Best Way to Recover Files

When we talk about file recovery, generally we mean using software to recover files. Before we go to find the best way, let’s figure out why deleted or lost files can be recovered and how. To make theoretical and full understanding of files recovery, we will have to introduce the data structure and storage theory on hard drives from basics, and that’s too complicated, so let’s explain it in a popular way.

A file on drive may be not stored in a whole lump; it’s distributed in some small pieces and connected by something like a chain. To visit the file, we only need to find the head of the chain. When we delete the file, actually we just delete the head of the chain. We can’t see the file any more via our operating system if without the head.But in fact, the rest and main part of the file is still where it is. Though when deleting the file, we can find that the space it takes is released while actually it isn’t. It just like it announces that the place is free for others to occupy. Only when this space is overwritten by other files is the previous file really deleted, erased and gone. This is the very point that recovery software makes use of to recover files. It just adds a new head for the remaining part of the file and let you see it again through operating system.So if you delete a file on a drive, as long as your later operations on this drive don’t take the place of that file, you can recover it through software. But if unfortunately they do, then just say farewell to the file. One thing is certain that if you cover a file with another that is with the same name, the previous one is sure to be deleted forever, unrecoverable.

In fact, the rest part of a file takes most space but if without the head, it’s meaningless.

Now we know how file recovery software works, and smart as you must be aware that you cannot guarantee 100% file recovery through software, at least not currently. How can you be sure that you haven’t taken any operation on a drive where you deleted a file earlier and want to recover it?

The way above can save some emergency, but there is too much randomicity involved. So next we are going to talk about a method that can guarantee 100% file recovery.

Here we use a program called Wondershare Time Shuttle. One of its features can perfectly realize 100% file recovery.

The principle of Time Shuttle is kind of like protection. All data on Time Shuttle involved drives are well protected and the rest part of a file we mentioned above is also kept not to let others to occupy. Thus no matter what you have done on the drive after you delete a file on it, you can easily get it back, no need to worry whether its place have been overwritten. Even if you cover a file with another file with the same name, you can get the old version back!

And this is merely one feature of Time Shuttle. There are still more it has. Download it and it will bring you great pleasant surprise!