# Does anyone know of a freeware Undelete utility?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-of-a-freeware-undelete-utility/100426>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 27, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-of-a-freeware-undelete-utility/100426 "2002-03-27T18:58:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Satyagrahi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f475e1/32.png) [@Satyagrahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satyagrahi)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-of-a-freeware-undelete-utility/100426/1 "2002-03-27T18:58:44Z")

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Yes, I’m cheap. But I find myself reluctant to pay $50 to buy a small utility program that MS should have included in Windows ME anyway. I did download a shareware Undelete and it _showed_ me on my C: drive the files that accidentally got deleted…but it refused to restore them…until I send money. This may be a clever marketing ploy but I’m not buying it.

I checked c/net, [shareware.com](http://shareware.com), etc. and have been unable to find a usable program. If anyone knows of a freeware Undelete or of a shareware item that isn’t crippled, I would sincerely appreciate it.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-of-a-freeware-undelete-utility/100426/2 "2002-03-27T19:48:30Z")

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This works in Win98. Whethere it also works in ME I have no clue:

WIN98 - To undelete a file after deleting it from the recycling bin

- Shut down and restart in DOS mode
- Navigate to the folder where the file used to be
- type \<lock C:\> and after warning \<y\> \<enter\>
- type \<undelete\> \<enter\>
- check file has been restored
- type \<unlock C:\>
- type \<exit\> to return to windows

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-of-a-freeware-undelete-utility/100426/3 "2002-03-27T19:53:19Z")

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Of course, if you have been messing with the computer and the sectors have been overwritten by another file then you lost it forever. You need to do that _immediately_ after you delete it… or else be very lucky.