Is your computer crashing all the time and you think the only way out is to format it? Before you do anything, back up all your files: nobody wants to lose what they have stored.
After a format, the files can often still be recovered as long as nothing new is written. If they matter, see Bot’s hard drive and external drive recovery, which starts with a free diagnosis.
But we know that sometimes the backup never gets made and the drive is formatted anyway. What happens then, and what should you do?
In this article, we explain how to recover data from a formatted disk and present 11 programs that can help. It isn’t complicated, but it does call for a lot of care. Read on!
What is formatting?
Most people have formatted a disk at some point, but few know what formatting actually does.
Formatting is the process of preparing a storage device so it can be used (or reused), usually by creating a new, empty file system on it. There are two types of formatting:
- Physical (low-level): done at the factory after the disk is manufactured. It divides the platters into tracks and sectors and maps out defective areas. It is not something users do.
- Logical: the best-known type of formatting, which doesn’t change the physical structure of the disk in any way. It creates a new file system (the structures that record where each file is stored), so the drive appears empty and ready to use again.
In this article, we focus only on logical formatting, which is done precisely to free up the disk so you can store new files on it.
Why do people format a disk?
Formatting is relatively quick and simple, and it is usually done in the following situations:
Slowness
Computers often become very slow, and there are many possible reasons, from poor care of the hardware to too many programs running at once.
These problems can end up making the machine unusable, so many people format it to start over with a clean system.
Cleaning
Because it is so easy to keep everything at hand, lots of files end up stored on the disk unnecessarily, and that excess can affect how the computer works.
That is why a cleanup is recommended when:
- Data is taking up a lot of disk space;
- Websites take a long time to load;
- The machine is slow.
Virus attack
The internet isn’t always used for good, and there are thousands of viruses out there. If your computer is unprotected and gets infected, first check whether your antivirus can fix the problem.
If it can’t, try restoring the system. If that still doesn’t solve it, it may be time to back up your files and format the machine.
File system problem
Windows and macOS errors are not unusual: different errors can appear from time to time.
If the problems started after an update, try undoing the latest system update. If that doesn’t work, back up your files and only then format the disk.
Damaged sectors
When a sector on your disk is damaged, the disk may stop responding to commands. There are two possible causes:
- Physical damage (bad sectors on the disk surface);
- A logical error (corrupted file system or data).
Formatting does not repair physical damage, and the extra reading and writing can make it worse. If you suspect physical damage, stop using the disk and copy your data (or have it recovered) before anything else. If it is a logical error, formatting can solve the problem, but only after you have backed up your files.
Operating system with errors
The operating system is the most important software on a computer, because all your programs and applications run on it.
So if your computer is showing system failures, try to find out what is causing them. If it is easy to fix, fix it as soon as possible. If not, back up your files and format the disk.
Is it possible to reverse a format?
Erasing a hard disk by accident (with no backup) does happen, but the good news is that, in many cases, the data on a formatted disk can be recovered.
When this happens, remember that the sooner you act, the better your chances of getting your data back. So if a disk has been formatted by mistake, never do any of the following:
- Partition the disk;
- Save new files to it;
- Install the operating system or any other program on it;
- Format it again;
- Try out unreliable software on it.
In other words, don’t write anything to the disk, as this could destroy the data for good. Here’s why.
After a quick format, you can’t see any files, but on a hard drive the data is usually still there: only the file system was recreated, and the space the files occupied is simply marked as available. As long as nothing new is written over it, the files can be recovered. There are important exceptions: a full format in recent versions of Windows overwrites the whole disk with zeros, and on SSDs the TRIM command usually erases the data shortly after formatting. In those cases, recovery is generally not possible.
That’s why you need to act quickly. And if you don’t know how, read on!
Can I recover files from a disk that has been formatted several times?
Now that you know a formatted disk can often be recovered, let’s answer another common question: can you recover files from a disk that has been formatted several times?
The short answer is: it depends. What matters most is not how many times the disk was formatted, but whether new data was written to it afterwards (and whether any of those formats was a full format). Every new file saved after formatting can overwrite part of the old data, leading to partial or total loss.
For example, if you had a disk full of travel photos and it had to be formatted, those photos can usually be recovered. But if you then installed a game on it and formatted it again, part of the space where the photos were has probably been overwritten. Recovery becomes much harder, only professionals will be able to get the most out of it, and some of the photos are likely to be lost.
By the way, if you need to recover deleted photos from your phone, check out this article.
How do I recover files from a formatted disk?
When a disk has been quick-formatted and nothing has been written to it since, you can often recover your files yourself with reliable data recovery software. Install the program on a different disk, and save the recovered files to another drive, never to the formatted one.
Here are 11 programs we have selected for you.
Please note: none of these programs can recover everything on a formatted disk. If you have lost important data, the best course of action is to contact a professional data recovery company such as Bot, so that the process is safe and you have the best chance of getting your files back.
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
With a polished interface and versatile features, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can recover data from deleted, hidden, lost or RAW partitions. The free version (for Windows and Mac) recovers up to 500 MB, and you can get another 1.5 GB by sharing the program on social media.
Recuva
Recuva doesn’t look as polished as EaseUS, but it is still one of the most popular options for recovering files from a formatted disk.
It can recover photos, videos, documents and any other type of file. The main features are available in the free version, and if you don’t want to install anything on your computer, there is also a portable version.
Disk Drill
Easy to use and fast, Disk Drill also includes a tool for finding duplicate files. Best of all, it shows the files it finds organized in folders, which makes it much easier to find what you’re looking for.
Like EaseUS, Disk Drill lets you recover up to 500 MB in the free version. For more, you have to buy the Pro version.
Ontrack EasyRecovery
Ontrack EasyRecovery lets you search a drive for deleted files by name or type. It can find data on internal and external hard drives, MP3 players, tablets and smartphones.
R-Studio
R-Studio can recover files from a formatted disk, as well as files lost to viruses, repartitioning, disk errors or malfunctions.
TestDisk
Unlike most programs, TestDisk has no graphical interface: it is a free, open-source tool that runs in a text-based console window.
Available for Windows, macOS, Linux and DOS, it can recover lost partitions and rebuild the disk’s boot sector. To recover individual files, it comes with a companion program, PhotoRec.
Puran Data Recovery
Puran Data Recovery is built around simplicity and ease of use, which makes recovery quick to set up.
It performs an in-depth scan of the disk and can find all kinds of files deleted by mistake, including music, videos, images and system configuration files.
Glary Undelete
Glary Undelete is a free program that recovers files and folders deleted by accident, as well as files lost to bugs, crashes and viruses.
Wise Data Recovery
Wise Data Recovery is a lightweight, easy-to-use recovery program for Windows. A simple scan is enough for it to find deleted files, and you can also search by file name, which makes things much easier.
Wise Data Recovery can recover images, videos, compressed files and emails, among others.
Recover My Files
This program recovers files erased from your disk, deleted from the Recycle Bin, or stored in a folder that was accidentally deleted.
Recover My Files is very versatile and can get your files back from hard drives, memory cards, mobile devices and more, as well as recovering emails.
Stellar Data Recovery
One of the best-known data recovery programs, Stellar Data Recovery has several features and lets you scan, find and recover deleted files from hard drives, SSDs, USB flash drives and many other external devices.
What sets it apart is that you can choose the type of file you’re looking for before the scan starts. The free version lets you recover up to 1 GB of data.
How Bot can help
If the lost files are too important to risk recovering them yourself, don’t worry: Bot is here to help!
Bot is a data recovery company that works with hard drives, SSDs, mobile phones, USB flash drives and many other devices, with a focus on quality and professionalism in every case and a 96% success rate.
Our clients include companies such as Ferrero, Volvo and Coca-Cola. And now we’d like to help you!
Read next
Conclusion
Now that you’ve read this article, you can stay much calmer if you ever format a disk by mistake: in many cases, the files can be recovered.
So don’t panic when it happens, and stop using the disk straight away. If you think this content could be useful to someone else, share it with them: the more people know about it, the more files will be saved.
And always remember: whatever you need, Bot is here to help!
