How to Recover Deleted Files from USB Memories or HDDs: Advanced Techniques and Tools
Lost important files from your USB memory or HDD? Before you consider professional data recovery services, there are several steps you can take to try and recover your lost data. From simple programs like Recova to advanced techniques, this guide offers a comprehensive overview of what you can do.
Basic Recovery Attempts
If a simple program like Recova fails, it might be time to delve deeper into specialized tools and techniques. These methods can help recover files that have been deleted or damaged.
When you format a drive or delete files, the data isn’t immediately erased. Instead, the file system marks the space as available for new data, which means that even if you overwrite existing files, there’s a chance to recover them. Many file systems, such as the PNG format, have a known structure that software can scan for. For example, the first few bytes of a PNG file often contain the bytes 89 50 4E 47 0D 0A 1A 0A (or PNG#8230; in text). If a recovery tool finds this pattern, it can identify the PNG file and begin the recovery process.
Advanced Recovery Methods
When simple methods fail, consider taking your hard drive or USB to a specialized company. In the UK, a company like Datawreck offers professional data recovery services. Even if your drive is damaged, it can be salvaged through advanced techniques.
Physical hard drives, even if broken, can sometimes be restored by disassembling the drive and mounting each platter on a special reader. This process can take a significant amount of time and costs can run into thousands of Euros. Despite the complexity, it remains an option for severely damaged drives.
The US government and agencies use specialized shredders to destroy decommissioned storage devices. For data that must be completely erased, companies like Western Digital use military-grade degaussing devices that apply powerful magnetic fields to wipe out any trace of data on refurbished drives.
While safe deletion software claims to securely erase data, modern forensic tools can still recover much of it. This makes it crucial to understand the limitations of such tools.
Preventive Measures
Awareness and preventive measures can help avoid the need for recovery. Using hardware full disk encryption with TPM (Trusted Platform Module) capabilities is a highly secure option. TPM ensures that data is encrypted as it is written, making it extremely difficult for even forensic tools to recover the data.
However, while TPM provides a high level of security, it comes with a notable drawback. If you forget your encryption password, the data may be unrecoverable. This is why understanding the tools and methods available is essential for data protection and recovery.
Conclusion
While data recovery can be challenging, it is not impossible. Whether you choose to use simple recovery tools, seek the help of professionals, or implement preventive measures, understanding the options available to you is key. By taking a proactive approach, you can better protect your data and ensure it is recoverable should the need arise.