NTFS File Recovery: Recover Deleted Data From NTFS Hard Drives

Your NTFS-formatted hard drive can encounter data loss in any number of ways. Files, folders, and entire partitions can be accidentally deleted, corrupted, or lost due to improper formatting. Or, you may lose access to your data because the NTFS file system has become damaged.

Even after your files have become lost or deleted, there are still some ways you can get them back. But, you must be careful in how you approach it, as your data is in a state where it could be lost permanently if you make a mistake. We’ve outlined some proven methods for recovering your data after it has been deleted.

Reasons Behind NTFS File Loss

New Technology File System (NTFS) is a file system developed by Microsoft in 1993. It was developed as a replacement for the File Allocation Table (FAT) and High Performance File System (HPFS) file systems and included better performance, reliability, and access to more disk space.

The NTFS file system as we know it wasn’t always so reliable. Here’s a quick breakdown of what each version introduced:

• 1.0 – Introduced with Windows NT 3.1, released in 1993.
• 1.1 – Introduced with Windows NT 3.51, released in 1995. This version includes support for compressed files, named streams and access control lists (permissions).
• 1.2 – Introduced with Windows NT 4.0, released in 1996. This version includes security descriptors.
• 3.0 – Introduced with Windows 2000, released in 2000. This version brought with it a whole list of new features, including disk quotas, filesystem encryption, and sparse files.
• 3.1 – Introduced with Windows XP, released in 2001, and currently the most up-to-date version. The Master File Table (MFT) was updated to improve redundancy for MFT records.

• 🤯 User error – More often than not, your files may be deleted simply by the accidental touch of a button. User error includes accidental deletion, unintentional formatting, or improper adjustments made to volumes.
• ❗ Corruption – Corruption occurs when the write process for a file is interrupted before it can complete. When a file becomes corrupted, it is no longer whole and becomes inaccessible. This can happen if you don’t eject the storage device safely before removal.
• 🦠 Virus attack – Viruses can damage your computer in many ways. One such way is targeting the file system and either deleting the data, corrupting it, or holding it for ransom.
• 💾 Failing hardware – All hardware has a lifespan. This is especially true for hard drives seeing as they contain moving parts. However, this is also true for solid state drives that use NAND flash memory. At the end of your storage device’s lifespan, you may notice erratic performance like disappearing files or slow read/write speeds.
• 👨‍💻 Software bugs – Bugs within the NTFS file system can be exploited by hackers who want to damage your system. One bug involves trying to access a directory that includes the $i30 string. Attempting to access it can corrupt your entire partition, leading to all your files becoming inaccessible.

Any one of the above causes could be why your files have become lost. Now that you’re aware of what may have caused it, let’s discuss the solutions.

How to Recover Deleted Data From NTFS Drives

We’re going to look at a few ways you can perform NTFS file recovery. While some may not work for you, it’s important that you try each step before trying the next.

Method 1: Recover Using Data Recovery Software

When you delete your data, it isn’t gone forever. Instead, the space it used on your drive is marked as available so new data can overwrite it. NTFS data recovery is made possible using data recovery software if you haven’t made backups of your data. It provides you with the ability to recover lost, deleted, or formatted data, even if it has been supposedly permanently deleted.

There are so many options out there. Below we’re going to cover two different applications you can use.

Option A: Disk Drill

Follow these steps to scan your NTFS hard drive using Disk Drill:

1. Download, install, and open Disk Drill.
2. At this point, you can create a byte-to-byte backup if necessary using the Drive Backup feature. Bear in mind that creating a backup is free, but you will need to upgrade to Disk Drill PRO if you’re recovering more than 500 MB of data.
3. Select the drive, volume, or image you want to scan. When ready, click Search for lost data.
4. Click Review found items when the scan has finished. If you’re looking for a specific file type, click one of the colored file format icons. Or, click Recover all to recover everything straight away.
5. Use the Deleted or lost, Existing, and Reconstructeddropdown menus to mark what files you want to recover. Mark files by ticking their checkbox. Use the preview function and Recovery chances column to make sure your data is intact. When ready, click Recover.
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   Find your files faster by using the search box at the top right of the Disk Drill window. You can search using keywords or file extensions (for example, *.jpg to display all JPG files).

   

6. Select where you want to store the recovered files. Make sure you specify a location on a separate storage device to avoid overwriting your data. When you’re ready, click Next.

Option B: Windows File Recovery

1. Sign-in to your Microsoft account and download the Windows File Recovery tool.
2. There are many different switches included. Let’s just do a basic scan of the NTFS drive. Type winfr C: D:\recoveryfolder /regular. Replace C: with the drive letter you’re recovering from and D:\recoveryfolder with your recovery destination. Press Enter.
3. Press Y to continue. The scan will begin.
4. Once finished, you can find your files in the specified recovery folder.

Option C: TestDisk

We’ll guide you through how to restore a lost NTFS partition using TestDisk:

1. Download and extract TestDisk. Launch testdisk_win.
2. Press Enter to create a log file.
3. Highlight the disk that you want to scan using the up and down arrow keys, then press Enter.
4. Choose the partition table type the disk uses. TestDisk will do its best to automatically select the appropriate one. When ready, press Enter.
5. Press Enter to begin searching for lost partitions.
6. Press Enter again to begin the quick search.
7. Press Enter.
8. Highlight the missing partition. If nothing is available, try doing a deeper search. When ready, press Enter.
9. Highlight the Write option, then press Enter.
10. Press Y to confirm.

Method 2: Restore From Backup and Restore (Windows 7)

Our second method to recover deleted files from NTFS is using Backup and Restore. Backup and Restore was introduced as a backup solution for Windows 7, but it’s also present and usable in later versions of Windows (including Windows 10 and 11). If you’ve configured Backup and Restore to run at regular intervals, there’s a good chance you can restore the file from here.

1. Press CTRL + S and search Control Panel. Open it.
2. Click Backup and Restore (Windows 7). If you don’t see it, make sure your view is set to Large icons or Small icons.
3. Click Restore my files.
4. Click Browse for files.
5. Select the files you want to restore. Click Add files.
6. Click Next.
7. Decide whether you want to restore the files to their original location or another. When ready, click Restore.

Method 3: Restore Using File History

The next method to recover deleted data from NTFS is using File History. File History is the new way of backing up your files. With File History, you can mark what files you want to keep backups of. As time goes on, File History will make regular backups of the files and create an entire version history of each. If one file is ever lost, deleted, or damaged, you can choose a version of that file you want to restore instead of just restoring the latest backed up version.

1. Navigate to the folder that contained the files before they were deleted. Expand the Home tab and click History.
2. Select the files you want to restore. If needed, view previous versions using the left and right navigation arrows. When ready, click on the green restore button with an encircling arrow.
3. The files will be restored to their original location.

Protect Against NTFS File Loss

Trying to recover your data after it has already been lost can be challenging. There’s also no guarantee that you’ll be able to get all of it back. Some files may have already been overwritten or partially overwritten to the point that the file is no longer whole.

Instead of being unprepared for next time, let’s look at a few things you can do now to protect yourself against data loss going forward:

• 💽 Created scheduled backups – Without a doubt, backups are the best way of retaining your data in the event of data loss. Nothing beats having up-to-date copies of the files you were working on that can be restored in a matter of seconds. Consider using File History in Windows to create regular backups that give you the option to restore to previous versions of the file if needed.
• 🔌 Power down safely – Never hold the power button to turn your computer off unless you need to. Forcing your computer to shut down puts you at risk of corruption as your computer doesn’t have time to stop all processes safely. This is particularly true if data is being written, an update is applying, or a format is in process.
• 🤏 Eject storage media safely – As mentioned above, interrupting a write process can be dangerous. Many are unaware that you need to safely eject storage media before removing them from a computer. Next time you remove your USB drive or external hard drive, be sure to eject it safely before removal.
• ⚡ Invest in a UPS – If you want to be extra careful, consider buying a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply). In the event that your building loses power, the UPS will kick in immediately and start delivering power to your electronics from a battery. This gives you time to safely stop any process you’re doing and shut down your computer.

By taking care of your data, you may never be in a position where you need NTFS data recovery software.

FAQ

Conclusion

File loss, in most cases, cannot be predicted. But, just because you don’t know when it will happen, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared for when it does. Proactively taking care of your data can save you hours, potentially days, of recovering what was lost.

Using the solutions outlined in this article, you can restore your files that were lost, deleted, corrupted, or formatted.