How to Recover Hard Drive Data after Format

May 17, 2024 (updated May 17, 2024)

Facing the situation of a formatted hard drive can be difficult. Whether it’s an error or intention. The result is the same: Your information will not be accessible. Per you formatt the drive to change the file system or encounter unexpected problems, for whatever reason. The main thing now is to recover your data from the formatting hard drive.

What Does Formatting Do to Your Files?

When you format a hard drive, the operating system loses its ability to retrieve data on the disk. However, until the driven industry is blocked, there is still a chance to recover. The files and data remain, but the OS is inaccessible because the formatting deletes indicators that specify the physical location of the file. By recovering those indicators, you can get your information back.

If you know that you have formatted the drive by mistake and want to recover it, it is important to stop using the driver immediately. Further use of it may refer to the section containing the information you are trying to restore. Start the recovery process immediately, giving you the best chance of recovering all of your files.

Recover Hard Drive Data after Format without Backup

The lack of backup when your hard drive is formatted can be a cause for concern. However, there are also options for data recovery.

The success of your data recovery depends on two main factors: the type of drive you have and the kind of format that drives the SSD, and the hard drive handles the data differently. When you format your SSD, the data is permanently deleted through a process called TRIM, making recovery more complicated. On the other hand, hard drives do not use TRIM commands, so the data can still be recovered after formatting.

The type of pattern also affects the ability to recover. Quick patterns will only delete address tables, making it easy to retrieve data. Full pattern. On the other hand, writing all headers with zero makes recovery almost impossible.

By using the correct software tool and starting the recovery process before the new data is stored on the formatted hard drive, you have a chance to grind all the partitions and format files.

WinfrGUI is a great choice for Windows users looking for formatted hard drive recovery. This easy-to-use software makes the recovery process easier by giving it a graphical interface for Windows File Recovery. It eliminates the need for complicated command navigation. Makes data recovery amazing. WinfrGUI is free to download and give you a chance to see what it can do for you.

To recover hard drive data after format using WinfrGUI, follow these steps.

Download and install WinfrGUI on your Windows system, be careful not to install it on the affected drive to avoid duplicating the files you want to recover.

Download WinfrGUI Free

Connect formatted drives to your computer. When you start WinfrGUI, you will see a list of available drives.
Click on the appropriate option to find missing information on the formatted disk you are targeting.
Use the WinfrGUI sample feature to view files before recovery. You can click on the icon behind each file to view the sample.
Select the file you want to recover from the list of potentially recoverable items, showing WinfrGUI will start the recovery process to restore your files wherever possible.

It is important to note that in case of physical damage to some drives, some files may not be recoverable. However, WinfrGUI can recognize and recover files in more than 400 different formats, making it a comprehensive recovery tool. And the best part is that it’s completely free to make sure every user has access to it.

Recover Hard Drive Data after Format with Backup

If you have a backup, the process of recovering data from a formatted hard drive is easier. This is how to get your data using different backup methods for both Mac and Windows.

Mac Users: Recover Hard Drive Data after Format with Time Machine Backup

For Mac users, you can recover data with the help of Time Machine backup. Follow these steps:

Click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar at the top right of your Mac screen to access Time Machine.
Select “Enter Time Machine” from the Unmount menu to start the recovery process.
Move to the Time Machine backup of the formatted drive. You can use the search field in the top right corner to search by phrase name or date if needed.
Use the right time bar of the screen or arrow to browse backups and find related files.
Select the file or folder you want to recover and press the area bar to view the sample and confirm your selection.
Click on “Restore” to restore the selected items and they will be restored to their original location on your Mac.

Windows Users: File History to Recover Hard Drive Data after Format

For Windows users, you can use the file history to recover data from formatted drive. Follow these steps:

Open Windows Settings by clicking on the Start menu and selecting the configuration icon.
In the Settings window, search the file history to access backup and recovery options.
Click on the “Restore your files with file history” option to proceed.
In the file history window, search for backups of formatted drives. You can search for different times to find the most appropriate backup.
Select the file or folder you want to recover. The file history allows you to select a specific list for recovery.
After selecting the required file or folder, click on the green restore button to start recovering the selected data to its original location on your hard drive.

The Importance of Hard Drive Backup

Having a workable backup of all your internal and external hard drives is essential for easy recovery in case of any formatting errors or problems. Your backup is an important step inining a secure computer environment. The frequency of backups may vary depending on the nature of your data, but it is important to adjust the timing of consistency to make sure that the required data is recovered.

According to Backblaze’s drive statistics for 2023, which analyzed 274,622 units, there is a low probability of storage unit failure with a decay rate set to 1.7 percent in a year’s lifetime. This emphasizes the importance of backing up in securing your data.

Main Types of Backups

There are different types of backups you can choose from to protect your files. Let’s look briefly at each type:

Manual local backup: This involves copying files from one storage device to another, such as from an internal hard drive to a USB flash drive. Although it’s easy, the risk is human error, and forgetting to make a regular backup.
Auto-local backup: Using a software program such as Time Machine (Mac) or File History (Windows) will make the backup process an automatic process. The user just has to select a file. Select a backup target and let the software handle the rest.
Cloud Backup: A clown data switching solution such as Microsoft OneDrive or Apple iCloud will automatically transfer files out of the site to protect files from local disasters and other events that may affect original copy and local tracking.
Full disk backup: Copying these data will create a complete copy of the system hard drive. Allows full operating system and data recovery in case of driver failure. Full disc backup is usually performed at a lower frequency, such as once a month.
RAID Backup: Improves data protection by distributing data to multiple drives. For example, RAID 1 will reflect data on two drives simultaneously to reduce the risk of data loss.

Understanding the purpose of each type of backup will help in carrying out a successful security recovery.

Why is Formatting Sometimes Necessary?

Although formatting may seem harmful, it is important to keep hard drives working. Unformatted drives cannot store files because modern operating systems require a consistent file system to communicate with storage devices. Formatting is necessary when both the hard drive and its file system are damaged, making storage device unusable.

Common reasons for formatting hard drives include operating problems, problems with file access, file system modifications, malware infections, and data damage. Formatting can fix these problems and restore the hard drive to its normal state, making it usable again.

However, correct formatting is important. Inappropriate formatting can delete all files without solving the original problem. So we recommend making a backup before formatting.

Case When Recovering Data from HDD is Impossible

While it is often possible to recover data from formatted hard drives. There are some situations where recovery becomes extremely challenging or even impossible. Here are some of the situations to consider:

Full format: The full format writes all the disks at the center, making it impossible to recover data using the standard recovery tool. When doing full formatting for deleting data, make sure you have a complete backup if there is any important information on the drive.
Encryption: If your hard drive is pre-encrypted, data formatting will not be available without the encryption key.
TRIM-enabled SSDs: Modern SSDs equipped with TRIM support severely deleted data deletion, making it impossible to recover after deleting it.

While professional data recovery services may be able to help in some cases, no results are guaranteed. That’s why it’s important to check the status of your hard drive and make regular backups.

Conclusion

Hard drive formatting can be a fast and efficient solution to file system problems. Although it will delete all data, knowing how to recover hard drive data after format helps you solve the problem and get access to lost files again. This article contains all the necessary information for hard drive recovery. The form provides you with knowledge to get the most out of your data recovery skills.