Can You Recover Files on Formatted Partition
Most of you should know that formatting will delete all the stored data on the disk, but, sometimes, formatting must be done to repair disk errors, remove viruses, convert file systems, or for other reasons. Is it possible to recover files on formatted partition if there is no time to do a data backup of the partition beforehand? The answer is different depending on the type of formatting you are doing.
Quick Format vs Full Format
Quick formatting will remove file entries from the root directory but the actual data still exists on the disk. This formatting method provides a refresh status for the partition to be used but doesn’t resolve underlying disk errors or repair bad sectors. In simple terms, quick formatting frees up disk space for new data but doesn’t overwrite old data.
Therefore, if performing the quick format on your partition, you can try to recover files after formatting with the help of a trustworthy tool, like MiniTool Power Data Recovery. Fortunately, most devices use this formatting type as the default.
Full formatting performs a thorough formatting process. It will remove all data from the drive, leaving it irrecoverable. Additionally, it takes a longer time to complete the whole process as full formatting will scan the entire disk to isolate bad sectors and identify potential errors. Think twice about doing a full format, as you can’t recover files without having backed them up.
Suggestions for Success File Recovery from Formatted Partition
Successful formatted partition file recovery is not only decided by the formatting type but also relies on other factors. You should read the following tips carefully to ensure the highest success rates of data recovery.
- Do not save any new data to the formatted partition: If you want to recover data from formatted partition, you should stop using it to save new files. Those lost data still stay intact on the disk. Saving data to the formatted partition may overwrite the data, making them irrecoverable.
- Do not perform any other operation on the formatted partition: You may take measures to repair disk errors but accidentally format the disk. In this case, do not perform other operations like reformatting or doing disk checking. Creating a new file system may overwrite file fragments and disk checking probably damages crucial information due to excessive repair. Thus, neither reformatting nor disk checking is a wise operation when you still want to restore files from the formatted disk.
- Choose a reliable and robust data recovery software: Different from deleted file recovery, formatted partition file recovery requires a professional data recovery tool. However, unregistered data recovery software may contain viruses, causing secondary damage to the files. You should choose a reliable data recovery tool and get it from the official website.
Way 1. Recover Files on Formatted Partition Using MiniTool Power Data Recovery
As explained above, most devices perform quick formatting by default. You should take immediate action to recover files on formatted partition before they are overwritten. MiniTool Power Data Recovery is heartily recommended to address this dilemma.
This secure data recovery service supports data recovery in diverse scenarios, including unintentional deletion, partition deletion, disk formatting, device crash, and more. Furthermore, it is widely compatible with data storage devices that can be recognized by Windows, such as USB drives, SD cards, external hard drives, memory sticks, etc.
Since MiniTool has developed several editions for individuals and businesses due to different technical requirements, you can choose one that suits your case the best. MiniTool Power Data Recovery Free is provided for you to test whether this software can find the files you want. Click the download button to get this software on your device.
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Step 1. Choose and scan the formatted partition.
Suppose you have downloaded and installed this free data recovery software on your computer, double-click on it to enter the main interface. You should find the formatted partition in the Logical Drives section. Hover the mouse cursor over it and click Scan.
If you have formatted a whole drive with several partitions, change to the Devices section to scan the entire disk at one time. However, this will take a longer time to complete the scan duration, as the scan time depends on the disk capacity and file size.
Please wait until the scan process completes itself so as to find all the lost files on the disk.
Step 2. Locate the files that you want to restore.
On the result page, files are assorted by their paths and types. Under the Path tab, files stored on the formatted partition will be classified into different folders. You can expand the folders layer by layer to find the required files. Files displayed under the Type tab are sorted by types and file formats.
The Path and Type tabs provide a general classification for files, respectively. However, it is still a time-consuming task when there are numerous files. Here are other two features that can narrow down the file list in a quick manner.
Filter: Clicking on the Filter button at the top toolbar, you can set several filter conditions based on your requirements, such as file size, file type, file category, and file last modified date. When those conditions are settled, the software will screen out unmatched items.
Search: Different from the Filter function, the Search feature does a more specific work. You need to input the file name (complete or partial name and the file extension are OK.) into the search box at the top right corner, then hit Enter to do the filter.
Now, use the Preview function to verify the file content. This function allows you to check photos, documents, videos, audio, and other files before saving them. Since the free edition only allows you to recover 1GB of files for free, this feature is crucial in improving the data recovery accuracy. This post shows you specific information about the supported preview file type of MiniTool Power Data Recovery.
Step 3. Recover files to a new destination.
When all the wanted files are located, you should tick them and click the Save button. In the prompt window, choose a destination for those recovered files. Please remember to choose a new destination to avoid data overwriting, resulting in data recovery failure.
Should the selected files exceed the 1GB limit, it will be necessary to upgrade the software to a premium edition in order to complete the data recovery process. This stepwise guide can also help you to recover formatted hard drive effectively.
Way 2. Recover Data from Formatted Partition with File History
If you do not want to have any third-party data recovery software, you can only seek help from previous backups. When there are any backups on other data storage devices, you can simply copy and paste the lost file to the formatted partition.
If you backed up files using Windows utilities, such as File History and Backup and Restore (Windows 7), further steps are required to recover files on formatted partition. In the following content, I will show you how to recover files after formatting with File History.
Step 1. Type Control Panel into the Windows Search box and press Enter to launch the window.
Step 2. Select Large icons from the dropdown menu of View by.
Step 3. Choose File History from the list and opt for the Restore personal files option.
Step 4. File History will automatically back up the selected files and folders at regular intervals, as configured by the user. Therefore, you can find several backup versions in the following window. Browse to find one version that contains the lost files.
You should select them all and click on the green restore button to retrieve those data to the original path. If you want to save them to another location, click on the gear button at the top right corner and choose Restore to. After that, you can select a preferred destination for those files.
Backup Tip: Safeguard Against Data Loss in Advance
There is no extra stress on the importance of data backups for either data security or data recovery. Restoring files from previous backups could be more efficient and easier than other solutions. In addition to using the Windows-embedded backup utilities, you can also resort to other approaches, such as linking the target folder to cloud storage and backing up files to different destinations.
Compared with other methods, data backup software simplifies the file backup process the most. MiniTool ShadowMaker, a versatile and reliable Windows backup software, is capable of backing up files, folders, partitions, and disks on diverse data storage media. Additionally, it provides three backup types, including full backup, incremental backup, and differential backup, and allows to back up files on daily, weekly, monthly, or on events. You can download and install MiniTool ShadowMaker Trial by clicking the download button below. This trial edition enables you to experience most backup features for free within 30 days.
MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
Step 1. Launch the software and change to the Backup tab. If you need to back up files to a removable device, you should connect the device first.
Step 2. Click the SOURCE section and select Folders and Files. You can choose the target files from the list and click OK to return to the main interface.
Step 3. Click the DESTINATION section to choose a destination for the backup and click OK.
Step 4. This is an optional operation. Click the Options button at the bottom right corner. In the following window, you can set the backup type and schedule of the backup task.
Step 5. Click Back Up Now to start the process. Alternatively, you can choose Back Up Later and then configure the backup task under the Manage section.
Final Words
You may format a partition to repair disk errors or by accident. Here are two feasible approaches for you to recover files on formatted partition. Using technical data recovery software, like MiniTool Power Data Recovery, is highly recommended due to its high chances of success in data recovery.
MiniTool Power Data Recovery FreeClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
It is crucial to bring up the backup habit for data security. If you have any problem using MiniTool software, connect us via [email protected]. We are always ready to help.
Formatted Partition File Recovery FAQ
To sum up, if you perform a quick format and try to recover files on formatted partition immediately, you have a high chance to recover data successfully.
For Windows users, MiniTool Power Data Recovery is an optimal choice. Launch the software to select the formatted hard drive to scan, then, on the result page, find the target files with multiple features. Click Save to restore files to a new destination.
For Mac users, try Stellar Data Recovery for Mac. This software is specifically designed for macOS. You can easily recover files from a formatted hard drive using this software within 3 steps. For a detailed data recovery guide, please read this post: [SOLVED] How to Recover Deleted Files on Mac | Complete Guide.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Andrea graduated in English and has a keen interest in the IT industry and questions that arise when computers are used. She is passionate about new things and challenging things and has a wide range of interests like playing guitar, gaming, and crafting.