Formatted drive

Recovering data from a formatted drive is possible—especially if the drive was quick formatted and no new data has been written yet. Here's a step-by-step guide:

What Happens During Formatting?

  • A quick format only erases the file system structure, not the actual data.
  • A full format overwrites sectors, making recovery much harder or impossible.

Steps to Recover Data from a Formatted Drive

Stop Using the Drive Immediately

Do not copy, save, or install anything to the formatted drive — this could overwrite recoverable data.

Use Data Recovery Software

These tools can scan for and recover files from a formatted volume:

Recommended Tools:

  • Recuva (free, basic)
  • EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
  • R-Studio (advanced, supports deep scans)
  • Disk Drill
  • PhotoRec (free, great for raw file recovery)

    • How to Use (General Steps):

    1. Install the software on a different drive.
    2. Launch the tool and select the formatted drive.
    3. Perform a deep scan.
    4. Preview found files.
    5. Save recovered files to a different storage device.

    Optional: Try Partition Recovery if Format Affected Partition Table

    Tools like TestDisk can restore the original partition table if formatting affected it.

    Limitations

    • If the drive was full formatted or securely erased, data recovery is unlikely.
    • SSDs with TRIM enabled may immediately erase deleted/formatted data—recovery is often not possible in these cases.

    Prevent Future Data Loss

    • Back up regularly (local + cloud).
    • Double-check before formatting any drive.
    • Use disk partition tools carefully.