Data recovery — when it's possible and how

It happens to everyone: an important file gets deleted by accident, a hard drive fails, storage gets formatted. The panic is understandable. But before you give up, know this: in many cases the data can be recovered — if you act correctly.

Why deleted data isn't necessarily lost forever

When you delete a file or format a drive, the data doesn't vanish instantly. The operating system simply marks the space as "free" — the actual data stays on the disk until it's overwritten with new information.

That's the principle data recovery relies on: specialized software reads the disk at a low level and looks for this "hidden" data.

An important consequence: the less you use the drive after the loss, the greater your chance of a successful recovery. Don't install programs, copy files, or run updates on the affected device.

Types of data loss and recovery chances

• Accidental deletion — success chance: very high (80-95%). Deleted files are easily found with recovery software, as long as you haven't overwritten the disk.
• Drive formatting — success chance: high (70-90%). With a quick format, the data stays intact and only the file table is reset. A full format is more complex.
• File system corruption — success chance: medium to high (60-85%). The file system can get corrupted after a sudden shutdown. Specialized software can often reconstruct it.
• Physical drive damage — success chance: medium (40-70%), depending on the type of damage. Mechanical failures (a broken head, scratched platters) require a specialized "clean room" for hardware recovery — more expensive, but sometimes the only option.
• SSD failure — success chance: lower (30-60%). SSDs manage data differently. With physical damage or a failed controller, recovery is more complex.
• Ransomware (encrypted files) — success chance: low without a backup. If files are encrypted by ransomware, the only reliable solution is an available backup. Paying the ransom is not a guaranteed fix.

Steps to take after data loss

Step 1: Stop using the device

The more you write to the disk, the lower your chances become. Turn the device off if possible.

Step 2: Don't panic and don't try everything

The temptation is to install a free recovery tool and see what happens. Sometimes that works, but if you pick the wrong program or install it on the affected drive, you make the situation worse.

Step 3: Contact a specialist

For valuable data, it's better to consult an IT specialist before doing anything else. SNM Support offers diagnostics and an assessment of the situation.

Step 4: Diagnostics and choosing a method

A specialist will assess:

• The type of loss (logical or physical)
• The type of device
• The data available for recovery
• The optimal tool or method

Software tools for recovery

For logical loss (deletion, formatting, a corrupted file system), tools such as these are used:

• Recuva — free, suitable for simple cases
• R-Studio — professional, for more complex scenarios
• TestDisk and PhotoRec — powerful free tools with a console interface

For physical damage, specialized hardware equipment is required — something only labs have.

How much does data recovery cost?

At SNM Support:

• Diagnostics: free (if recovery succeeds)
• For complex cases: quoted after diagnostics

Prevention is better than the cure

Of course, the best strategy is to never need data recovery in the first place — because you have reliable backups. Data backup is the insurance policy that actually works.

If you've already lost data, act quickly and get in touch with SNM Support. If you want to make sure it doesn't happen again, consult us about building an automated backup system.