C Drive Data Recovery | Recover Deleted Files from C Drive

How to recover deleted files from C drive? This post gathers several methods to help you recover permanently deleted files from C drive. Check it out!

Lora

By Lora / Updated on April 2, 2024

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What happens when files are deleted from C drive?

Users create, edit, modify, and save their files on their computers. For better performance, they use the C drive as a system partition or boot partition; meanwhile, they use other partitions like D/E drives as data partitions.

But, sometimes, the C drive also acts as a data partition because some users are willing to save their files on the C drive; for example, saving data in the Documents folder, Pictures folder, and desktop.

Sometimes, they also delete files to free up space on the C disk. Thus, disasters may happen, and plenty of users seek methods to recover lost files from C drive.

In addition, they are bothered by data loss from the C drive for other reasons, e.g., a bunch of people find their desktop files disappeared after being infected by viruses.

In this case, many will navigate to the Recycle Bin to restore them before emptying the bin. But those who have permanently removed the data are out of luck.

Then, is there any approach that allows us to recover permanently deleted files from C drive?

recover-deleted-files-from-c-drive

Do we have an option to recover permanently deleted items from C drive?

Under some circumstances, yes. If you are lucky enough to possess a backup in local drives, cloud storage, or external hard drives, you could get them back quite easily. If not, it might be challenging.

But the deleted files are not totally irreversible. When they get deleted from the Recycle Bin, they are still where they were before getting overwritten. With proper and advanced techs and tools, C drive data recovery is possible.

Don’t worry; this article gathers several solutions to help you.

Recover permanently deleted files from C drive without backups via MyRecover

Firstly, let’s start with the most tricky and troublesome one. To cope with permanently removed files from C drive, using an efficient and reliable Windows data recovery tool is the easiest way, even if you don’t have backups.

MyRecover, designed by AOMEI, the leading benchmark in the data security industry, is the second-to-none choice. You will get helped and impressed with its unique & advanced features.

Restore permanently deleted data in a breeze
  • Efficient. Apply to circumstances that lead to C drive data loss, such as deletion, formatting, recycle bin emptying, system crashes, etc.
  • Simple to use. Provide a simple & clear user interface, making it easy for everyone to recover data in just three easy steps.
  • Convenient. Maintain the original filenames, locations, and formats while recovering files.
  • Compatible. Available for NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS on Windows 11/10/8/7/Server.
Download SoftwareWin 11/10/8/7/Server
Secure Download

This app facilitates all to recover the most frequently used files, like photos, videos, audio, documents, spreadsheets, emails, etc., at a high recovery rate. Follow the guide below.

Step 1. Install and run the software > hover the mouse over the C drive > click Scan.

select-location-to-scan

Step 2. Search for the files you need using the filters: Size, Type, Date modified, etc.

scanning-drive

Step 3. Go to Deleted files > navigate to the original location > select the important files you need to restore > click Recover x files. Or go to Recycle Bin to recover items permanently deleted from Recycle Bin

select-files-to-restore

✍ MyRecover provides 3 subscription plans: Monthly, Yearly, and Lifetime. Choose data recovery plans as you like and prefer, or try free versions. Also, upgrade to MyRecover Pro/Tech to enjoy unlimited file recovery.

Other methods to recover deleted files from C drive

In this part, we will also give details to help you recover lost files from C drive. When seeking methods to recover data after deleting files from C drive, the first action will be using the Undo feature.

>> Right-click the blank space inside the folder/desktop and select Undo Delete. Or, press Ctrl+Z to recall the deletion.

undo-delete

If it fails, try the following means.

Method 1. Recover deleted files from C drive quickly via Recycle Bin

Take a look at the trash bin and see if you can directly recover deleted files from Recycle Bin.

Go to Recycle Bin > find or search for your removed data > right-click the files > click Restore.

recycle-bin-restore

Then they will be restored to their original location.

Notes:✎...
If the deleted files are not in Recycle Bin, the following methods may be of some help.

Method 2. Recover lost files from C drive using File History

If you fail to find the removed data in the bin, they are permanently deleted. Without professional third-party tools like MyRecover, you may have to turn to your backups.

File History is one of the backup features of built-in Windows machines. Once activated, it backs up C drive files/folders.

Step 1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > File History.

file-history

Step 2. Select Restore personal files.

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Step 3. Go to the target folder/original location > choose the files you need > click the Recover icon. For example, go to the desktop folder; you could recover permanently deleted Excel files from desktop.

restore-deleted-file

Method 3. Restore previous version of the parent folder

Another feature to recover lost files from C drive is the Previous Version. According to Windows, the previous versions of the files come from File History and restore points.

As long as you have enabled File History or system protection, you can restore previous versions of files/folders to get back the lost/deleted/corrupted/damaged files.

Step 1. Go to File Explorer > go to the parent folder where the deleted files were stored.

Step 2. Right-click the folder > Properties > Previous Versions > choose the latest version > Restore.

previous-version-restore

Method 4. Restore from the Windows backup

Windows machines have been built with a dedicated backup feature – Backup and Restore, since Windows 7. It allows users to back up files on local drives. Windows 10 users can also access this feature in Control Panel to restore files from backup in Windows 10.

Step 1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

backup-and-restore-windows-7

Step 2. Click Restore my files.

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Step 3. Click Browse for files/folders > select the data you need > Next.

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Step 4. Specify the destination to save your recovered files > click Restore.

select-location-to-save-recovered-files

Thus, you can achieve a successful C drive data recovery.

Wrapping up

This article helps users recover deleted files from C drive, whether after deletion, shift delete, emptying Recycle Bin, etc.

With the help of MyRecover – the reliable third-party tool, users can recover permanently deleted files from C drive without backup in straightforward 3 steps.

Using inbuilt backup features like Previous Version, File History, Backup and Restore, users can get files back as well.

Lora
Lora · Editor
Lora is an editor of AOMEI Technology. She is also a tester and editor of AOMEI Data Recovery Tools. -- "Keep testing, write the most useful tutorials for helping people recover the lost data for Windows and phones" is the most meaningful thing for her. Dedicated to creating helpful tutorials, she hopes her tutorial can assist users to effortlessly solve data loss problems on their personal computers and mobile phones.