I accidentally deleted the data partition on my HDD, which contained important photos, videos, and work documents. Windows is installed on a separate SSD, and the deleted partition now appears as unallocated space. I tried scanning with DiskTest, and it can find the old partition, but the recovery attempt fails. I haven't written any new data to the HDD yet. What is the safest way to recover the files or restore the partition?
4 Answers
Stop using the HDD immediately. Don’t format it, create a new partition, run repair tools, or save recovered files back onto the same drive, because any new writes could overwrite the deleted data. Since Windows is on a separate SSD and the space is still unallocated, recovery may still be possible. Ideally, make a sector-by-sector image of the HDD first and work from the image rather than the original drive.
Try a different recovery tool that can either rebuild the partition table or copy files out individually. Disk Drill and GetDataBack are examples, though results vary. Save recovered files to a different drive, not back onto the affected HDD. If the data is especially important, creating a full drive image before experimenting is the safer approach.
If you do use a repair shop, be careful about handing over sensitive documents and confirm the total price beforehand. Some places charge much more after they’ve recovered the data. Once this is resolved, set up a backup system with at least one copy on another drive and another copy kept separately or in secure cloud storage.
A reputable data-recovery specialist is the safest option if the files are irreplaceable. Regular computer repair shops may not have the right tools or experience, so ask exactly what they do, whether they work from an image, and get the pricing and conditions in writing before handing over the drive.
I haven’t written anything to the HDD. The scan can still detect the old partition, but the program fails when I try to restore it.