Whoops! Didn’t mean to delete that, did you?
We’ve all found ourselves having accidentally deleted something important.
Below, we’ll review how - with any luck - you might be able to restore this
data.
We’ll go over a few practices that you should
follow if you ever find yourself suspecting that a crucial file may have been
deleted.
Step One: Stop Creating More Data
When a file is deleted, it usually isn’t
actually deleted immediately. Instead, it’s only hidden. However, as you create
and download more files and data, these deleted files are the ones that are
overwritten by these new files. Therefore, you will want to avoid installing
any software, streaming media, or downloading anything. Your files might not be
overwritten if you do, but they could be, so it’s better to err on the side of
caution and avoid the situation entirely.
Step Two: Check the Recycle
Bin/Deleted Items
Unless you’ve deleted the contents of the
Recycle Bin after deleting your file, there’s a decent chance that you’ll be
able to find it there. This is simplified by the Search Recycle Bin option, as well as your ability take its
contents and Sort by Date Deleted.
If your file was stored in a cloud storage service, you have the opportunity to
check your cloud’s deleted files and potentially restore your file from there.
Step Three: Check That the File
Wasn’t Just Misplaced
Chances may be slim, but you may have just
misfiled whatever it is you’re trying to find. This is where the File
Explorer’s Search function really
shines. Before you do anything else, check to see that the file wasn’t just
moved by searching for it… you may just luck out and find it.
Step Four: Turn to Your Backup
Solution
Of course, if you’ve committed to maintaining
a backup solution that subscribes to best practices, you should be able to
restore your deleted file from there. While backup solutions are commonly
associated with disaster-level data restoration needs, they are just as
invaluable in less-cataclysmic situations - like when a file is deleted
accidentally.
If your business is in need of a backup solution, reach out to the professionals at Emerge. Call 859-746-1030 to learn more.