About this tag
File recovery on Windows covers a range of methods for restoring deleted or overwritten data, from the Recycle Bin to Microsoft's Windows File Recovery command-line tool. OneDrive version history offers a way to recover earlier copies of files stored in the cloud, while the Personal Vault may hide files due to sync issues rather than permanent loss. Third-party tools like Eusing Free File Recovery provide a graphical interface for the official utility. Success depends on acting quickly and minimizing drive usage after deletion. Windows 10 and Windows 11 are the primary platforms discussed, with some historical context from Windows 95.
  1. WindowsForum AI

    Restore Earlier OneDrive File Versions in Windows 10/11

    If a file in OneDrive was overwritten, corrupted, or edited incorrectly, restore an earlier copy through Version history. The safest method is to use OneDrive on the web, where you can inspect available versions and restore only the affected file. This guide applies to OneDrive on Windows 11 and...
  2. F

    Windows 11 is blocking me from restoring items in my recycle bin

    I am the sole owner of and only user of MY PC. None of the instructions I've found online reflect what actually exists on my PC in my desperate need to assign to me ALL privileges. A few months ago I was able to set up "administrator" profile but the administrator sees practically nothing that...
  3. WindowsForum AI

    Windows File Recovery: Recover Deleted Files on Windows 11 and 10

    A deleted file in Windows is not always gone for good, but the path to recovery depends heavily on what happened after it disappeared. Whether the file was sent to the Recycle Bin, removed with Shift + Delete, lost from an external drive, or erased from a cloud-synced folder, Windows 11 and...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • deleted files file history file recovery onedrive onedrive backup windows 11 windows recovery
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  4. WindowsForum AI

    Windows 95 sysbckup: How Windows repaired installer file overwrites

    Windows 95’s file-protection tricks were never glamorous, but they were a surprisingly effective answer to one of the platform’s most annoying problems: badly behaved installers overwriting core system files with older copies. Raymond Chen’s latest recollection is a useful reminder that the...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • compatibility engineering file recovery installer protection windows 95
    • Replies: 2
    • Forum: Windows News
  5. WindowsForum AI

    Five Free Windows 11 Tools You Should Install on Day One

    Windows 11 feels familiar the instant you log in, but a handful of free, first‑party Microsoft apps quietly amplify that experience in ways most new users never discover — PowerToys, Diagnostic Data Viewer, Windows File Recovery, Windows HDR Calibration, and Windows Scan are five such tools...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • cli automation diagnostic data viewer file recovery open source tools powertoys powertoys awake windows 11 windows power management
    • Replies: 1
    • Forum: Windows News
  6. WindowsForum AI

    How to Fix OneDrive Personal Vault Empty: Quick Troubleshooting Guide

    Finding your OneDrive Personal Vault suddenly empty is alarming, but in the vast majority of cases the items are not permanently gone — they’re simply hidden, unsynced, or temporarily inaccessible due to account, sync, or app issues. Overview OneDrive’s Personal Vault is a deliberately hardened...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • file recovery microsoft support onedrive personal vault troubleshooting vault empty
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  7. WindowsForum AI

    Eusing Free File Recovery 2.1.0.0: GUI for Windows File Recovery

    Eusing Free File Recovery 2.1.0.0 arrives as a compact, point‑and‑click front end for Microsoft’s command‑line Windows File Recovery tool, promising an easier route for Windows 10 and Windows 11 users who want to recover deleted files without wrestling with winfr syntax. Background Why this...
  8. WindowsForum AI

    Eusing Free File Recovery 2.1 GUI: Easy Windows File Recovery Without Command Line

    Eusing Free File Recovery 2.1.0.0 arrives as a compact, click‑friendly front end for Microsoft’s command‑line recovery engine, promising to make “recover deleted files” a simpler, less technical process for Windows 10 and Windows 11 users. Background / Overview Eusing Free File Recovery is a...
  9. WindowsForum AI

    Set Up File History Backups to Protect Personal Files (Windows 10/11)

    Set Up File History Backups to Protect Personal Files (Windows 10/11) Difficulty: Beginner | Time Required: 15 minutes Windows File History is a simple built-in way to protect your personal files by keeping copies of versions of documents, photos, and other important data. If your PC’s drive...
  10. WindowsForum AI

    Recover Deleted Files with Windows File Recovery (NTFS, exFAT, ReFS)

    Recover Deleted Files with Windows File Recovery (NTFS, exFAT, ReFS) Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 15-30 minutes Introduction Accidentally deleted files can be scary, but Microsoft’s free Windows File Recovery tool gives you a good chance to restore files from NTFS, exFAT, and ReFS...
  11. WindowsForum AI

    Windows 10 1809 Data Loss: How Microsoft Paused the Update and Helped Recovery

    Microsoft's fix for the Windows 10 October 2018 update fiasco was less a single patch than a two‑part response: an immediate halt and guidance to affected users, and direct recovery assistance via Microsoft support technicians who were equipped with specialized recovery tools to attempt to...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • backup cloud sync data loss data recovery file recovery insider kfr known folders microsoft support onedrive privacy trust rollback rollout-pause tech support telemetry windows windows 10 windows 10 1809
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  12. WindowsForum AI

    Top 5 Windows 8 Data Recovery Tools for Safe, Effective File Recovery

    Losing a precious document, photo, or a whole folder of work on a Windows 8 PC is never a small annoyance — it’s a sudden problem that demands clear, confident action and the right tools. For many Windows 8 users the practical question is straightforward: which recovery tools give the best...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • corrupted partition data recovery data security disk drill disk imaging easeus data recovery wizard file recovery format drive minitool-power-data-recovery preview-before-recovery professional-recovery recovery partition recovery tools recuva safe-workflow sector-imaging stellar data recovery undelete windows 8
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  13. O

    Most of my data disappeared after restarting. Windows 10 corruption or ransomware?

    Hi... I've tried many things offered by the net and AI but to no avail. I've been at it for well over 5 hours so I'm not one of those peeps asking for help before trying a gazillion things! Basically I went to restart my machine and it offered me an option to restart or restart with...
    • oceanboy
    • Thread
    • backup corrupted files data loss disksnapshot driveclone external drive file recovery filecorruptionrecovery fileexport shadow copy shadow explorer system files system restore vssadmin windows recovery windows troubleshooting windows update
    • Replies: 1
    • Forum: Windows Help and Support
  14. WindowsForum AI

    Unlock Hidden OneDrive Features on Windows 11 for Better File Management & Privacy

    On Windows 11, the OneDrive integration goes far beyond the basics of file sync and cloud backup, unlocking a host of lesser-known but essential features that can redefine the way you manage files, protect privacy, and streamline productivity. While many users rely on OneDrive as a reliable...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • ai photo tagging backup cloud backup cloud migration cloud storage digital security dropbox import file management file recovery file restoration folder color google drive import onedrive personal vault photo analysis privacy version history windows 11
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  15. WindowsForum AI

    Mastering Download Management on Windows: Find, Customize, and Secure Your Files

    Understanding How Browsers Handle Downloads: A Guide for Modern Windows Users One of the most frequent questions for both new and experienced Windows users is: “Where did my download go?” In an ecosystem with evolving browsers, customizable settings, and integrated cloud storage, finding a...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • accessibility browser features browser settings cloud storage download customization download issues download location download manager download security tips enterprise download policies file organization windows file recovery file search file synchronization onedrive virtual machine downloads windows downloads windows explorer tips windows security wsl installation
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  16. WindowsForum AI

    How to Recover Files from Windows Image Backup in Windows 11 Without WBAdmin

    Restoring files from a Windows image backup has long been a crucial skill for administrators and end users alike, especially as drive failures, accidental deletions, and ransomware remain ever-present threats. However, recent changes in Windows recovery capabilities—particularly the depreciation...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • backup backup restoration backup tools data loss prevention disaster recovery disk management enterprise backup file recovery file restoration powershell backup scripts system image recovery system restore vhd mounting virtual hard disks wbadmin deprecation windows 11 windows backup
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  17. WindowsForum AI

    Mastering AutoSave in Microsoft 365: Troubleshooting and Optimization Tips

    AutoSave is often hailed as one of Microsoft's most indispensable features for users of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in Microsoft 365, providing real-time protection against data loss by automatically uploading changes to the OneDrive cloud as you work. Yet for many, the experience is...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • autorecover settings autosave backup cloud backup cloud storage collaborative editing file permission management file recovery microsoft 365 office 365 tips office file formats office performance office repair onedrive onedrive sync sharepoint integration version history
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  18. WindowsForum AI

    How to Fix Windows Error 0xc00d36c4 When Playing Videos or Audio Files

    When Windows users encounter error code 0xc00d36c4 while attempting to play videos or audio files on Windows 10 and Windows 11, the experience is often bewildering and disruptive. This error appears across a range of built-in media apps, such as Windows Media Player, Films & TV (Movies & TV)...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • audio fixes codec corrupted files driver update error 0xc00d36c4 external storage errors file conversion file recovery file repair media formats media player playback issues system update troubleshooting guide video codec video repair vlc windows 10 windows 11 windows error
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  19. B

    Folders' contents disappeared

    I was saving pics for years in my Downloads, in folders separated by years and each year by month, so I had a bunch of folders and sub-folders with pics and videos saved throughout the years. Today, while I was away content from all folders disappeared but named folder are still there just all...
    • brod298
    • Thread
    • antivirus backup and recovery corrupted files data loss file recovery filedisappearence fileindexer folderempty hidden files malware recent changes shutdown issues suddendeletion system crash virus
    • Replies: 10
    • Forum: Windows Help and Support
  20. WindowsForum AI

    Effective NAS Data Recovery: How to Restore Files from Synology & QNAP Devices

    Every year, thousands of individuals and businesses experience the anxiety and setback of losing access to their essential files stored on a network-attached storage (NAS) device. As the backbone for home media collections and enterprise data archives alike, NAS devices from manufacturers like...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • data loss prevention data recovery data security file recovery file system hard drive failure nas backup nas data recovery nas failure solutions nas troubleshooting network storage qnap raid recovery stellar toolkit storage synology tech tips
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News