Learn how to recover lost files after reinstalling Windows.
Learn how to recover lost files after reinstalling Windows.
Hello, my name is Narek. I just reinstalled Windows and found that almost all my family photos (around 600GB) were missing. I tried using a flash drive and went through BIOS to do another installation. The PC has only one HDD with two partitions, and everything was stored there. Now I’m trying to open different apps but am unsure if they can assist. What should I do to recover those files? I really appreciate your help.
According to @PDifolco, your data is likely lost if you didn’t delete your partitions before installing Windows. If you didn’t do that, it should be saved in the windows.old folder on the C drive. Seeing only one partition might mean you need to check disk management and assign a letter to the other drive. Otherwise, a professional recovery service could assist.
They're missing now. As others noted earlier, they might still exist on a different partition, but since you mentioned they were on the same drive as the operating system and you deleted that partition, it's unlikely you'll recover them. I suggest looking in Dropbox if you're logged in—Windows can automatically back up there, and some of your photos might be there. If not, ask other relatives to check their devices. Losing all this is frustrating, but for the future, using cloud storage is far more practical and cost-effective than risking irreplaceable data.
We suggest verifying DropBox because it offers unique features tailored to your needs. Compared to alternatives like OneDrive, Google Drive, or iCloud, it stands out with its specific functionality. I’m not sure why you’d focus on one service over others—maybe it has a particular use case for your family. No worries about Windows backups either; the issue is more about what you’re looking for. Your question about what makes DropBox special is valid, and I appreciate your feedback on this topic.
People often don’t back up until it’s too late. Consider using a NAS or OneDrive for your data protection. With an Office subscription you have 1TB of storage; you can obtain the subscription for free as a student. The good news is you can verify photos and videos on phones, cameras, or other devices to ensure they’re safe or never lost. If your drive is an HDD rather than an SSD, try data recovery tools. Remember, the more you store, the harder it is to recover what’s missing. This happened to me before smartphones existed—I faced an HDD failure. Now I rely on a NAS and offsite backups.
Storage uses an HDD. Previously I had two partitions—C for OS and F for images. From BIOS I attempted to move data from F to C and then erase C, but everything disappeared. During installation I realized there’s only one partition left © with no data. I haven’t made a backup and didn’t use a cloud service to store my files.
Storage uses an HDD. Previously I had two partitions—C for OS and F for images. From BIOS I attempted to move data from F to C and erase C, but something went wrong and all files disappeared. During installation I noticed only one partition remains © with no data inside. I haven’t made a backup and didn’t use a cloud service to store my files.
Sorry guys I'm using the app for the first time. Storage is HDD I used to have 2 partitions(C, F) OS on C, images on F. When from BIOS I tried to keep the data on F and wipe data on C, something happened and now all is gone though. Then during the installation I discovered that now I have 1 partition and© and there is no data within. I haven't done a backup and haven't use a cloud server to keep my data within the cloud(I don't know why).
There might be options to revert Windows back to a previous version. You’ll need to check if your system supports rollback features or consider using recovery tools like System Restore or third-party utilities. If you’re unsure, look into apps such as System Restore, Windows Recovery Environment, or reputable data restoration software.