When files vanish or a drive fails, the first actions matter most. Doing the wrong thing, even with good intentions, can make recovery impossible.
Stop and switch off
Keep using the device and you may overwrite the files you want back. Switch it off and leave it alone until you have advice.
What not to do
These actions often make things worse.
- Running repair or clean up tools on a failing drive
- Shaking, opening or freezing a drive
- Installing recovery software on the same drive
- Repeatedly switching a clicking drive on
Get the right help
Describe what happened and what is on the drive. A technician can tell you whether a simple recovery is likely or whether it needs a specialist lab, and what each costs before any work starts.