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Formatted the wrong drive? Don’t panic—stop using it and recover safely.
Unformat: Recover Data from a Formatted Partition or Drive
If you accidentally formatted an NTFS/FAT/FAT32 partition (or your partition became RAW/damaged), you may still be able to recover files—especially if you haven’t written new data to the disk. This page shows the safest recovery approach using Lazesoft tools.
When “unformat” recovery works best
✅ Best-case scenarios
- Quick format (NTFS/FAT/FAT32)
- Accidental format of the wrong partition
- Partition became RAW after a crash/power loss
- Deleted partition, then no further writes
⚠️ Mixed results
- Some data written after formatting
- Repeated formatting / re-partitioning
- Encryption involved (BitLocker/FileVault)
You may recover partial data, older versions, or filenames may be missing.
❌ Often difficult
- Full format (may overwrite/verify sectors)
- TRIM on SSD after deletion/format
- Physical disk failure (clicking, disconnects)
For failing disks, clone first if possible, then recover from the clone image.
Recommended recovery methods (choose one)
Method A: Recover from Windows (data drive / external drive)
- Install Lazesoft Data Recovery on a different drive (not the formatted one).
- Launch the program and choose the scan mode for formatted/damaged partitions (often “Unformat” / “Partition Recovery” / “Deep Scan”).
- Select the formatted partition and start scanning.
- Preview and select files/folders to recover.
- Save recovered data to a separate disk.
If the formatted drive is an external HDD/USB, plug it into a stable USB port and avoid disconnecting during scan.
Method B: Recover from a bootable recovery disk (system drive / can’t boot)
- On a working PC, download Lazesoft Recovery Suite.
- Create a bootable USB/CD using the Media Builder.
- Boot the affected PC from the USB (Boot Menu / BIOS/UEFI).
- Open the Data Recovery module and scan the formatted/damaged partition.
- Recover files to an external drive or another internal disk.
Bootable recovery is often safer for system disks because it reduces background writes from Windows.
Pro tips to maximize success
Recover to a different disk
Never save recovered files back to the formatted drive. That can overwrite what you’re trying to recover.
Clone first for unstable drives
If the disk is failing or disconnecting, clone it (sector-by-sector) and recover from the image when possible.
Be patient with large drives
Deep scans on multi-TB disks can take a long time, especially on USB 2.0 or drives with many small files.
FAQ
Is “unformat” the same as “undelete”?
Not exactly. Undelete is for files deleted from an existing filesystem. Unformat / Partition Recovery targets situations where filesystem/partition structures were rebuilt or damaged (e.g., formatting, RAW, lost partition).
Can I recover from an SSD after formatting?
Sometimes, but SSDs may run TRIM which can reduce recoverability after deletion/format. Best practice: stop using the SSD immediately and scan as soon as possible.
What if Windows says “You need to format the disk before you can use it”?
Click Cancel. That message often appears when a partition becomes RAW or the filesystem is damaged. Scan the disk with a recovery tool first.
Where can I find a full step-by-step walkthrough?
See: How to recover data from a formatted or damaged partition, and the general guide hub: Tutorials.