Undelete and Recover

A Backup Article Contributed by Melissa Larose

Undelete and Recover

Undelete and recover the files you thought were long gone. Undelete utility software is there for this purpose and priced in the same range as virus software. Protect your data against yourself and learn to use a valuable tool like an undelete utility. Don't let yourself panic when it is not necessary.

Undelete the File

Many untrained computer users believe that once they delete a file the bits are scattered to the four corners never to be seen again. This just is not so. For many years PC users relied on undelete utility software to calm their fears. Now we have the good fortune to have recycle bins on our desktops. (I believe the thanks for this desktop item go to the people at Apple who have had trash cans on their desktops all along, with PC software developers adding it in recent years.)

The truth about recycle bins is that they to can be deleted. And to undelete a file after the recycle bin has been emptied is the reason for purchasing undelete software. Undelete software has been updated from the DOS days and you will find most IT user support technicians have a good undelete utility package as part of their toolkit. Just because someone is trained in IT doesn't mean they want to waster their time searching your hard drive for a file. They like swift and accurate results just like you do. The efficiency of these undelete utilities makes them a great tool.

Undelete All You Want, Maybe

It is not quite all that simple to undelete a file. There are some parameters on the possibility of finding the file in the first place. See, operating systems are not terribly user friendly, hence the graphical user interface we have all become familiar with. The PC has been made to appear user friendly but what goes on in its background processes is not necessarily so.

When you delete a file and it goes to the recycle bin, the file has simply been removed to another folder. Essentially it has not been deleted, just thrown in the trash basket. It is still available for retrieval and the path for returning it to its original place is still intact.

If you empty the recycle bin then the file is marked as deleted. A file marked as deleted is still stored on your hard drive. The operating system uses those marked files when it needs additional space to install new software or save new files. So you see the file is still there. The glitch is finding it among all the other hidden system files. And this is an area that you do not want to be wandering into unless you are trained to do so. So buy undelete utility software and save yourself a headache.

Undelete Tip of the Day

There is one thing to keep in mind when you have lost a file and want to undelete it. Stop what you are doing and do not use the computer until you have found the file and completed the undelete process. Any work you may continue doing, any software installs you may attempt can override the deleted file. Then you have no file to undelete.