Top Myths About Recovering Deleted Data and Deleted Files
The Windows Recycle Bin saves every deleted file or folder.
Depending on how and when a file was deleted, it may not be in the Recycle Bin, and
therefore may not be recoverable.
Files from older application software programs will always be readable.
As applications are upgraded, older copies of the programs may no longer function, and
newer versions of the same manufacturer’s software, may no longer read the older version
data files. This could be true with accounting, point of sale, or office automation software
programs.
Applications don’t automatically delete files without asking.
Some application software programs have installed defaults where data past a certain age
is automatically purged.
As an example, a default setting on an installed application may automatically
purge all historical data after 30 days. Also, if you are using software that replicates
data between locations, these setting may be different for each physical location.
Regular backups allow for fast file recovery.
How and when data is backed-up affects not only your ability to access it in a timely manner,
but how to restore it as well.
As an example… If you are doing daily incremental backups of only changed
files, with a master backup being done on Sunday – if you have to restore
files to what they where on Thursday night after the backup was made, you
would have to restore Sundays full back-up and each subsequent days incremental backups
leading up that last incremental backup. Depending on the size and nature of the files
this could take an extended amount of time, as well cause some extended down time
for users who cannot be using applications while the files are being restored.
Cloud backups make for faster recovery.
Variable speeds during both backup and restoration could extend the amount of time and
work required to recover files. I have also heard of instances where off-site backup data
has been lost, due to various issues from servers with the data no longer being online, to
services that were prematurely terminated, and the vendor subsequently dumped the data after
a very short period of time.
Once a file is deleted, it’s automatically removed from your hard drive.
When a files is deleted, it is normally marked as deleted and hidden from view,
and unless the area of the hard drive that was used was overwritten by other files,
it could possibly be recovered. However, doing this sort of recovery requires specialized
software tools, experience, and time usually lots of money.
If you have concerns about your backup systems and you ability to recover data and programs,
pleas contact the CCS Retail Systems support Department.
– John