Hey everyone, we're facing a nasty issue with our Windows-based local server in the office. This morning, we discovered that a significant number of files had vanished mysteriously, and they're not in the Recycle Bin. It's possible that someone accidentally deleted them from another connected PC. I'm looking for advice on a couple of things:
1. Why might this happen so suddenly?
2. Can recovery software like Recuva or EaseUS actually help us get the files back?
3. Should we consider hiring a data recovery expert? Is that worth it?
We haven't saved any new data on the server yet, so I'm hopeful that recovery might still be viable. Any suggestions or guidance you have would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
It sounds like a tough situation, but don’t panic just yet! When files are deleted over a network like this, they often just ‘disappear’ without going to the Recycle Bin. It’s also possible that they got accidentally moved into another folder, so maybe check there first. For recovery, tools like EaseUS can work pretty well, especially for common file types, just make sure you power down the server to prevent any further writes. Also, remember to create an image of the drive before trying recovery—this can help preserve the data better.
Have you checked your backup systems? If you have backups turned on, that’d be the simplest way to restore your files. If not, jumping straight to recovery software might be the next best step. Just keep in mind, if the data is crucial, consider reaching out to a professional recovery service—it can save you from potential permanent loss later, especially with sensitive data.
Yeah, if it’s important data, having redundancies in place is key. If you don’t have backups set up, maybe it's time to rethink your IT strategy!
Definitely don’t keep using the server! If you can, take that drive out and make a copy of it to recover from. It’s usually more effective.