Where do deleted files go when I delete a file from a Shared drive

Question

I am running a Windows server 2012 file share server that user shared drives are mapped to. When users delete files from their shared drives on their workstations where do the files go? I have a user that copied a file to one of their shared drives and then deleted it before shadow copy backup it up. I checked the recycle bin of her local workstation and nothing there. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Hello RockmanIT,

Thank you for your question and for reaching out with your question today.

When users delete files from their shared drives on a Windows server, the files are typically moved to the server's Recycle Bin. However, there are several factors that can affect the behavior of deleted files on a network file share:

1. Recycle Bin Settings: Check the Recycle Bin settings on the server. Right-click on the Recycle Bin icon and select Properties. Ensure that the "Do not move files to the Recycle Bin" option is not enabled for the network file share.
2. Permissions: Verify that the user has the necessary permissions to delete files and access the Recycle Bin on the server. Ensure that the user has the appropriate file-level permissions for the shared drive.
3. Shadow Copies: If you have enabled Shadow Copies (Previous Versions) on the server, deleted files may be recoverable using the Shadow Copies feature. Right-click on the folder where the deleted file was located, go to the "Previous Versions" tab, and check if any previous versions are available.
4. File Deletion Timing: If the user deleted the file before a scheduled shadow copy backup occurred, the deleted file may not be available in the Shadow Copies. Shadow Copies are taken at specific intervals, so if the deletion occurred after the last shadow copy, the file may not be recoverable through this feature.

If the above steps do not provide any leads, it's possible that the file may have been permanently deleted without being moved to the Recycle Bin. In such cases, file recovery options may be limited, and you may need to consider using specialized file recovery tools or consulting with a data recovery professional for assistance.

It's always recommended to regularly back up important data to ensure data integrity and facilitate recovery in case of accidental deletion or data loss.

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Best regards.