How to Retrieve Deleted Digital Data

Any computer file is considered digital data. This includes text files, images, music files, executable programs, and hundreds of other file types. When you delete such a file, it is not technically gone. Even when removed from the Recycle Bin, the space occupied by the digital data is simply marked for use. In other words, the data is still there, but you've given your computer permission to overwrite it as the need arises. Using third-party software, you can often retrieve deleted data, provided it has not been overwritten.

• 1

  Stop using the hard drive or media card that contains the deleted digital data you wish to retrieve. If you continue to use the drive, it may overwrite the space occupied by the file you want to recover. If that happens, the file will be unrecoverable.

• 2

  Check the Recycle Bin by opening Windows Explorer -- press the "Windows" key and "E" simultaneously. If you see the file, you are in luck. Right-click the file and choose "Restore." The file will then be restored to its original location. For example, if it was deleted from C:\folder\folder, then that is where you will find it after its recovery.

• 3

  Download and install a specialized recovery program such as Recuva, Active@Undelete or Disk Doctor's Undelete (see Resources). These programs work in a similar manner in that they will scan your computer's hard drive or other selected media and list deleted files which are potentially recoverable. You would then select the files you want to restore and click on "Recover" or "Undelete." When asked where the recovered file should be placed, choose a separate drive or partition than the one containing the deleted file. Otherwise, you could overwrite the file you are attempting to recover, ironically with part of the same file you are restoring.