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Guide >> Concepts >> Understanding the File Recovery Process Understanding the File Recovery ProcessThe file recovery process can be briefly described as scanning a drive or folder to find deleted entries in a Root Folder (FAT) or a Master File Table (NTFS). Furthermore, scanning for a particular deleted entry and defining the cluster chain to be recovered and copying the contents of these clusters to the newly created file. Different file systems maintain their own specific logical data structures, however basically each file system:
After finding the proper file entry and assembling the set of clusters composing the file, it is possible to read and copy these clusters to another location. Step by Step with examples: However, not every deleted file can be recovered and there are certain considerations to keep in mind:
Important General advice after data loss: 1. DO NOT WRITE ANYTHING ONTO THE DRIVE CONTAINING YOUR IMPORTANT DATA THAT HAS JUST BEEN ACCIDENTALLY DELETED! Even the installation of data recovery software could spoil your sensitive data. If the data is really important to you and you do not have another logical drive to install the software to, take the whole hard drive out of the computer and plug it into another computer where data recovery software has already been installed or use recovery software that does not require installation. For example, recovery software which is capable to run from bootable floppy. 2. DO NOT TRY TO SAVE DATA THAT YOU FOUND AND ARE TRYING TO RECOVER ONTO THE SAME DRIVE! Saving recovered data onto the same drive where sensitive data is located can hinder the recovery process by overwriting FAT/MFT records for this and other deleted entries. It's best to save data onto another logical, removable, network or floppy drive. |
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