“My files are gone”
Lost files or a dead drive: stop, then read this
What you do in the first few minutes decides how much comes back. The rule is short: stop using the drive. Every minute it keeps running can overwrite or damage the files you want.
How to recognize it
- A folder or files vanished, or were deleted by mistake
- The computer says the drive needs to be formatted
- The drive clicks, beeps, grinds or does not spin
- The computer will not start and the files are inside
- An external drive or USB stick is no longer recognized
- A phone or drive got wet or was dropped
What you can try yourself first
- Stop writing to the driveDo not install recovery software onto it, do not save anything, do not let Windows repair or format it. Deleted files are intact until something new is written over them.
- Look in the obvious placesRecycle Bin or Trash. The cloud service's own deleted-files folder: OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive and Dropbox keep deleted items for a while. Your email, where you may have sent the file to someone.
- If the drive makes unusual noises, turn it offClicking or grinding is mechanical. Power it down and leave it off. Running a failing drive is what turns a recoverable case into a hard one.
- Do not open the driveNot in a kitchen, not after watching a video. Dust on the platters ends most chances.
- Try a different cable and port onceFor an external drive that is not recognized, one swap of cable and USB port rules out the simple cause. Once.
When to stop and call us
- The files matter and you have no other copy
- The drive is clicking, dead, dropped or wet
- Recovery software already ran and did not find them
- It is business, legal or medical data
How a remote session fixes it
Some cases are a remote job: files deleted from a healthy computer, a cloud folder that stopped syncing, a mailbox that lost messages, an older version of a document to bring back. For those, a session with a technician is the quick route, and we will say on the phone whether yours is one of them.
A drive that has physically failed is different. It needs a lab, not a remote session, so do not buy an hour for it. Our sister service Denver Data Recovery does that work.
Questions
Can deleted files be recovered?
Often, if the drive has not been used much since. That is why the first rule is to stop using it. The sooner it is looked at, the better the odds.
My hard drive is clicking. What should I do?
Turn it off and leave it off. A clicking drive has a mechanical fault and needs a data recovery lab. See denverdatarecovery.net.
How do I avoid this next time?
An automatic backup. It takes about one session to set up and test.
Related problems
Help with this across Colorado
Remote sessions work anywhere with an internet connection. On-site visits are for business clients, by appointment.
Still reading? Just call.
(720) 222-0110Mon–Fri 8 AM–6 PM Mountain. For emergencies, call or buy a session any time and we answer as fast as we can.