Introduction
If you accidentally deleted archives or a partition error wiped them out, learning how to recover rar from D Drive is essential. This guide explains why RAR files disappear and shows step-by-step ways to bring them back, from built-in Windows options to professional recovery with Recoverit.
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Why D Drive RAR Gets Lost
Common reasons RAR files disappear from D Drive
RAR archives on the D partition are often used for backups, projects, and compressed media. They can vanish due to many everyday issues:
- Accidental deletion: Selecting the wrong folder or pressing Shift+Delete removes RAR files without sending them to Recycle Bin.
- Formatting the D partition: Quick-formatting D Drive during system reinstall or disk cleanup erases file records.
- File system errors: Sudden power loss, unsafe removal of an external D partition, or bad sectors can corrupt NTFS/ExFAT.
- Virus or ransomware attacks: Malicious programs delete, encrypt, or hide archives.
- Partition changes: Resizing, merging, or deleting partitions with disk tools may make the D Drive and its contents inaccessible.
- Software or OS crashes: Crashes while copying or extracting RAR files can leave them incomplete or missing.
Types of RAR data loss on D Drive
Understanding the type of data loss helps you choose the right recovery method:
| Data loss type | Typical situation on D Drive |
|---|---|
| Simple deletion | RAR files removed and still in Recycle Bin or recently deleted via Shift+Delete. |
| Formatted partition | D Drive quick-formatted during Windows installation or disk setup. |
| Corrupted or inaccessible drive | D Drive shows errors, becomes RAW, or prompts to format before use. |
| File corruption | RAR archive exists but cannot be opened or shows CRC errors. |
| Hidden or moved files | Folders renamed, moved, or hidden by a user, app, or malware. |
How To Recover rar from D Drive with Easy Methods?
Before you use dedicated tools to recover rar from D Drive, try these quick checks. Stop saving new data to D Drive immediately to avoid overwriting deleted archives.
Method 1: Restore RAR files using Recycle Bin and File History
This method works when RAR files were recently deleted but the drive itself is still healthy.
Step 1. Check Recycle Bin for deleted RAR archives
- Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop.
- In the search box, type ".rar" to filter only RAR archives.
- Sort by "Date Deleted" to quickly locate recently removed files from D Drive.
- Right-click the RAR files you want to restore and choose "Restore". They will return to their original location on D.
Step 2. Use File History or Previous Versions
- Open File Explorer and right-click the folder or D Drive where your RAR files were stored.
- Select "Properties" and go to the "Previous Versions" tab.
- Check if any earlier versions of the folder or drive are listed.
- Click "Open" to preview, then "Restore" to bring back the whole folder, or copy out just the RAR files you need.
If File History or System Protection was enabled before the loss, this can quickly restore older copies of your archives.
Method 2: Check hidden, corrupted, or moved RAR archives
Sometimes RAR files are not deleted at all but become hidden, moved, or affected by minor filesystem issues.
Step 1. Reveal hidden RAR files on D Drive
- Open File Explorer and navigate to D Drive.
- Click "View" (Windows 10) or "View" > "Show" (Windows 11).
- Enable "Hidden items".
- Search for ".rar" in the search box and see if your archives appear.
Step 2. Repair D Drive file system with CHKDSK
- Press Win + X and choose "Windows Terminal (Admin)" or "Command Prompt (Admin)".
- Type chkdsk D: /f /r and press Enter.
- Allow Windows to scan and fix logical errors and bad sectors on D Drive.
- After the scan completes, restart your PC and check if missing RAR archives reappear.
Remember that CHKDSK may mark damaged sectors and move data, which can change file paths. If the archives are still missing, avoid further repairs and consider using professional recovery software for a deeper scan.
How to Use Recoverit to Recover rar from D Drive
When simple methods fail, a specialized recovery tool dramatically increases your chances to recover rar from D Drive. Recoverit by Wondershare is a dedicated data recovery program that restores deleted, formatted, or inaccessible files from internal drives, external disks, memory cards, and more. It provides a guided interface suitable for beginners, yet powerful enough for complex cases. You can safely download it from the Recoverit official website.
Steps to recover RAR from D Drive with Recoverit
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Choose a Location to Recover Data
Install and launch Recoverit on your computer. On the main interface, you will see all available disks and partitions. Under the "Hard Disk Drives" section, click on the D Drive (or the partition that contained your RAR archives). This tells Recoverit exactly where to search.

Confirm your selection to proceed to the scanning phase. Avoid running other heavy tasks on D Drive while the scan is in progress.
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Deep Scan the Location
Recoverit now performs an in-depth scan, reading the D Drive sector by sector to locate lost files, including deleted and formatted RAR archives. You can watch files appear in real time as they are found.

Use the left panel to filter by file type or path, or type ".rar" in the search bar to quickly focus on compressed archives. Let the scan finish for the best recovery results, especially on large or previously formatted drives.
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Preview and Recover Your Desired Data
When the scan completes, browse through the results and locate the RAR files you want to restore. Check file names, sizes, and paths, and use the preview window or details pane where available to verify that you have found the correct archives.

Select the desired RAR files and click the "Recover" button. Choose a safe destination on a different drive (for example, C or an external disk) rather than saving back to D Drive. This prevents overwriting any remaining recoverable data.
Practical Tips
To improve your chances of a successful RAR recovery and protect your data in the future, keep these tips in mind:
- Stop using D Drive immediately after you notice data loss. New files can overwrite deleted RAR archives.
- Do not format or re-partition D Drive repeatedly. Each operation increases the risk of permanent loss.
- Run recovery before repairs: In severe cases (RAW partition, repeated CHKDSK errors), recover data first with a tool like Recoverit, then attempt fixes.
- Use multiple backups: Store important RAR archives in at least two places (D Drive plus an external disk or cloud storage).
- Enable File History or other backup tools so you can quickly roll back to earlier versions of folders that hold your archives.
- Scan regularly for malware to avoid infections that hide, encrypt, or delete compressed files.
Conclusion
Losing RAR archives from the D partition can disrupt projects and backups, but the data is often still recoverable. By acting quickly, avoiding new writes to the drive, and starting with built-in options like Recycle Bin, Previous Versions, and basic disk checks, you may restore files without extra tools.
When these options are not enough, Recoverit offers a deeper scan that can locate deleted, formatted, or otherwise invisible RAR files and restore them safely to another location. With a combination of smart troubleshooting and reliable recovery software, most users can successfully bring back critical compressed archives from D Drive.
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FAQ
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1. Can I recover RAR files if D Drive is not opening?
If D Drive becomes RAW or inaccessible, avoid formatting it when Windows prompts. Instead, install Recoverit on another partition, run a scan on the problematic D Drive, and recover your RAR files to a safe location before attempting any disk repairs. -
2. Do I need to pay to recover rar from D Drive with Recoverit?
Recoverit offers a free version that lets you scan D Drive and preview recoverable RAR files. To restore large amounts of data or unlock all features, you may need a paid license, which is often worthwhile for critical archives. -
3. Can I recover RAR files from an external D partition?
Yes. If your D Drive is actually an external HDD or SSD, connect it securely to your PC, make sure it is recognized in Disk Management, and then scan that drive with Recoverit to restore deleted or lost RAR archives.