I was attempting to create a Windows installation drive by transferring a Windows ISO to my external hard drive from one laptop to another. However, after this process, all the existing files and folders that were previously stored on the hard drive disappeared, and now only the Windows installation files are visible.
I suspect that while creating the Windows installer, the hard drive may have been formatted or turned into a bootable device, which possibly overwrote the file system or partition table. Unfortunately, I didn’t back up the data beforehand.
The drive is now showing only the Windows installation files, and I cannot see or access any of my original data.
Can anyone guide me on how to recover the lost data from this drive? Is it possible to recover files if the drive was formatted or if a bootable partition was created on it? Also, what are the best tools or methods recommended for this situation?
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Stop using the drive to prevent overwriting lost files. Try recovery software like Stellar, EaseUS, or Recuva to scan for missing data. Use TestDisk to check for lost partitions. If software doesn’t work, consider professional recovery services. Success depends on whether the data was overwritten.
Yes, it is possible to recover your lost data even if the drive was formatted or turned into a bootable device. Use BLR Data Recovery Tool, which can efficiently scan and restore lost files from formatted or overwritten drives. Avoid writing new data to the drive to increase recovery chances.
Yes, you may still be able to recover the missing data. When an external drive is made bootable, the previous files can disappear because the partition or file system information may have been changed or overwritten.
Softaken Data Recovery Software can help by scanning the affected drive for recoverable data. Its Deep Scan can look beyond the files currently visible in Windows, while its NTFS/FAT recovery, MFT analysis, low-level sector scanning, and file signature detection can help locate deleted or inaccessible files. It can also filter the scan results and recover multiple files at once.
Before scanning, stop using the drive and don’t format or create another bootable drive on it. After recovery, save the files to a different drive.
Whether everything can be recovered depends on how much of the original data was overwritten when the Windows installer was created. If the old file contents are still present, the tool may be able to recover them; overwritten data generally cannot be recovered.
This situation does not necessarily mean the original data is completely lost. If the drive was merely repartitioned or formatted, there is still a chance of recovery, provided it hasn’t been overwritten by a large amount of new data.
You can start by using MiniTool Power Data Recovery to scan the drive and see if the original files can be found. It is recommended that you do not write any new data to the drive or use it to create a bootable disk, so as to avoid overwriting the existing data.
STOP USING THE DRIVE NOW to avoid overwriting recoverable files. First, connect the drive to another working PC. Use tools like TestDisk (free, great for partition table repair) to restore lost partitions. Always save recovered files to a different drive, not the one you’re recovering from. For a step-by-step guide, check resources on how to recover data after install Windows to maximize your chances of getting files back before recreating the installer drive.
