You turn on your computer and open the folder where your files are meant to be. It’s empty. You begin to search through each and every folder in a rush to find your files. As your heart rate rises, the sudden realization that your files are missing sets in.

Don’t worry. There’s actually a good chance that your files can still be recovered. We’re going to take a look at what may have caused your files to disappear and how you can get NTFS data back.

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Before attempting recovery, make sure you’ve read all of the methods outlined in this article. Continued use of the drive can result in your data being overwritten and lost permanently.

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.
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There are a number of reasons why the files on your NTFS-formatted drive can become lost, deleted, or otherwise inaccessible. Let’s look at the common reasons:

  • 🤯 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

Disk Drill Data Recovery is the go-to recovery tool for many. It’s a recovery solution that can scan your drive for recoverable data and restore it. Disk Drill is our go-to in recovery scenarios as it has a proven track record of successful recoveries and it includes a streamlined user interface that enables any computer user to operate it.

  1. Download, install, and open Disk Drill.Downloading Disk Drill.
  2. Select the drive or volume you want to scan. When ready, click Search for lost data.Beginning the search for lost data.
  3. Click Review found items when the scan has finished.Reviewing what Disk Drill discovered.
  4. Use the dropdown menus to mark what files you want to recover. Mark files by ticking their checkbox. 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).

    Selecting what files to recover.

  5. Choose where you want the files recovered to. To avoid overwriting your data, specify a location that exists off the storage media you’re recovering from. For instance, if you’re recovering files from your internal drive, recover to a different internal drive or an external hard drive. Press OK.Confirming the recovery.

Option B: Windows File Recovery

Windows File Recovery is Microsoft’s own recovery tool that was released in early 2020. Compared to other tools, it’s still quite new. It uses a command-line interface instead of a graphical user interface. It may not be as feature-rich as other alternatives, but it’s free and includes a wide array of switches that allow you to customize your recovery.

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You cannot recover data to the same partition it was recovered from. Instead, you must recover your data to another partition or a separate storage device like a USB or external hard drive.

  1. Sign-in to your Microsoft account and download the Windows File Recovery tool.Install the Windows File Recovery tool from Microsoft Store.
  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.Running the winfr command.
  3. Press Y to continue. The scan will begin.Confirming the winfr command.
  4. Once finished, you can find your files in the specified recovery folder.Results of Windows File Recovery tool.

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). If you’ve configured Backup and Restore to run at regular intervals, there’s a good chance you can restore the file from here.

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This method will only work if you previously set up Backup and Restore (Windows 7) to back up the files you need to restore. If this was not done, move onto restoring your files using File History.

  1. Press CTRL + S and search Backup Settings. Click the first result.Accessing the Backup settings.
  2. Click Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7).Opening the Backup and Restore section.
  3. Click Restore my files.Choosing to restore my files.
  4. Click Browse for files.Searching manually for files to restore.
  5. Select the files you want to restore. Click Add files.Choosing what files to restore.
  6. Click Next.Starting file recovery.
  7. Decide whether you want to restore the files to their original location or another. When ready, click Restore.Finalizing the recovery process.

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.

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Note: Again, like Backup and Restore (Windows 7), this method is only available if you’ve previously configured File History to make regular backups of the files or folders you want to restore. If you haven’t, move onto recovering your data with data recovery software.

  1. Navigate to the folder that contained the files before they were deleted. Expand the Home tab and click History.Opening the File History interface.
  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.Selecting the files to restore.
  3. The files will be restored to their original location.The results after recovery.

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.

Author • 29 articles

Jordan Jamieson-Mane is a freelance content writer with a passionate interest in technology. Starting from a young age, this interest gradually turned into a career, with Jordan studying in the field of IT and moving into a technical role right out of tertiary education. After gaining first-hand experience in the field, he started his journey as a freelance content writer. As a tech enthusiast, his interests within the realm of technology include hardware, networking, smart technology, and consumer electronics.

Andrey Vasilyev
Editor

Andrey Vasilyev is an Editorial Advisor for Handy Recovery. Andrey is a software engineer expert with extensive expertise in data recovery, computer forensics, and data litigation. Andrey brings over 12 years of experience in software development, database administration, and hardware repair to the team.