Quickly Solved: How to Recover Fragmented Files Easily

This guide provides a detailed method to recover fragmented files successfully. Learn the importance of defragmentation, the use of recovery software, and preventive measures to keep your data safe.

Lori

By Lori / Updated on October 30, 2024

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Ever wondered why your computer always takes a long time to open a file? Or why does data recovery sometimes seem impossible? The culprit could be file fragmentation. Can fragmented files be recovered? YSE! The fragmented files that were not overwritten will be recoverable.

In this guide, we'll explore what file fragmentation is, the effects it has on files, and most importantly, how to recover fragmented files effectively. Let’s dive in!

How to Recover Fragmented Files

Understand the File Fragmentation

File fragmentation occurs when a file is broken into pieces and stored in different locations on your hard drive. This typically happens as files are created, modified, and deleted. Think of it like a puzzle with pieces scattered all over the place. Your computer has to work harder to find and assemble the pieces, leading to decreased performance and potential data recovery issues.

Effects of Fragmentation on Data Recovery

Fragmentation doesn't just slow down your computer; it can also make data recovery a real headache. When files are fragmented, it takes longer for the system to read and write data, resulting in decreased performance. Also, the chances of data corruption increase, making it harder to recover them. Fragments can be overwritten by new data, making it difficult to piece the file back together.

Key Takeaways

Before performing fragmented file recovery, defragment it first to increase the chances of successfully recovering data.

Defragmentation is the process of reorganizing the data on your hard drive so that the fragmented files are put back together. This not only improves system performance but also improves the chances of successfully recovering data. For traditional hard drives, defragmentation is a maintenance task that must be performed.

🌟To defragment, go to Start > Control Panel > System and Security. Click on Defragment and Optimize Drives. Select the drive you want to defragment and click Optimize.

How to Recover Fragmented Files Effortlessly

Although it is difficult to recover fragmented files, if you don’t want to lose any fragmented files, a good data recovery tool can help you. Here, MyRecover is a reliable fragmented file recovery software. It stands out with its user-friendly interface and powerful recovery features.

Here are the reasons why it is the best choice:

🍕 The intuitive interface makes the recovery process simple and recovers fragmented files with 3 simple steps.
🍕 MyRecover performs a Quick & Deep scan to find all file fragments, so it can recover files with a high success rate.
🍕 It supports data recovery from almost all storage devices, including recovering deleted files from USB, SD cards, HDDs, SSDs, external hard drives, and more.
🍕 Filter and recover dataquickly without losing filename/path/format/content/quality. You can also preview them before recovery.
🍕 Support Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, or Server PC and 4 file systems (NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS).

Now, free download and install MyRecover on your computer as soon as possible. The free edition allows you to recover deleted files, up to 500MB for free. Have a try!

Download Software Windows 11/10/8/7/Server
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How to recover fragmented files effectively?

Step 1. Select the drive and start scanning

Download MyRecover on Windows PC, install, and run it. Then hover the mouse over the drive that saves your fragmented files, and click Scan.

select-location-to-scan

Step 2. Scan the drive and preview the files

MyRecover will scan your drive automatically and thoroughly to locate all the fragmented files on the drive.

scanning-drive

🌟Tip: You can preview or filter data based on Files Type, Size, Date, etc.
  • Type: Select the file type (Documents, Images, Videos, Audios, Mails, Webpages, Compressed files, etc.)
  • Date modified: Set the date (today, yesterday, last 7/30 days, etc.)
  • Size: Filter the file size (<128KB, 128KB~1MB, 1MB~ 512MB, 512MB above, etc.)

Step 3. Recover fragmented files

Choose the fragmented files you want to recover and click Recover X Files. Please select a new location where you wish to restore them.

select-files-to-restore

🌟Tips:
  • If you want to recover more than 500MB of files, please upgrade to MyRecover Pro or Technician to enjoy unlimited file recovery and powerful recovery features like creating bootable media.
  • Apart from fragmented files, it can recover 200+ file formats: recover deleted Microsoft Word, Excel, PPT, PDF, PPTX, ODP, CSV, WPS files, etc.
  • Moreover, MyRecover applies to all data loss scenarios, such as lost or deleted partitions, formatted disks, computer crashed recovery, virus infection, etc.

Why Does File Fragmentation Occur & How to Prevent?

While it is vital to know how to recover fragmented files, prevention is always better than cure. Here are some tips to reduce file fragmentation:

What Causes File Fragmentation?

File fragmentation occurs for a variety of reasons:

🤳 Frequent file modification: Constantly editing and saving files can cause file fragmentation.

🧵 Disk space limitations: When free space is limited, the system may place file fragments anywhere in the available space.

🎐 File deletion: Deleting files creates gaps that new files may partially occupy, causing fragmentation.

Preventive Measures to Avoid Fragmentation

Prevention is always better than cure. Here are some tips to avoid fragmentation in the first place:

1. Defragment your disk regularly

Make a habit of defragmenting your hard drive regularly. This helps maintain optimal performance and reduces the risk of file fragmentation.

2. Keep enough free space

Make sure your hard drive has enough free space. Avoid filling it up, as this increases the likelihood of file fragmentation.

3. Use a solid-state drive (SSD)

SSDs are less prone to fragmentation than traditional hard drives. Consider upgrading to an SSD for better performance and reduced risk of fragmentation.

4. Regular backups

Always have a backup of your important files. You’re supposed to regular backups via this free Windows backup software, AOMEI Backupper against data loss.

Conclusion

Fragmentation slows down file access and transfer speeds, especially on magnetic hard drives. The need to find and access multiple fragmented parts of a file introduces additional seek time, which can cause delays and lost productivity.

It is important to employ strategies such as defragmentation and use appropriate data recovery software like MyRecover to recover fragmented files. Try it for free now! Please remember to take preventative measures, you can minimize the risk of file fragmentation and ensure your data remains safe and accessible.

Download Software Windows 11/10/8/7/Server
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Recover Fragmented Files FAQs

1. Can files be recovered after defragmentation?

Yes, files can still be recovered after defragmentation, but it’s more challenging. Defragmentation is suitable only for traditional hard disk drives and should not be performed on solid-state drives or other storage media.

2. How to fix fragmented files?

To manually run Disk Defragmenter, follow these steps:

  • Click the Start menu or Windows button.
  • Select Control Panel, then System and Security.
  • Under Administrative Tools, click Defragment your hard drive.
  • Select Analyze disk.
  • If defragmentation is needed, click Defragment disk.

3. How to Recover Files from Found.000 Folder?

To recover files from the Found.000 folder, you can convert .chk files to their original format or use UnCHK for .chk file recovery. If the Found.000 folder is lost, you can use MyRecover to restore the folder and the .chk files within it.

4. How to restore recovered file fragments?

To restore recovered file fragments, convert .chk files back to their original file extensions. Here’s how:

  • Create a text document on your computer.
  • Open the file and type ren *.chk *.jpg (replace .jpg with the desired extension).
  • Change the .txt extension of this file to .bat.
  • Copy and paste this .bat file into the Found.000 folder.
  • Run the .bat file by double-clicking it.
  • This is the easiest way to restore the file fragments to their original format.

5. Why Is It Challenging to Recover Data from Fragmented Storage Media?

Recovering data from fragmented storage media, especially SSD drives, can be challenging due to the limited available space and the nature of data storage on SSDs. Fragmented files are more likely to occur and the file system may not retain the information needed for easy recovery.

Lori
Lori · Editor
Lori receives professional technical training since joining AOMEI, and aims at helping users troubleshoot problems on data recovery and protection. She focuses on simple, efficient and practical methods, and provides professional advice. Being able to help readers and users is her ultimate goal.