Recover deleted data from your hard disk

In Windows XP, use the percentage sliders to increase the space either globally or per partition (no partition can donate more than 3.99GB). In Vista, use each partition’s ‘Maximum size (MB)’ box to enter a new value (there are no limits).

Owners of Windows Vista can use another method to retrieve old or deleted versions of files and folders. Shadow Copy maintains periodic ‘snapshots’ of all files and folders on your hard disk. Sadly, this feature is available only on the Ultimate and Business editions.

However, there is a way for Home Premium and Home Basic users to access it using a tool called Shadow Explorer. We covered this handy download in a the Computeractive workshop Restore previous file versions with Windows Vista. Note that if you disable System Restore, this feature won’t work.

Beyond the bin
Unfortunately, the only files that can be rescued from the recycle bin are those deleted from hard disks. If you delete a file from a memory card or USB memory key, Windows does not keep a copy of it in the bin.

Neither will the bin help you if you’ve lost files through a virus infection or a failure of the Windows file system. Emptying the recycle bin also inhibits its usefulness as a means of recovering accidentally deleted files.

Thankfully, it’s not game over ­ - far from it. There are numerous programs available to assist in raising data from the dead, and many of them are free. Take Recuva, for example. Except for CDs and floppy disks, this will try to restore deleted files from almost anything – even portable media players.

Like all recovery tools, Recuva works on the principle that deleted files usually aren’t erased. Windows merely marks the files’ locations as free for use ­ the data will only be wiped when those locations are overwritten with new information.

As soon as you realise you’re in trouble, immediately stop using the disk or device the files are stored on. Avoid installing any recovery tools there, too, as you might overwrite the data you’re hoping to restore.

If the files are on your main hard disk, you may need to remove it from the computer and connect it temporarily to another PC running the recovery software. A USB hard disk caddy costing around £10 is a handy device for this purpose ­ your local high-street computing shop will be able to help with this.