How it was lost · deleted & vanished files
When using a mechanical hard disk, a delete merely removes the signpost to the file or folder, leaving the actual storage location (the file/folder) in place. It will remain on the disk until overwritten with another piece of information. The opposite is true when using a modern SSD: as soon as a deletion occurs, the SSD itself will begin clearing the memory cells associated with this file/folder, within seconds. Which type of drive you are using decides everything, so we have set out both for you below, to read before you post anything from Exeter.
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| The error | What it usually means | Step one |
|---|---|---|
| Missing file, empty Recycle Bin | The bin had been circumvented, with Shift+Delete, via external media such as removable drives, or due to the file size being greater than what would fit within the bin | Put no additional files on the device you are currently trying to recover from |
| This file is too big to recycle | Windows bypassed the Recycle Bin and removed the item directly | Typically, anything that existed before is still there |
| Deleted off a USB stick or SD card | There is no Recycle Bin on removable devices (the entry will disappear immediately) | Eject it, then put it aside |
| Everything vanished after a cloud sync | A file removal somewhere else has been duplicated onto your PC via services like OneDrive | Before starting with anything, check the provider's online bin |
| A working folder that has turned up empty | Deletion, sync conflict or profile switch | Turn off the power before searching for it |
| Deleted from a solid-state drive | Windows will send TRIM to the SSD, which then silently zeroes out the blocks in question (often within seconds) | Disconnect the power now |
Your device will be logged under its own case number on the day it comes into our lab. The engineer who works on your device identifies the problem with it, clearly states what we think has a good chance of coming back and provides you with one fixed quote. There are no charges for this assessment; there is no obligation for you to do anything; and paid work does not begin until you authorise us to start.
Any time the operating system is active, it is writing information continuously, such as cache, thumbnail and update files, all of which can overwrite any sector containing lost data. First step: the drive is taken offline to prevent further loss of data, and then it is imaged.
When the file table survives, your files will be restored with their original names, date stamps and folder structure. If it doesn't, we identify each file type within the image based on its identifying byte signature and export each identified file to a new location.
Identifying how many files we were able to recover is fairly simple; instead, we open each one and verify that the files you had indicated as being most important are indeed among those recovered.
You have access to a complete list of every item recovered from your device, which you approve prior to any fees being applied. The files will be returned via new media (brand new) with the return postage paid by us, and the case remains open for as long as it takes to confirm that all the files open properly on your own machine.
Two drives, two timelines: on a hard disk, a deletion leaves data where it was until new writes cover the deleted file, sometimes years later. On an SSD with TRIM active (a Samsung EVO or a WD Blue), the cells typically get cleared within minutes, often seconds. It is the same keypress with opposite endings, which is why our first question will be what drive the file sat on, not what the file was called.
One solid keystroke knocked a year's worth of accounts off the company PC. That same afternoon, the drive was imaged. When we rebuilt the file table, all filenames and dates in the folder showed up exactly as they were.
Usually, yes, for a mechanical drive, so long as you don't write anything else. Often, however, that doesn't apply for an SSD with TRIM: garbage collection can have removed those blocks within seconds. The answer depends on which one is inside the computer.
The Recycle Bin is bypassed, yes, but on a hard drive your files remain in their deleted state, just as they would be if you'd deleted them normally. The Recycle Bin was never what preserved your data.
No. When you delete a file on a removable device, Windows treats it as erased instantly (gone forever). But there are many cases where the original files remain in memory on the flash chips, and that is exactly where we recover them from.
SSDs automatically clean up deleted blocks on their own, which allows for write speeds to continue at normal levels; this process is called TRIM. This cleaning occurs in background mode, which is why SSD deletion is the one case where hours can literally make a difference.
Every time a failing hardware component is powered back up, there is additional lost data. First open a case with us: the inspection (look over) is always at no cost, whichever way it goes.