Data loss due to accidental deletion and formatting is common. One may accidentally format a drive partition while disk partitioning by using third-party software or Windows Disk management tool. Also, when a system fails to boot, and a user tries to fix it by using recovery drive, they may accidentally format the Windows partition, leading to data loss.
Is it Possible to Recover Data from Formatted Windows Drive Partition?
Data recovery from a formatted Windows PC or drive partition is possible with the help of a reliable data recovery tool. There is no other way to get back data from a formatted storage media or Windows PC.
However, the possibility of data recovery depends on several factors. Follow the tips and solutions discussed in this post to recover up to 100% data from a formatted Windows 10 PC or drive. But before that, take the following precautions:
● Avoid Overwriting
Immediately stop using the Windows PC or drive after formatting. Continued usage of the device can cause data overwriting which can lead to permanent data loss beyond the scope of recovery.
● Check Backup
Before going any further, check local and cloud backup for lost files. If the backup isn’t available or obsolete, you have no other option but to use a data recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery Professional.
How to Recover Data from Formatted Windows Partition?
Remove the formatted Windows disk from the system and connect it to a working Windows PC. Then use Stellar Data Recovery Professional software to recover data from the formatted Windows drive.
Alternatively, the software lets you create a bootable USB data recovery media that doesn’t require you to remove Windows disk from your PC or laptop.
The bootable data recovery media allows you to recover data when Windows doesn’t boot due to formatting or corruption. The USB media boots directly and runs Stellar Data Recovery Professional software in standalone mode for hassle-free data recovery.
Steps to Create a Bootable USB Data Recovery Media
- Download and install Stellar Data Recovery Professional tool on a Windows PC
- Connect a USB thumb drive to your PC. Make sure the USB drive is empty as it will be formatted
- Launch the software. Go to ‘More Tools’ at the top-right and choose ‘Create Recovery Drive.’
NOTE: To create a bootable data recovery drive, you need an activation key.
4. Select the USB drive and click ‘Create Recovery Drive.
5. Click ‘OK’ to confirm
6. Then enter the product license key and click ‘Activate’ to finish creating bootable USB data recovery media
You can then connect the drive to your formatted Windows PC and select the USB drive as boot media from the BIOS or Boot Menu. To access BIOS or Boot Menu, refer to your Laptop or motherboard manufacturer’s manual or support site. Usually, it is either F2, F12 or DEL key.
The PC boots from the USB drive and displays the following software screen.
Follow the data recovery wizard to get back every bit of data from your formatted Windows drive partition in 3-simple steps:
Step 1: Select Data You Wish To Recover
Choose files you want to recover from the available options.
You may add and recover a custom file type by adding a few sample files via Settings>Add Header option.
Step 2: Choose the Formatted Windows Drive to Scan
Select the formatted Windows Drive Partition under ‘Connected Drives’. Turn on ‘Deep Scan’ toggle switch at the bottom left and click ‘Scan.’
Deep Scan recovers data from Windows drives based on file signatures. It thoroughly scans each sector on the drive and facilitates RAW recovery from formatted and corrupt storage devices
Step 3: Preview and Save Desired Files from the Scan Results
After the scan, select the desired files that you want to recover. You can also click on a file to see its preview.
Click ‘Recover’. Then ‘Browse’ to choose a save location and click ‘Start Saving’ to save selected files from the scan results at your desired location.
NOTE: Choose a different drive volume as save location to save recovered data and avoid data overwriting.
Stellar Data Recovery Professional also features Drive Monitor tool for added protection against data loss due to disk errors. The tool actively monitors and reports Windows disk performance, temperature, health and SMART parameters. It also lets you clone a failing or severely fragmented disk for more secure and faster data recovery.
Tips to Avoid Data Loss in Windows
- Keep at least one copy of your files on an external hard drive or cloud storage
- Configure Recycle Bin properties
- Always take data backup before updating Windows
- Create System Restore points before installing a software
- Install a reliable antivirus or anti-malware protection
- Monitor Windows disk health with tools such as Drive Monitor in Stellar Data Recovery Professional
- Never install a cracked or patched version of any software
Conclusion
Data recovery from formatted Windows PC or drive partition requires you to use an advanced data recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery Professional. Unlike other data recovery tools, this DIY software doesn’t require you to unscrew your laptop or PC to remove the disk. It creates bootable data recovery media that boots directly and facilitates data recovery in standalone mode from internal drives of your PC or laptop. Use the software when backups are unavailable or obsolete.
Plus, the software also monitors the disk health, reports SMART parameters and helps avoid data loss scenarios due to disk-related errors. To prevent permanent data loss situations, always keep a regular backup of all your important files.
If users wish to avail a complete freeware recovery software then download our free edition.