3 Free Ways to Recover Deleted Files from Server 2008 (R2)

Windows Server 2008 is the fourth release of the Windows Server operating system produced by Microsoft. It is built from the same code base as Windows Vista and is the predecessor of Windows Server 2008 R2. If you have deleted important files on Server 2008, don’t worry. There are several methods on how to recover deleted files on Windows Server 2008/ 2008 R2.

It is possible to recover files deleted from Windows Server 2008?

Yes, it is possible to recover files deleted from Windows Server 2008. As with the Windows operating system, when you delete a file from Windows Server, the file is not completely gone unless it is overwritten by new data. In other words, if you don't add new data to Server 2008, there is a high recovery chance, especially for accidental deletion. 

Also, with the best data recovery software, you can recover deleted Windows files from more complex scenarios, such as formatting errors, virus or malware attacks, etc. It will scan your drive to find deleted or missing files as much as possible.

How to recover deleted files from Server 2008 for free

Here are 3 free methods to recover deleted files in Windows Server 2008, e.g., Recycle Bin recovery, Previous Versions, and best data recovery tool. It's also suitable for Windows Server 2008 R2. 

▶ Way 1. Recover deleted files from Recycle Bin (for Recently Deleted)

If the Recycle Bin is available on your Windows Server, you could refer to the steps below to restore deleted data with simple steps:

Step 1. Open the Recycle Bin from the Desktop

Open the Recycle Bin from your Windows Server 2008/ 2008 R2 desktop, and you can see all the deleted files. 

Step 2. Right-click the target files you want to recover, then click "Restore".

All deleted files will be displayed here. Locate and right-click the target files you want to recover and click Restore.

How to recover deleted files from Windows Server 2008 from Recycle Bin is easy. However, if your deleted files are not stored in Recycle Bin but are completely deleted or Recycle Bin is not available on your Windows Server, the method below is the only method that you can apply to retrieve the deleted data.

▶ Way 2. Restore deleted files from Previous Versions (Require Backup First)

If you have enabled Windows backup or created a system restore, the previous versions of the deleted files may still be on your computer. Therefore, you can restore files from previous versions to get them back. 

Step 1. Navigate to the folder or hard drive that contains the deleted files, right-click on it, and choose Properties.

Step 2. On the pop-up Properties interface, head to Previous Versions.

Step 3. Select the latest saved file version from the previous versions, and click Restore.

If you don’t have any backup, there will be no previous versions. You should turn to other recovery solutions to recover deleted Windows Server files.

▶ Way 3. Recover deleted files on Server 2008 (R2) via Software (All-in-one Solution)

As we mentioned earlier, completely deleted files can still be recovered as long as they are not overwritten. What you need is a reliable data recovery utility.

AOMEI FastRecovery is professional data recovery software that can help you scan and recover deleted or lost files on Windows servers without backups. It works well with Windows Server 2025/2022/2019/2016/2012 (R2)/2008 (R2), and all Windows operating systems.

AOMEI FastRecovery

Free Data Recovery Software for Windows

• It has a free edition that can recover data of over 500 MB.
• With an easy-to-use interface, even for novices can get started quickly.
• Quick Scan (about 3- 5s) is for deleted files, while Deep Scan is for more complex scenarios, e.g., formatted or corrupted drive, lost partition, etc.
• Search, filter, and preview files while scanning, especially useful for recovering specific files or folders.
• It’s safe and reliable to use as it’s read-only and does not cause data overwriting. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Download Freeware
Server 2025/2022/2019/2016/2012/2008

100% Secure

Step 1. Install and run AOMEI FastRecovery on your computer. Hover the mouse over the drive where you lost or deleted files, and then click Scan.

Step 2. It will start Quick Scan automatically to find all lost files. The process is very fast and takes only 3-5 seconds. Optionally, you can search or filter files to find them quickly.

Step 3. Double-click the files to preview and select the wanted items. Then, click the Recover button to recover permanently deleted files without backup. Please save them in a safe place that does not contain deleted files.

If you can't find deleted files in Server 2008, click the Deep Scan to scan your disk thoroughly. 

Free Download AOMEI FastRecovery if you deleted files!

Suggested: Backup Windows Server 2008 (R2) with AOMEI Backupper

How to recover deleted files from Server 2008/ 2008 (R2) is listed foregoing. If you want to completely prevent file loss, the best way is to backup in advance. If you want to completely prevent file loss, the best way is to back them up in advance.

The best professional backup software - AOMEI Backupper allows you to create Windows Server backups with a few clicks. It offers scheduled backups, and you can back up the Server to an external hard drive, network location, and multiple storage devices.

Step 1. Download and launch AOMEI Backupper Server, select the backup option you want from System Backup, Disk Backup, Partition Backup, and File Backup. Here, we take System Backup as an example.

Step 2. Choose a destination to save the Server system backup.

Step 3. Click Start Backup to create a Server system backup easily.

Summary

How to recover deleted files from Server 2008 (R2) in three methods is explained in detail above. Although there is a good chance that deleted files can be recovered, we recommend that you back up Windows Server in time to prevent further data loss completely.