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Let’s get to the important part first - if you’ve just lost your data, skip past this introduction and go directly to our first tip, so you can start your rescue operation. If not, a few minutes spent now might help you a lot in the future. Pay special attention to our third tip.

I always thought of myself as a reliable guy with reliable data. I never deleted my files accidentally, I made regular backups and had a power supply for my computer to protect me against surges and outages. However last year I experienced two cases of data loss where I needed to use recovery software. The first was a dead hard drive that’d hardly served a year. Subsequently, I accidentally deleted a large project file that was too big for the Recycle Bin. Happily I’ve got all my data back, thanks to good advice and a little preparation.

These handy tips will help you stay confident in the face of data loss, no matter how it occurs.

Tip #1: Use your system as little as possible until you recover all of your lost files. The more activity taking place on your hard disk, the greater the chance that some of your lost data might be written over.

- Don’t copy any files to the disk containing your lost data;
- Avoid browsing the web, because your web browser saves cache files on the disk;
- Don’t launch any unnecessary programs, because they can also use your disk;
- Don’t restart your computer.

Tip #2: Before you go further, take steps to free up some space on the disk containing your lost files. The more free space your system has, the less chance of overwriting any lost files with new ones. You can do one or more of the following things.

- Delete old files that you don’t need anymore (you can also move them to another source, like a USB flash drive, instead of deleting);
- Empty your Recycle Bin - making sure that you haven’t put any important files in there by mistake;
- Empty your browser cache. For Internet Explorer, click on the “Tools” menu, then select “Internet Options”. Then, on the “General” tab, click the “Delete Files…” button.

Tip #3: To install any software after data damage increases the risk of your data being overwritten, so if you haven’t had any data problems yet, consider installing a data recovery program just in case. Prevention is always better than cure, and a recovery program is good insurance for your data. However, if you don’t yet have a recovery program, find one and - if possible - avoid installing it to the disk where your lost files are located.

Most recovery programs work fairly similarly. You need to select the disk where the lost files are located, let the program analyze the content of the disk - this can take a while - and then select the file you want to recover. Then, provide a location where you want to save that file. You should try to avoid recovering files to the same disk. You could use another hard drive, a network or removable media like a floppy disk or USB flash drive.

After you recover your files, check that they are correct. If you’ve recovered applications, check that they still run, or if you’ve recovered documents, check that your words are still there. Even the best recovery software can’t guarantee 100% results. If some parts of your files were overwritten - meaning that other data was saved to their location on your disk - after recovery they might contain invalid information. Depending on the type of file involved, partially recovered files like this can be mended by special utilities.

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If you have work files, private financial information or bookkeeping stored on your computer, this could be the most important article that you will ever read. As with any electronic device, glitches can occur without warning and, when it comes to computers, they can often result in the loss of important files. But, what if there was some way to recover the data that you thought was lost? For many, this theory is music to your ears. The good news is, however, that it’s not a theory because your computer may have an excellent data recovery capability that you didn’t even know about.

The first and most reliable way to ensure data recovery is to make a back-up copy of your file(s) and store them onto a CD or another location in your computer. In some cases, you may even prefer to store a back-up file on a different computer. This will help greatly in the event that your original file becomes corrupted or is missing.

If you are operating your computer using Microsoft Windows XP, you may use the System Restore feature to undo harmful changes to your computer and restore its settings and performance. System Restore returns your computer to an earlier time (called a restore point) without causing you to lose recent work, such as saved documents, e-mail or history and favorites lists. As an added benefit, any changes that System Restore makes to your computer are completely reversible. You may access this feature by clicking on Programs, then Accessories and choosing the System Restore feature. This will work as an effective data recovery method for most computer users.

If you experience problems with your startup screen, you may be able to restart the system in Safe Mode. This will allow for you to make some changes and access several features in an effort to find the problem. In Safe Mode, you will only have access to basic files and drivers, but will not be able to logon to the internet.

If you are still experiencing difficulty with data recovery, you may find success with inserting the appropriate Restore/System CD that came with your computer. When prompted, you can choose to repair the system without affecting any data or software programs. To do so, restart the computer with the CD inside and press R to start the Recovery Console. From there, you can access the drives on your computer and make any needed changes. This approach is effective if the computer is experiencing a problem with startup or is not working properly and no other remedy will work.

If you are experiencing problems that none of the aforementioned methods will correct, your last resort may be to use the Windows Installation CD, which will reinstall the operating system to it’s original configuration. This will erase all files, including data files, which means the only way to have a successful data recovery using this method is if you have saved back-up copies that you can access via CD-Rom or another computer and transfer them onto the reinstalled system.

In conclusion, the most successful data recovery will come from back-up copies and/or being able to use the Repair feature without affecting current files or programs. In some cases, the manufacturer of the computer may be able to recommend additional steps for data recovery, but the most common ones are outlined above.

Find more about desktop computers bundle, Internet access speed or how to make an emergency data recovery on http://www.emergencydatarecovery.org

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