Recover lost files after restoring my computer to factory settings

Q: I recently had a problem with my Dell Dimension 4700 desktop. I followed instructions given to me by Dell’s paid support service, only to discover that following Dell’s instructions had reset my computer back to factory settings and erased all of my files! Could you recommend the best software to try and recover it my music, photos, and documents?

A: It may be possible to recover some or even all of your lost data. I recommend that you download & install a free data recovery program called Recuva.

An interactive wizard will appear when you start Recuva. The first time you run Recuva, I recommend that cancel the wizard so that you can change some settings in the main program. Single left-click on the Options button in the main Recuva program. Then go to the Actions tab and put a checkmark in every checkbox; putting a checkmark next to the Restore folder structure option should tell Recuva to automatically organize recovered files on your computer. Now that you’ve changed these settings, close Recuva.

Launch Recuva again, and this time run the wizard. The wizard includes all necessary instructions. Good luck recovering your lost files. Let me know if this helps.

Tip: Create regular backups of your important computer files using CD-Rs, DVD-Rs, external hard drives, USB flash drives, etc.