Probably, many were faced with a situation where the necessary files were deleted randomly or during system malfunctions. No one is safe from this. But what to use for fast file recovery? In this regard, the free Recuva program, which has unique algorithms and capabilities, is perfect. Consider its use as detailed as possible.
Recuva file recovery program: main features
The most important thing is that it is not just an application that allows you to recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin. This file recovery program can search for them and perform operations even if scanning for problematic or damaged media (hard drives, flash drives, MP3 players, cameras, etc.).
At the same time, not to mention the possibility of restoring any specific content, the application allows the so-called reliable removal of unnecessary objects. The technologies used in it are based on the fact that when you delete a file from the same "Recycle Bin", in fact, it does not go anywhere. The first character is changed in his name, replaced with a dollar sign ($), as a result of which standard objects of the operating system do not see such an object. If the sector in which the file was located was not overwritten, the recovery process will be elementary.
Recuva: how to use the installer?
First you need to install (integrate) the application into the system. The installer uses the standard "Wizard", which you must follow. The program itself is small and will not take up much disk space.
If you do not perform a standard installation, you can use a portable utility with the same name. Both versions have a Russified interface, and do not cause any special difficulties in use.
Integration in the Windows Recycle Bin Menu
If the user has a stationary version of Recuva installed, how to use it will be clear if you look closely at the "Recycle Bin" menu, called by right-clicking.
Naturally, you can launch the application through the main executable file of the EXE format or click on the program shortcut. However, the call through the Recycle Bin looks simpler (of course, provided that the objects were deleted through it, and not using special keyboard shortcuts like Shift + Del or changing the global Recycle Bin settings so that the object would not initially fit into it )
Application launch options and file type selection
We turn to the practical application of the Recuva program. How to use this utility? Easy peasy. We launch the application using any of the above methods. After that, the welcome screen of the Recovery Wizard is displayed. In it, click the continue button and go to the selection of the desired types of objects.
The convenience is that you can select all the files (scanning, however, will take longer), but you can use only one type (music, video, email messages, archives, office documents, etc.).
After making your selection, click the continue button again, after which the Recuva Windows application offers to indicate the source location of the deleted files. The trick here is that the user can use the appropriate line if he does not exactly remember where the necessary objects were originally stored. Again, the scan will be performed on all available media, hard drives and logical partitions.
Next, we activate the scanning process and wait for the result to appear. Files found will be marked with three colors:
- green - full recovery is possible;
- yellow - there is a possibility of partial recovery;
- red - recovery is not possible.
Data recovery process
Next, simply tick off the files you need and use the restore button. In this case, you will need to specify the location to save restored copies.
This process can take a rather long period of time, especially if too many objects are selected.
Deleting Files Using Recuva
Finally, another application feature that few people know about. In the scan results, you can note unnecessary files that must be physically deleted from the hard drive or any other medium.
Let's take a closer look at the Recuva utility. How to use this feature? Simple too. We tick off the necessary objects, and then right-click on the additional context menu in which we use the line of reliable deletion. All marked objects will be deleted without the possibility of subsequent restoration.
Conclusion
Although many people believe that Recuva data recovery produces better than other programs, one can disagree with this. For example, when scanning video files, the application often marks most of the objects found in red, which indicates the impossibility of recovery. No matter what they say, a 1.5 GB full-length film cannot be restored. But there are no problems with short videos.
The application works pretty well with other formats, except that music files can also not always be restored, and some objects that are not included in the list of supported formats are not displayed at all. In general, you can use the program as a free and fast tool. But if you need a professional approach to these processes, it is better to use packages like R-Studio (at least for removable memory cards used in mobile devices).