Any computer user can find themselves performing the undelete process on their system to recover lost files. It happens all of the time because nobody is perfect. It's so easy for anyone to get distracted and accidentally delete an important file. I know plenty of people who've done this, including me.

Here is the most important thing to remember: Undeleting files has a very high probability of success, but it depends on whether some other data has overwritten the file you need to recover. Running undelete or getting a recovery expert is the only ways to find out.

You may be wondering why you just can't you just look inside the recycle bin on your desktop and use the search function in the start menu? You can try this technique first to see if it does the trick. If you have already tried this and were unsuccessful, there are two more options: An undelete utility and file recovery services. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but software is where you want to begin.

How to get back your data

In order to recover deleted files on your computer, the following conditions must be in place: The lost file must still exist in the directory. The sectors that were used by the deleted file must not be overwritten yet. The file must not have been fragmented.

Directory: If you want to recover your files, the deleted file should still be available in the directory. In other words the undelete process requires that the lost data you are recovering not bee overwritten by new or different data created in the same directory.

Sector: In addition to the directory, it is important that sectors themselves, where the original, lost file was located, not be overwritten with a new file.

Fragmented files: If you really want to succeed with the undelete process, the file you are recovering should not have been fragmented since it was deleted. The sectors of the disk which once held your data must maintain it's sequential order, undisturbed and not fragmented.

You can recover your lost files

Files that were accidentally deleted can usually be recovered without problems, but you need to move quickly before another file is saved in its place. If this happens, there is nothing you can do to correct it. Don't wait a minute longer - take action now and begin downloading and using undelete software, or contact a disk expert. These two methods are the only way to know for sure if your lost data can be recovered.