Can a hard drive be recovered? Have you ever lost files due to deletion, formatting, or other reasons and wondered how to recover data from a hard drive? Read on to find out the easiest ways to do hard drive recovery on Windows or Mac computers.

How can I perform a hard drive recovery to get back all my lost files?

"I was about to continue my paper last night but couldn't find it anywhere. Then I remembered that the day before, I deleted some useless files and documents from the hard drive and emptied the Recycle Bin immediately. Is there any way to get back my lost file?"

If your internal or external hard drive fails or becomes inaccessible, and you've lost valuable data, don't panic. In the article below, you'll learn some practical tips that can help you quickly recover lost disk files and get your HDD working normally again.

Regarding Hard Drive Recovery

In this section, you will learn how to:

    1. What is hard drive recovery? 2. HDD recovery solutions for different disk errors

What is Hard Drive Recovery?

Hard Drive

Are you aware of the hard drive recovery process? Essentially, hard drive recovery is the process of retrieving lost files from a hard disk and bringing a failed hard drive back to working condition.

In a nutshell, data recovery from a hard drive involves two steps: 1) recovering the data from the hard drive, and 2) repairing or fixing the faulty hard drive.

HDD Recovery Solutions - For Various Hard Drive Issues

The method for performing a disk recovery can vary depending on the type of error you're experiencing with your hard drive. Here, we've gathered three solutions for disk recovery:

So which solution should you choose? If your hard drive or external hard drive can be detected by your computer, turn to Part 1 to recover data from the hard drive first. Then try the fixes in Part 2 to repair the hard drive and make it work normally.

If your hard drive is physically damaged or has some bad sectors, you'll need to skip to Part 3 and seek out a hard drive recovery service to get it up and running again.

Follow the guide below to begin repairing your hard drive or external hard drive.

Part 1: Hard Drive Recovery Software

Applies to: Recover files lost due to deletion, formatting, internal errors (like RAW, corrupted, bad sectors, etc.), virus attacks, and more from hard drive.

In most cases, you can use disk recovery software to retrieve data from your hard drive, SSD, or external hard drive as long as it's not damaged or malfunctioning physically.

With two simple steps, you can easily extract everything from your problematic hard drive.

#1 Recommended Free Hard Drive Recovery Software Download

To save you time and effort, we recommend trying out the Data Recovery Wizard tool. This software can recover files from various types of storage devices, such as photos, videos, audio files, emails, documents, Microsoft files, and Adobe files. It can even be used to recover data from a damaged or crashed hard drive.

Moreover, it caters to all levels of hard drive users, being particularly beginner-friendly. Whether you've lost files from your hard drive or have any prior experience with data recovery, the Data Recovery Wizard tool can be of assistance.

    • Supported OS: Windows 10/8/8.1/7/Vista/XP, Windows Server 2019/2016/2012/2008/2003
    • Scenarios: deletion, formatting, virus attack, OS crash/reinstall, RAW drive, inaccessible, lost partitions, etc.
    • Supported Devices: Hard drives (HDD/SSD), external hard drives, hybrid drives (SSHD), USB, SD cards, CF cards, digital cameras, and more.

You may also be interested in: 15 Best Hard Drive Data Recovery Software.

Please note that if you need to recover unlimited amount of data, we recommend you to activate the software to full version in advance.

#2. Recover Data from Hard Drive

Tool Data Recovery software is popular for its user-friendliness. With it, you can perform hard drive data recovery with just a few simple clicks. Immediately follow the steps below to recover data from your hard drive:

< strong > Step-by-Step Guide: Recover Files from Hard Drive < /strong >

If you need a detailed, step-by-step guide, look no further for an easy way to recover your hard drive.

Step 1: Scan the hard drive partition

Select the drive on your hard disk where you lost or deleted the file. Click “Scan” to have the data recovery tool scan all lost data and files on the selected drive.

Select the location and scan the hard drive select a location and scan hard drive

Step 2: Check the results

After the scan is complete, you can use the “Filter” option or click on “Search for a file or folder” to look for lost files on the hard drive.

Find and preview all lost hard drive data

Step 3. Recover Lost Hard Drive Data

Select the files you need from the disk where they were lost and click “Recover” to save them to another location.

Recover Lost Hard Drive Data

Video tutorial on Hard Drive Data Recovery:

If you are a Mac user, you can also download the Mac version of Data Recovery Wizard tool to effectively recover data from Mac hard drive.

After retrieving data from the problematic hard drive, you can try the manual repair methods listed below to fix the corrupted disk and get it working normally again.

Part 2: Try Manual HDD Recovery (Fix Logical Disk Errors)

Intended Use: Repair and recover logical issues on hard drives with errors like RAW, inaccessible, not showing, undetected, or even crashed.

There is a video tutorial that compares data recovery software with local recovery. Watch the video below to learn about the pros and cons of each recovery method.

If your computer's disk exhibits any of the following symptoms, it means that the disk has logical errors:

    • You receive the "You need to format drive X before you can use it" error message
    • Your hard drive has a RAW file system and is therefore inaccessible
    • The hard drive doesn't show files in Windows
    • Your hard drive is failing, damaged, corrupted, or otherwise unusable

If you encounter these issues, you can go back to Part 1 to recover important data from the drive first. Then, try the following fixes to repair the disk and get it working normally:

Solution 1: Repair the inaccessible/readable hard drive using CHKDSK command

Applies to: Fix issues like hard drive inaccessible, not opening, or unable to read due to file system errors.

Warning
Running chkdsk may fix file system errors, but it can also cause data loss. Therefore, recover your data first before proceeding with the CMD method.

Step 1. Press the Windows + R keys, then type cmd.

Step 2. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

Step 3. Type the following command: chkdsk E: /f /r /x, and press Enter:

Replace E with the letter of the drive that you cannot access or that has the problem.

Step 4. Type exit to close the Command Prompt window.

Solution 2: Format Unreadable or RAW Hard Drive to NTFS via Disk Management

Applies to: Fix inaccessible RAW hard drive by formatting and changing its file system to NTFS using Disk Management.

When your hard drive becomes RAW or inaccessible, another approach is to format the disk and change its file system to NTFS. However, since this method might lead to data loss, we recommend using a hard drive recovery tool to retrieve your data first.

Next, you can proceed as follows:

Step 1: Right-click on "My Computer" or "This PC" and select "Manage."

Step 2: In Computer Management, click Disk Management.

Step 3: Right click on the RAW hard drive and choose "Format partition".

Step 4: Change the file system to NTFS and check the "Quick Format" box.

Click OK to confirm.

Format the RAW drive to NTFS.

**Solution 3: Fix Hard Drive Not Showing/Not Detected Issue by Updating Hard Drive Drivers**

Applies to: Fix hard drive not showing up, not recognized error by updating disk drive drivers.

When your hard drive is not showing up or not being recognized by your computer, you can try resolving the issue by updating the driver. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1. Right-click on "This PC" or "My Computer" and select "Manage".

Step 2: In Computer Management, select Device Manager.

Step 3. Expand “Disk Drives,” right-click on the unmounted drive, and select “Update Driver.”

Update the hard drive driver

Step 4: Choose “Search automatically for updated driver software.”

Wait for the process to complete, then restart your computer. You should be able to access and read from your hard drive again. If you see no change, or if the hard drive still doesn't work, proceed to the Repair and Solutions section in Part 3 for help.

Part 3: Turning to Hard Drive Recovery Services

Recover files from a physically damaged or partially damaged hard drive.

When your hard drive or external storage device is damaged or physically damaged, as indicated by the symptoms listed, you need manual hard drive recovery services:

    • Data recovery software fails to retrieve data from the hard drive
    • The hard drive has been exposed to water
    • The hard drive is damaged or burned
    • Part of the hard drive is damaged
    • The hard drive stops spinning after it starts, or makes unusual noises while spinning
    • The hard drive surface has scratches and cannot be detected

As for hard drive recovery service providers, they can be found all over the world. Since data recovery services can be expensive, you'll need to choose carefully.

Here, we've gathered three options for manual data recovery services for you to choose from to retrieve your lost data:

  • Recovery Tool for Manual Hard Drive

Consult with Tools Data Recovery experts for personalized manual recovery services. After a free diagnosis, we offer the following services:

  • Repair damaged RAID structures, unbootable Windows OS, and corrupted virtual disk files (e.g., .vmdk, .vhd, .vhdx)
  • Recover/repair lost partitions and repartitioned drives
  • Recover formatted hard drives and repair raw drives (including BitLocker encrypted drives)
  • Fix disks turned into GPT protected partitions
  • #2. Ontrack
  • #2. Ontrack
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Ontrack is a globally trusted provider of data recovery services for various computer hard drives and mobile phones, among others.

Seagate offers a full range of data recovery plans for both small and large business owners. If you happen to be one of them, you can try the service accordingly.

Note: Professional hard drive recovery services can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,000, so if your data isn't extremely important, you might want to just buy a new hard drive. Data or hard drive recovery is generally not an economical option for the average person.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hard Drive Data Recovery

For more information about hard drives or hard drive recovery, see the following frequently asked questions.

Question 1: How much does it cost to recover data from a hard drive?

How much does it cost to recover a hard drive and get back all the lost files? Actually, the average cost of hard drive recovery in 2022 ranges from free to thousands of dollars.

Here are the average prices for hard drive recovery software and services:

    • Data recovery software: $0 – $100
    • Data recovery service: $500 – $1,200 or more

Note that some free data recovery software created by professional data recovery service providers can also help you recover a certain amount of hard drive files for free. If needed, try the tool Free Data Recovery Software.

Question 2. What is the best hard drive data recovery software for 2022?

When it comes to hard drive recovery software, a quick search on Google will yield a multitude of results from various vendors. So the next question is how to find the right software for your situation quickly and easily.

In comparison to global software, we have compiled a list of the 15 best hard drive recovery software that you can try:

    1. #1. Data Recovery Wizard 2. #2. Stellar Data Recovery 3. #3. Disk Drill 4. #4. Recuva 5. #5. Recover My Files 6. #6. Acronis Revive 7. #7. R-Studio 8. #8. Data Rescue 9. #9. OnTrack EasyRecovery 10. #10. Smart Data Recovery 11. #11. Puran File Recovery 12. #12. Glary Undelete 13. #13. Starus File Recovery 14. #14. PC Inspector File Recovery 15. #15. TestDisk Data Recovery

Though not the most expensive on this list, Data Recovery Wizard is certainly one of the most practical data recovery tools out there. As long as your hard drive isn't physically damaged and the lost data hasn't been overwritten by new content, you can use it to recover files from your hard disk.

Problem 3: What to do when data is lost from a hard drive?

When you lose data from a hard drive or SSD, it's strongly recommended that you stop using the drive immediately. Do not save any new files to the drive.

This is when you should turn to the reliable hard drive recovery software recommended in Problem 2.

Question 4: Can I recover files from a failed hard drive?

When your hard drive fails to boot or get detected, you can't access the data stored on it. To recover the data, you need a reliable bootable data recovery software for assistance.

Data Recovery Wizard Pro with Bootable Media is mainly for data recovery in cases of system crash or boot failure. You can use it to save your files when your hard drive is damaged, faulty, or inaccessible.

Click to learn how to recover data from a dead hard drive.

Question 5: How to recover hard drive on Mac?

It can be utterly devastating to lose important business files, music, photos, or videos from your Mac or Windows PC.

The good news is that Mac data recovery software makes the job easy. When you need to recover files from a Mac hard drive (built-in or external), it only takes three quick steps:

Scan Mac hard drive > Preview lost files > Recover data.

For step by step guidance, you can refer to Mac Hard Drive Recovery for assistance.

Bottom line

On this page, we explain what hard drive recovery is, and the difference between hard drive data recovery software and hard drive recovery services.

Thus, if you've lost data from your internal hard drive, SSD, or external storage device due to accidental deletion or logical errors, your best bet is to resort to professional hard drive data recovery software. To quickly and safely retrieve your data, it's recommended that you give the Data Recovery Wizard tool a try.

But if your drive has suffered physical damage, you might need to turn to a hard-drive-recovery service. Ontrack is a well-regarded provider that's worth trying.

Our recommendation:

While data recovery can be useful after a loss, it's best to back up important files elsewhere. That way, if you experience data loss, you can easily restore from a backup.