Steps to Recover Files from a Formatted Hard Drive (HDD)

Estimated reading time: 3 mins

If you not only deleted important files but even formatted the device, in almost all cases, any data stored there is gone. If it is sensitive data or contact information, you might be in trouble. The only way to recover it is actually to collect it again. Most tools are useless, and if you are looking for an HDD recovery toolfor Mac, you have just a few chances. Disk Drill for Mac is one of such options that might be irreplaceable in your case.

This is a hard drive recovery softwarethat works even in the cases when other tools are useless. You can find a step-by-step tutorial below.

So, let’s start from the start. You deleted important files, moreover, you even managed to format the hard drive. Doesn’t matter how it happened, but data has gone. Now, let’s check how you can recover it. you have two options: you have the data backup or you don’t have it.

Can You Get Data Back if You Have a Data Backup?

  • First of all, determine which disk you can format.
  • Use the latest backup to recover data. But if you need older files, just select the backup that you need.
  • Launch the app and get back all the files that you need.
  • Check if your files are back and are not corrupted. In case some issues arise, repeat the recovery process.

This is a simpler option. But it often happens that a backup is not available. However, there is a solution, and this solution is again called Disk Drill.

Can You Get Data Back if You Don’t Have a Data Backup?

So, the worst thing happened. You not only deleted files and formatted the device, but you even don’t have the backup! So, how to recover deleted files from hard drive? Here we go:

  • Connect the mentioned HDD to your mac
  • Login to your account with an admin password
  • Finally, click the “Recover” button and let the disk recover your data
  • Sometimes, Disk Drill will request to provide full access to your disk. If it is the case, just allow it. In such case, the tool will check all available options and select the one that has the highest chances.
  • Perform the preview of the files. There is a special icon, an eye icon. Just click on it. Select the files you need to recover.
  • Finally, recover the selected files.
  • Make sure they are not corrupted. If some files were not recovered or are damaged, just run the tool again.

So, Disk Drill is available even for mac, not only for a PC. And it can restore files from hard diskeven without backups, even on a formatted hard drive. However, it is strongly recommended not to risk with valuable data and always perform its backup. Disk Drill does it, as well: before deleting any data upon your request, it backs it up so that you can restore it whenever is needed. The backup is performed automatically.

This feature is not free, but it is worth the money paid for it. Just imagine a situation when all your sensitive data has gone, doesn’t matter what the reason is. It will cost a lot of time and efforts to recover it, if it is possible at all. And if it is some kind of sensitive data, such as financial information or personal data, you might even get into legal trouble. Is it worth a couple of dollars that the paid feature costs? So, if you work with important information, take care it is safe and backed up, even if it might cost.

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