Recover Data after Reinstalling Windows-Complete Guide

Written By Isha Rikhi
Approved By Tanushree Chatterjee
Updated on 24 Feb, 2021
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Summary: Windows PC is the most widely used Operating System (OS) on PCs. However, it may get corrupted, formatted, or crashed, due to which you may need to reinstall the Windows on the system. In this blog, we have shared some tested ways to recover data after reinstalling Windows. We have also listed the steps to restore data efficiently using a data recovery tool.

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There may be situations when your system may start malfunctioning due to several reasons. For example:

A problematic Windows Update
Corrupted System files got
Invalid/corrupt registry entries
Corrupted or incompatible device drivers
Malicious application, program or software
BSOD (Blue/Black Screen of Death) errors, etc.

These issues may lead your system to malfunction and crash eventually. Hence, to get rid of these issues, you may have to reinstall a fresh copy of Windows on your PC, which results in data loss. So, how would you get your essential data back? We have articulated the best ways to recover data after reinstalling Windows.

What happens to data when you reinstall Windows?

Reinstalling or installing Windows will wipe out the entire data stored on drive c: /. It formats the whole partition, deleting all applications, files, drivers, programs, software, resulting in data loss. Hence, we recommend to take a back-up of the data before reinstalling Windows. If you have a backup, you may restore essential files, folders, documents, etc. using some tried and tested methods. However, if you forgot to take a backup, you will need a powerful data recovery tool to recover data after reinstalling Windows.

Easy Ways to Recover Data after Reinstalling Windows

1: Recover Data with Backup

A. Backup and Restore (Windows 7)

If you used Windows’ built-in utility - Backup and Restore (Windows 7) utility to create a backup of the system data, you may recover your data by following the given steps:

a. Type Control Panel in Windows Search bar, open it and click Backup and Restore (Windows 7) under System and Security.
b. You may also directly select ‘Restore files from backup.’ (See Image 1)

System & Security Setting — [Image 1: Restore files from back-up)

c. On the next prompt, either select Restore my files or Restore all users’ files. (See Image 2)

Backup or Restore Files — [Image 2: Choose Restore Users’ file/Restore my files]

d. From the backup, select the files you want to retrieve. (See Image 3)

Browse Files to Recover — [Image 3: Select files to recover]

e. Afterward, choose either ‘Browse for files’ or ‘Browse for folder.’
f. Click Next to proceed. (See Image 4)

g. Select a destination to RESTORE your data.
h. Once the process is done, check if you can see the files in the desired location/drive/storage media.

B. Recover Data with Windows’ File History

If you used Windows’ File History to back up your important files and other data, restore it using the following steps:

a. Go to Control Panel and open System and Security. (See Image 5)

control penal — Image 5: Open System and Security

b. In the open window, open File History.
c. You may also directly go for ‘Restore your files with File History’ mentioned under File History. (See Image 6)

System & Security 1 — Image 6: Select Restore your files with File History

d. Search for the data you need and use the arrows to see all the versions of the backed-up data. (See Image 7)

e. When you find the current version of the data, click Restore to save it in the original location.
f. If you want to save the recovered data to a different location/drive/storage media, right-click ‘Restore’ and select ‘Restore to.’
g. Provide the desired location and save the restored data.

2: Recover Data after Reinstalling Windows with a Data Recovery Tool

Have no backup of your data? Try recovering data after reinstalling Windows with a data recovery tool such as Stellar Data Recovery. This easy-to-use, DIY software can extract lost or deleted files, folders, documents, emails, photos, videos, audios, and more. The software is also efficient at recovering data from formatted or corrupted Windows PCs, laptops, and storage media. It provides built-in support for data recovery from RAW drives. Additionally, it can retrieve data even from drives encrypted with Windows’ BitLocker utility. To recover data, follow the given steps:

a. Download and run Stellar Data Recovery Software on Windows PC.
b. On Select What to Recover window, select ‘Everything,’ or select the type of data you want to retrieve and click Next. (See Image 8)

c. Select the drive on Recover from screen from which you want to restore data, and click Scan. (See Image 9)

d. Once the scanning process is completed, the results will appear on the screen.
e. Select the files from the results showing on the screen. You may also preview the data and click Recover. (See Image 10)

f. On the next prompt, click Browse to choose a destination.
g. After selecting the destination, click Start-saving. (See Image 11)

[Note: Save the recovered files and folders to an external storage media device such as USB, Hard Disk Drive (HDD), and Solid State Drive (SSD)]

Conclusion

System data and files will be deleted after reinstalling Windows. If you took back-up using Windows’ built-in back-up utilities such as File History, and Backup & Restore (Windows 7), you may restore the data easily. In case you don’t have any back-up, a Windows data recovery tool such as Stellar Data Recovery can help you recover data after reinstalling Windows. You can restore lost or deleted documents, email files, photos, videos, and more with this tool.

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About The Author

Isha Rikhi

Isha is a technical blogger and data recovery expert. She has experience in Windows data recovery. She writes about technical tips and tutorials.

20 comments

Cosmin says:

February 11, 2022 at 11:55 am

Hi,
I have installed windows, and unfortunately, I didn’t do a backup of my important files, now I am not sure what to do in such circumstances. Can Stellar Data recovery will help me to get my data back.

Reply
Non says:

March 24, 2019 at 7:45 pm

Well hi. Thanks for this post.

So i kinda mistakenly cleaned the whole of my SSD (which includes all the partitions) while trying to dual boot my GPT state drive with a windows 7 OS and I’d like to know, will I be able to recover those drives, or even the files in those drives, especially the recovery drive (which was drive D back then).

And oh, one last thing, I may have done a complete reinstallation of windows twice now after that event.

Reply
1. Aruna Attri says:
  
  March 26, 2019 at 4:00 am
  
  We would recommend to use the Professional version of Stellar Data Recovery for Windows and perform can’t find drive process in our software. Kindly select the drive and perform the search process to find deleted or lost partitions. After getting partitions, please perform the scan on the same in order to recover data.
  Please use below link to install Professional version of the software.
  Download Link
  
  Reply
hira says:

March 5, 2019 at 6:58 pm

i reinstall windows but during installation may be partition error or mistakenly partition 4 means drive d becomes unallocated ..all my data is formated …and window is also installed on drive d..now i’m trying to recover my data but its only recovering windows files…now is there any solution to recover my drive d data?

Reply
1. Satyeshu Kumar says:
  
  March 7, 2019 at 3:26 am
  
  Hello Hira,
  
  We would recommend to perform “Can’t find drive” process (feature) in our software [Stellar Data Recovery Professional Windows]. In this process, you needs to select the drive and perform search option to get deleted or lost partitions and then start perform scanning on those partitions for data recovery.
  
  Reply
JA says:

December 18, 2018 at 10:58 am

My system had 3 hard drive partitions. After reinstalling windows, all 3 partitions combined to 1 partition – C. When I try to recover data which was in D and E Drives using multiple data recovery software, it does not show any files/folders related to old data. Is there any way to recover data which I lost in old partitions.

Reply
1. Satyeshu Kumar says:
  
  December 21, 2018 at 10:49 am
  
  Dear JA,
  
  We would recommend you to try our software i.e. Stellar Data Recovery for Professional from the below link in order to recover data from deleted partitions.
  
  Kindly install the demo version of software from the below link.
  
  Download Link
  
  We would request you to use “Can’t find partition” process in the software in which software will find the deleted or lost partitions from the hard drive and can check the recoverable data from those partitions. Once you will be satisfied with preview details, you may buy the full version of the software to save the recovered data.
  
  Reply
Haz says:

November 20, 2018 at 2:44 pm

Is there any way to recover data from the pc if I already used the affected drive? As in after overwriting?

Reply
1. Isha Rikhi says:
  
  November 21, 2018 at 3:15 am
  
  Unfortunately, there is no such way to recover data after overwriting.
  
  Reply
Abel Lopez says:

August 24, 2018 at 5:50 am

What is the available options to recover data from dying HDD?

Reply
1. Isha Rikhi says:
  
  August 24, 2018 at 5:52 am
  
  Hello Abel,
  
  Immediately stop working on the hard drive and if you are enough experience to clone the hard drive, you can DIY, either wise depends on the severity of the data take help of local data recovery expert.
  
  Reply
Rohan kumawat says:

June 23, 2018 at 6:03 pm

Mam..i accidentally deleted all of my data in all diskpartitions during new windows installation.
Can this software recover the lost files after new windows installation.?
If yes then well and good and if not then please suggest me some another software which can recover my data.
Please help Mam!

Reply
1. Isha Rikhi says:
  
  June 27, 2018 at 3:21 am
  
  Hello Rohan,
  
  We would like to inform you that our Stellar Windows Data Recovery – Home Edition supports to recover data from formatted drive. The software has two scan modes – Quick Scan & Deep Scan. Quick Scan is helpful in most of the data recovery cases while Deep Scan is designed to recover data from a formatted or corrupt storage. If the software is not able to find the data in Quick Scan it automatically switches to Deep Scan. You can easily choose the Deep Scan option in the bottom right corner of the software interface. You may download the demo version from the below link:
  
  Download Link
  
  Also, we would like to inform you that Free download is used to scan and preview your lost or deleted data. If our application will list the lost files inside it then recovery is possible.
  
  Reply
Khothalang says:

June 15, 2018 at 4:07 am

Where/how can I get Stellar data recovery? Can i download it? I have installed New Windows and all my data (files and folders) are lost and I didn’t do a back up. Can i be able to recover? I am using Windows 8

Reply
1. Isha Rikhi says:
  
  June 19, 2018 at 4:00 am
  
  Hello Khothalang,
  
  Please find the download link below
  
  Download Link
  
  If the files & folder are not overwritten, they can be easily recovered. We advise not to use the affected storage media till then.
  
  Reply
Guru says:

March 24, 2018 at 7:50 pm

my windows dropped. i couldn’t reinstall it myself for bios problem. but one of my junior said he can install and helped. but he install the windows in another drive partition instead ‘c’ drive. evien my that drive ‘f’ was secured by bit locker. i tried several times to recover it by few common recovery software. but only having the unnecessary or wimdows related data after recover process. have any effective way to recover my most important photo, video & audio were on that locked ‘f’ drive before install windows mistakenly?

Reply
1. Isha Rikhi says:
  
  March 27, 2018 at 2:55 am
  
  Hello Guru,
  
  Thanks for contacting Stellar Data Recovery
  
  It seems you may had overwritten the files by installing the operating system onto the F Partition. If you have BitLocker Decryption key to unlock the partition then you may try the free demo version of the Stellar Windows Data Recovery Professional. If the application can find the files, it will be easily visible in the preview section of the software. Please try either normal or deep scan method.
  
  Reply
Victoria Aieta says:

August 17, 2017 at 10:41 am

Once, I urgently need to reinstall Windows due to use of the corrupt software files. I am in total data loss fear since it contains my grandmother rare images. After consulting my best friend, I make my mind to use stellar file recovery software. Trust me, all my old image files are back. Cheers!

Reply
1. Jyoti Prakash says:
  
  August 18, 2017 at 5:24 am
  
  Hello Victoria,
  
  Thank you for using stellar file recovery software.
  
  Reply