such as NTFS, FAT and HFS+ system. Changing your hard drive from one system to another requires formatting.

How to Recover Files after Formatting Hard Drive

Have you accidentally formatted hard drive and are wondering your next step? Luckily, Wondershare Recoverit is here to help you recover your files. This program helps thousands of people each day to recover data from formatted hard drive through simple steps.

Wondershare Recoverit also has an easy to use interface that makes it easy for numerous individuals to use. You can also recover different types of files. These ranges from videos, pdf’s, word files, excel files and pictures, among others.

Below is the step by step process on how to use Wondershare Recoverit to recover files:

4.1 Download and installation of the program

Download the right Wondershare Recover program and install it. Open the downloaded file and double click on it. Also, ensure you are logged in as the administrator during installation. You will easily recover files from formatted hard drive once the installation has been complete by opening the application.

4.2 Selecting the location of the lost data

Highlight the location of the lost data. Therefore, be careful when clicking on the hard drive to scan lost data.If ready, click start on the bottom right side of the screen.

4.3The Scanning process

An all-around scanning with immediately commence on the highlighted hard drive. Wondershare Recoverit will display what is being scanned in real time. This makes it easy to monitor what is being scanned.

4.4 Use Filters to pinpoint files

Wondershare Recoverit has filters to help identify the files you want to recover. Also, they make the scanning process fast. The filters will be highlighted on the right side of the screen.

4.5 Reviewing and recovering files

The last option is reviewing files before deciding to restore formatted hard drive fully or selected files. Wondershare Recoverit allows you to preview any recovered file, regardless of its format. It can be a photo, video, PowerPoint, word document and pdf, among others. Click on the recover section once you have verified the file.

Bonus Feature: How to Securely Format Hard Drive in Windows

Computer users should always focus on securely formatting their hard drive in their windows. It helps keep the hard drive in good state. There are different ways of safely formatting a hard drive in your windows computer.

Below are some of them:

Installation of a new operating system. Look for new windows operating system either on a USB drive or a DVD and install it on your computer. You will be directed to the driver options. There is an option for formatting drive. Click on the primary drive then next.

There is also an option of holding down the R and windows button. You will be directed to the run dialogue box. Type“diskmgmt.msc” on the run dialogue box before clicking the “ok button. Afterward, you will be directed to hard drives. Choose the drive you want to format and follow the prompt before completing the process.

Conclusion

Learning how to recover data from formatted hard drive is straightforward especially if you are using Wondershare Recoverit. Understand the process of recovering data and have an easy time recovering any lost data from a formatted hard drive.

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