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How can I recover deleted files from my computer?
There's nothing quite like the crushing realisation that you have just deleted a file which was, in retrospect, vital to your office existence. Absent-mindedly pressing the "Yes, I'm sure I want to delete" button is all too easy - but fortunately most files can be resurrected.

In both Windows PCs and Macs, the first stopping-off point for a deleted file is the recycle bin or trash. Here, files remain in their original state and can simply be moved back to the desktop without any drama. Sometimes, though, deleted files miss out this stage, and if you're the fastidious type that empties your bin regularly, you will have to resort to Plan B.

Even though it may appear the file you've deleted is gone for good, all your computer has actually done is mark the space previously used by that file as free - the data itself is still present, but only for a limited time. To recover it you'll need an undelete utility, which will examine your hard drive for the remains of recently deleted files.

If you're a PC user, anti-viral suites such as Norton may offer undelete utilities - but if you're looking for a dedicated solution, try R-Undelete. Mac users are a bit more limited, but Data Rescue II is a good all-round recovery solution. There are plenty of free alternatives, with PC Inspector File Recovery among the best. This looks for data more deeply hidden and even retrieves digital photos from memory cards.

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