Wizard & deep scan
Quick passes first while directory entries still exist; deep mode when quick mode comes up empty or the volume was reformatted. Deep runs longer and often returns generic names.
02 · Capabilities
What Recuva delivers
Fast recovery when metadata survives, deep scan when it does not, plus secure wipe when you want files to stay gone.
Recuva feature overview and limits
Many file types
Photos, Office, media, archives: one hunt when extensions are unknown or the filesystem no longer lists real paths. Preview is a hint, not proof—open recovered files in their native apps when you can.
Removable media
Cards, USB, and internal volumes Windows sees as writable. Use a stable cable and direct motherboard ports if the device drops; flaky readers waste hours of scanning.
Secure overwrite
Beyond delete for casual recovery, not certified destruction. SSDs and wear-leveling can leave surprises; treat secure wipe as a strong nudge, not a compliance guarantee.
Where expectations drift
- Encrypted volumes (BitLocker, some NAS exports) need decryption first—undelete cannot read ciphertext as your files.
- RAID and dynamic disks may need the array healthy before any consumer tool sees a coherent filesystem.
- Heavy TRIM on internal SSDs can mean “nothing to carve” even when the UI still looks optimistic.
Small habits that help
- Install or unzip Recuva on a drive you are not scanning when the system disk is the patient.
- Sort results by path or state when the list is huge; recover in batches to another disk.
- After a good pass, keep the original volume read-only until you have verified what you need.
NTFS vs exFAT on cards
Large SD cards often ship exFAT. Recovery still hinges on what was overwritten, but very large volumes can make deep scans feel endless—start with quick mode when deletes were recent.
What preview cannot prove
Thumbnails and in-app previews skip full validation. A Word doc or ZIP may list in results yet fail when opened—always test a sample of recovered files before you trust the run.
Network & cloud paths
Files that lived only in a synced folder may already be on the vendor’s servers—or gone there too. Local recovery tools read attached volumes; they do not replace OneDrive or Google Drive version history.
Beyond the feature grid
What consumer undelete usually won’t fix
Recuva-class tools focus on filesystem-level recovery on attached storage. They are not full forensic suites, RAID repairers, or ransomware decryptors—knowing the boundary saves hours of the wrong scan.
Labs vs DIY software
Clean rooms and pro tools target head crashes, firmware, and damaged controllers. Consumer undelete helps when the hardware still enumerates and the filesystem is merely messy—not when the disk clicks or drops offline every few minutes.
Time, CPU, and patience
Deep scans can saturate a slow USB link or a busy laptop for hours. Plan wall power, close heavy browser tabs, and set expectations with anyone sharing the machine—interruptions cost more than the electricity.
Virtual disks & images
If you already have a sector image (.dd-style) or a mounted VHD, recovery behaves like any other volume—provided Windows sees it as a readable block device. Corrupt image headers or split archives need repair before any undelete pass is meaningful.