Let me explain. When you lose access to your files, many things could have happened. Firstly, your directory structure could be corrupted. This is a list of files and their relationships stored on a portion of the drive when you first format your computer. It has simple information like This folder is inside User folder and User folder is on the root Dell partition and metadata, such and when the item was last accessed. Most importantly, it stores pointers. Pointers store the files location on the drive, specifically, where it starts and where it ends. When you format, the first thing that happens is that that data is deleted to make way for a fresh blank disk. Your data stays, but pointers are removed. When you quick format, literally nothing else is done but the removing of this vital data. Now if you want to make a full drive recovery, your software will have to read each individual bit of your HDD and try to find the beginning and end of each and every file by reading this now formless mass of 1s and 0s on your drive, because YOU deleted the very store of information that keeps this. Usually, a Data Recovery program will comb your directory structure looking for errors and discrepancies. So will chkdsk. 51. Chkdsk will find a fault and fix your directory structure, but if some of the opening lines are gone, chkdsk will not know you even have a directory structure and the only thing that will be able to recover that partition is a data recovery program, so please do not format your disk AT ANY TIME if you lose a drive. Using testdisk in concert with a partition recovery program and chkdsk is the best way. I have recovered a total of 1. Trust me I know what Im talking about.