How to recover deleted files on shared drive​？

Recovering deleted files from a shared drive can be a critical task, especially in environments where team collaboration and shared resources are common. Whether you’re dealing with accidental deletions, data corruption, or system failures, there are various methods to retrieve lost files from shared drives.

1. Types of Shared Drives

Before diving into the recovery process, it’s important to understand what kind of shared drive you’re working with. The recovery process can vary depending on whether the shared drive is hosted on a local server, a network drive, or a cloud-based service. Common types include:

Network Shared Drives (NAS or file servers): These drives are commonly found in office environments where files are shared over a local network. The drive might be part of a Windows Server or a dedicated NAS (Network Attached Storage) device.

Cloud-Based Shared Drives (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.): Many businesses use cloud storage to facilitate file sharing. Each cloud service has different tools and mechanisms for file recovery.

Knowing your shared drive type will guide you in selecting the appropriate recovery method.

2. Check the Recycle Bin (or Trash)

The first step in any file recovery process is checking the Recycle Bin (or Trash) on your shared drive, if applicable. When a file is deleted from a shared drive, it may not be permanently erased immediately. Instead, it might be moved to a temporary storage location (like the Recycle Bin) where it can be restored. Here’s how you can check:

On a Network Shared Drive:

Navigate to the Recycle Bin on the network share (the location can vary based on server settings).

If the file was recently deleted, it should appear here.

Right-click on the file you want to restore and select Restore to return it to its original location.

On Cloud-Based Shared Drives:

In services like Google Drive or OneDrive, deleted files may be moved to a Trash or Bin folder.

Open the Trash/Deleted Items folder.

Locate the file you want to recover, right-click, and select Restore.

This is often the quickest and easiest way to recover files, so it’s worth checking before attempting more advanced methods.

3. Use File Versioning and Backups

If the file isn’t in the Recycle Bin or Trash, the next step is to check whether the shared drive or service has built-in versioning or backup capabilities. These features automatically save previous versions of files or the entire drive, allowing you to roll back to an earlier state.

On a Network Shared Drive:

Many file servers and NAS devices use software like Veeam, Acronis, or Windows Server Backup to take periodic snapshots of data.

If your network share is set up with versioning, you can revert a file to a previous version:

Right-click on the file or folder.

Select Properties > Previous Versions.

Choose an earlier version and restore it.

On Cloud-Based Shared Drives:

Google Drive: Google Drive automatically keeps versions of files for up to 30 days. To restore a previous version:

Right-click on the file in Google Drive and select Manage Versions.

Choose the version you want to restore.

Dropbox: Dropbox offers file version history for all files stored in the cloud. You can recover a deleted file by navigating to the Dropbox website, selecting the file, and choosing Version History.

OneDrive: Similar to Google Drive and Dropbox, OneDrive also has version history. You can access previous versions of files directly from the OneDrive web portal.

4. Check for Backup Files

In corporate environments, there’s often a robust backup strategy in place to safeguard against data loss. Shared drives may be backed up regularly, either to cloud storage or external physical devices.

Local Backups: If your organization performs regular backups of shared drives, check with your IT department to see if they have recent backups of the deleted files. If so, they can restore the data from a backup.

Cloud Backups: If your shared drive is backed up to a cloud service like AWS S3. Azure, or Google Cloud Storage, there are typically options to restore deleted files from the backup within a certain period.

Be sure to reach out to the administrator for the shared drive, as they likely have access to backup solutions.

5. Utilize Data Recovery Software

Panda Assistant provides an intuitive, user-friendly platform that can restore your important files with ease. This software is designed for both home users and professionals who need to recover files from a variety of devices, ensuring that no important data is lost due to unforeseen circumstances.

Key Features of Panda Assistant

1. Versatile Data Recovery: Panda Assistant excels in recovering lost files from numerous types of storage devices, including hard drives, USB flash drives, external drives, SD cards, and more. Whether you need to recover documents, photos, videos, or audio files, Panda Assistant can help you retrieve your valuable data. It supports a wide range of file systems such as FAT, NTFS, HFS+, and exFAT, making it compatible with many different devices and platforms.

2. Deep Scan for Thorough Recovery: The software uses powerful algorithms that enable deep scanning of your storage devices. Panda Assistant can recover data even from severely damaged or corrupted storage media. It’s especially useful when files seem to have vanished after an accidental deletion or when they are not visible due to formatting issues. By performing a deep scan, Panda Assistant increases the chances of locating and recovering even those files that other recovery tools might miss.

3. Preview Files Before Recovery: One of the most helpful features of Panda Assistant is the ability to preview files before initiating the full recovery process. This feature helps users determine exactly which files they want to recover, preventing unnecessary restoration of irrelevant files and saving both time and storage space. This also provides an added level of confidence, ensuring that the recovery process will result in the restoration of only the files you truly need.

6. Contact Support

If all else fails, contacting the support team for the shared drive service can be a good idea. They may have internal tools to assist with file recovery, especially if the files were recently deleted.

For Network Drives:

If the shared drive is hosted on a server or NAS, the IT department may be able to restore the data from backup servers or use advanced server-side tools to retrieve deleted files.

For Cloud Drives:

Google Drive and OneDrive provide customer support options that may assist in recovering permanently deleted files, especially if they were deleted within a short time window.

7. Prevent Future Data Loss

While it’s crucial to recover deleted files, it’s equally important to take preventive measures to reduce the risk of accidental deletion in the future. Here are some practices to consider:

Set Up File Versioning and Auto-Save:

Enable version history on your shared drive or cloud storage service to avoid permanent loss.

Use apps with auto-save functionality to reduce the risk of file corruption or accidental overwrites.

Backup Regularly:

Ensure that your shared drives are included in the organization’s regular backup plan. Schedule automated backups to a separate location, whether on-premises or in the cloud.

Use Permissions:

Limit the ability to delete files by adjusting the permissions of users accessing the shared drive. For example, only administrators or senior users can have delete access, reducing the risk of accidental deletions.

Educate Users:

Educate users about proper file management practices. Encourage them to regularly back up important files and to avoid manual deletions unless necessary.

8. Legal and Compliance Considerations

In some industries, files may be subject to legal and compliance regulations. For example, companies in healthcare or finance must comply with strict data retention policies. If you’re dealing with shared drive data that falls under such regulations, consult with your legal or compliance team before attempting file recovery.