We’ve all been there: formatting a hard drive inadvertently, only to find the files become inaccessible. The files can be valuable data, precious photos and videos or school presentation. It seems that these important files are lost forever. Whether inadvertently or intentionally, the thing is how to regain access to the files. Don’t worry, you still can get them back. Here, you will learn in detail how to recover files after formatting hard drive.

Why format hard drive?

Formatting a hard drive isn’t just for fixing a broken computer. It’s also about handling many routine computer maintenance tasks. Here are some reasons why format a hard drive:

• Erase your data- The most common reason for formatting a hard drive is to remove the data. You may erase the data for your own use, such as switching the hard drive to a different computer or setting it as a secondary drive.
• File system requirements- Perhaps you need to convert NTFS to FAT. Windows systems use the NTFS system for hard drives, while OS hard drives are formatted into the HFS+ system and Ubuntu drives use Ext4. The only file system that every OS can read is FAT, which is the default for USB thumb drives.
• Human errors- It’s possible that we accidentally formatted the hard drive. Wrong installation of an operating system can lead to hard drive failure, thus it will require formatting.
• Corrupted files- A sudden shutdown of your computer due to power surges can lead to file corruption and hard drive failure.

Is it possible to recover files after formatting hard drive?

When formatting a hard drive, the operating system doesn’t erase the data on the disk but only deletes the data in the address tables. The files are still there but become inaccessible. Until you record other information on the disk, It’s still possible to recover a formatted hard drive. Thus, you need to stop using the hard drive immediately if you find that you have accidentally formatted the drive. Otherwise, files may be overwritten by new data and you will never recover your files.

Free Recover files from formatted hard drive using backups

It’s much easier to recover files if you have backups of all your internal and external hard drives even in the case of accidental or problematic formatting. Backups is the preferred method for files recovery. As long as the backup was completed without errors, it can be successfully restored to your formatted drive. To recover files from a formatted hard drive using the backups, please follow these steps:

Step 1. Identify the file systems, files or the complete HDD that you wish to recover.

Step 2. Find the correct backup image to use for your recovery. In many cases, this will be the most recent backup available, but in some cases, you may want to revert to older versions of your files.

Step 3. Start recovering by initiating the recovery procedure in the backup tool, and have it retrieve the list of identified files

Step 4. Once completed, you can check your files. If there exists damaged files, you need to run another recovery on that file.

Paid Recover files from formatted hard drive using RecoveryMaster

There are some cases that you need to format your hard drive but forget to backup your computer. What if you want to recover files after formatting hard drive? Are your files gone permanently? If so, do not hesitate to use a reliable data recovery software. It doesn’t require backups and can assist you in recovering files.

Although there are plenty of data recovery software available, the best choice is RecoveryMaster that allows you to recover files after formatting hard drive. It enables you to recover all types of files, including document, graphics, videos, audios, email and much more. It works in Windows 7, 8, 10 and Mac OS 10.15- 10.9. Only a few clicks, you can successfully bring your files back from formatted drive.

Step 1. Download and install RecoveryMaster following the instructions. Please do not install the software to the path where you lost files.

Step 2. Launch RecoveryMaster program, select the formatted hard drive and click scan. You don’t have to wait for the entire scanning process as it allows you to pause and resume scans.

Step 3. Select and preview the files you want to recover

Step 4. Click recover to bring files back and save them to another secure location

In any case, RecoveryMaster will certainly help you easily recover files after formatting hard drive. Just download its free trial version to see what it can do for you. If you need further help for tough data loss scenarios like accidental deletion, system failure, virus attack, RAW disk and partition loss, RecoveryMaster is still here to help you.

Conclusion

There is no need to panic when you format a hard drive but don’t take a backup. You can turn to a reliable and easy-to-use data recovery software like Data Recovery Master that allows you to quickly and professionally recover files after formatting hard drive. It accesses your data through Read Only and protects your data from secondary damage. The sooner you perform the recovery process, the higher chance you can get back most data.