Data Recovery After Format

In the information technology world you never get bored, that is, if you're into the kind of fun reinstalling Windows gives. If you aren't that big of a fan of all the technical mumbo-jumbo, you'll make mistakes, which gives further iteration to the game 'Lets try and fix the broken computer'. It may not sound like something you want to do for fun, but it's definitely something you will have to do sooner or later.

Data loss is almost inevitable at some point in your life (if you use a computer). This article will discuss ways to avoid losing data. If that’s already happened, this is also the article that sets you on your feet discussing possible ways of damage minimization and ways to get your files back.

The amount of damage is a consequence of the particular formatting strategy you use. On Windows based computers there are four often used settings to the format command, you see them at one of the earliest stages of the install process when you put the OS on your computer.

There are two file systems you can use with Windows XP and there are two formatting methods for each one. You can either perform a quick or slow format. To better understand how data recovery works in either case you need to understand how formatting operates.

Both NTFS and FAT32 are versions of a 'chained' data storage principle. Space on the hard disk drive is divided into blocks, which the system can directly address. There is a File Allocation Table(FAT) or its equivalent stored somewhere at the beginning of the partition. It tells the operating system where to look for certain files, but it doesn't keep all the blocks around due to both speed and space limitations. Instead it tells Windows where to look for the first bit of a file, and that block contains information regarding as to where the next piece is.

When you format your drive, you can either conduct a quick or a slow (full) format. If you've lost data and you've used the quick method, consider yourself lucky as it's the least destructive of the two. It basically deletes the 'map' at the beginning of the partition and writes one that fools the system into thinking that all the data is gone. What happens in this case is that you lose the position information of the first bits, but the data is virtually intact throughout the disk.

Full format on the other hand systematically visits all blocks on the partition and sets their status to empty. Data recovery software after format is designed to deal with quick formats and will visit all blocks and draw a new map of the starting bits, from which point the file system will operate as if the format has never happened.

When the formatting process is thorough, the piece of software you need should go and read all the blocks on the disk, trying to figure if there are chunks of files you would like to get back. After it finds them, it sets the status of each block back to occupied, draws a map of the first bits of all files, and you're back in business.

Both formatting methods are fairly simple, yet time consuming, and there are obvious shortcomings. What if the blocks where your files used to be are overwritten? What if you not only format, but resize partitions and change to a different file system or block size? In other words, what if you make things more complicated?

The frustrating thing about formatting is that you're expecting it to enhance your computer's system. Instead it often leaves you thinking "my computer is broken." Talk about frustrating.

Data Recovery after Formatting - Minimization of the Damage

Assuming that data recovery after formatting is highly dependent on the severity of damage you've done, your chances of getting the files back are the best if you don't add insult to injury. If during the format process you happen to realize you've made a mistake, DON'T try to stop it. The very first thing format does is writing 'It's all empty around here guys' on the file map, and you don't want to leave half written blocks there. Data recovery software solutions operate at the best efficiency if they find a consistent file system. Let's not confuse them with a half empty, half scrambled allocation table.

If you opted for full format, let it finish, and after it's done, shut down the computer. Don't let anything write in the blocks you've just 'erased'. As long as the blocks are not completely overwritten with new data, your files are there but with their header information set to 'empty block'. Imagine that you have a drawer full of files. The information is there regardless of what it says on the cover of the file as long as the contents of the file are not shredded and replaced, but you'd have to read each one of them to find the one you're looking for. Recovery data after format software does the exact same thing.

One option is to have a backup on a USB or thumb drive. This way you can use compact flash data recovery instead of having to do it the hard way. It's much easier to just stick the USB in and have your data back up and running.

Data Recovery Software Options

Back in the day before Windows XP SP1 hit the net, there was an annoying bug in the way Windows dealt with partitions. Due to a software limitation it couldn't work with the excess space on HDDs larger than 128GB, and when you attempted to do so, it hopped to the beginning of the partition and started overwriting stuff, including the file table resulting in format-like effects. At this time I was successful in getting my data back using, well… GetDataBack. It's not the fastest piece of software you'll ever use, but it does its job properly.

Another recovery software solution that many recommend is Data Recovery Wizard from Easeus. It has a free version and two paid variations. For the most rudimentary data recovery tasks you can use the free version, which allows 1GB of data recovery.

How to Avoid the Need for Format Data Recovery?

If you want to avoid these problems then having a good data backup strategy is paramount. In the future think about having a recent incremental backup of the entire system, plain and simple. Without a proper copy of all your files you can never be sure that they will remain on your hard drive. Hard drives crash, viruses munch your file system, you may accidentally format the drive, but a backup can help you get back on your feet. If you're completely lost with all the terms used in this article, then ask a professional and get a quote; the service will not be cheap by anyone's standards, but it will be effective.