Your files have disappeared

First, the thing that actually matters

When a file is deleted, the data isn't scrubbed. The space it occupies is simply marked as available. The file sits there, intact, until something else gets written on top of it.

Which means the drive's remaining usefulness to you is time-limited by your own usage. Browsing the web, installing anything, even leaving Windows running writes to the disk continuously. Every one of those writes is a chance to land on your file.

If the files genuinely matter: stop using that computer now. Not soon: now.

Free things to check first

• The Recycle Bin. Genuinely, check. It resolves a large share of these.
• Search by type rather than name. Search Windows for *.jpg or *.docx: files frequently still exist somewhere unexpected.
• Previous Versions. Right-click the folder, Properties, Previous Versions. Sometimes populated even when nobody set anything up.
• Cloud storage. OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox all have their own trash, often holding things for 30 days. Check on the website, not just the app.
• Another user account. After a Windows update or a password change, people sometimes end up signed into a different profile with an empty-looking desktop. The original account and its files are usually still there.

Why "everything's gone" often isn't

A surprising number of total-loss situations turn out to be an account problem rather than a data problem. Windows creates a fresh profile, the desktop is empty, the documents folder is bare, and it looks like everything has been wiped.

Almost always, the old profile is sitting on the drive untouched. It just isn't the one you're logged into. That's a straightforward fix, not a recovery job.

When it needs professional recovery

Get help rather than experimenting if:

• The drive is clicking or grinding. Stop immediately, that's mechanical failure
• The computer won't start at all
• Windows says the drive needs formatting before you can use it (don't format it)
• The drive isn't detected any more
• You've already tried recovery software and it didn't work
• The files are irreplaceable and you'd rather not gamble the one good attempt

A word on recovery software

For a simple deletion on a healthy drive, consumer recovery software sometimes works. Two cautions: never install it onto the drive you're recovering from, because the installation itself can overwrite what you're looking for. And on a drive that's failing physically, it's actively harmful: it reads relentlessly and frequently finishes the drive off.

Our recovery is $400 flat per drive, with no fee if we can't get your files back, a free evaluation, and $50 pick-up anywhere in the Edmonton area.

Work through it yourself

Our free troubleshooter asks a few questions and narrows down the likely cause, then gives you steps to try. At the end you can copy the summary, email it, or share the link with your own technician or a family member. Nothing to install, and no email required.