Today I mistakenly formatted my hard drive, but don’t worry, I have a backup drive. I reinstalled Windows 8 and everything, so how can I recover all my files from the drive? I want my PC to be exactly as it was before the format. Please help me—I really need assistance and am willing to give it up if necessary. Thanks!
It will merely rely on the backup and retain whatever you possessed. Backups usually don’t preserve your desktop arrangement or preferences.
Return the files and configure the desired programs to use the original drive.
Windows must include a backup feature, prompting you to confirm whether you wish to utilize a restore option. Select the appropriate restore file.
A backup doesn't preserve settings usually. A formatted disk is recoverable if nothing was overwritten, but with Win8 installed on it, recovery seems improbable. Only after formatting can files possibly be retrieved. Linus has a video explaining this: simply copy the files over if you use the backup. Settings are unlikely to return.