There are a lot of forensic software utilities out there for recovering Windows files and folders -- or some remanant of them -- without having had the recovering utility installed prior to the recovery. RollBack Rx isn't one of these sorts of forensic file recovery utilities since it has to have been already installed. But RollBack's recovery capability is unmatched.

Recover Accidentally Deleted Files Using RollBack Rx

Suppose that one day you can't find a document or spreadsheet or some other file. Or suppose that you would like an older version of a file that you would like to recover. For example, you may be working on a proposal and made extensive changes to it only to realize later that you prefer an older version that you had but which no longer exists.

If you regularly take RollBack Rx snapshots you can easily recover that file or an older version of that file. You don't have to revert your whole computer back to an earlier point in time just so you can retrieve that one file. Here's all you need to do.

Open up the RollBack Rx main application console by double-clicking on the system tray icon. Choose the Snapshots from the left-hand navigation pane. Each snapshot you see there is a complete instance of how everything on your system looked at the moment the snapshot was taken. You can right-click on any one of those snapshots and choose the Explore option to peer inside your computer at that point in time. This will create a Virtual Drive of all your harddrives and you can then simply drag-and-drop the desired file or folder onto your current system.

Alternatively, choose Common Tasks (top menu item) > Explore Snapshot > choose the snapshot you'd like to look inside > Explore

This option is also available here: "Instant Recovery" left-hand navigation pane option > Explore Snapshot

Recovering Files after Rolling Back

Suppose you experienced an issue with your system and rolled back to an earlier snapshot and then discovered that you would like a newer version of a file. If you have the "Remind me to recover files after rollback" (under Tools & Settings > Settings > Advanced Settings) option checked you can recover specific files by specifying the name of the file, its type, or its location.

This option is also available here: "Instant Recovery" left-hand navigation pane option > Recover Files

Excluding Files from Being Rolled Back

If you have specific folders that you would like to remain persistent and not subject to any rollback then do this:

Open RollBack Rx > Tools & Settings > Settings > Advanced Settings >
"Keep these files or folders unchanged" > Settings > Add the specific files and folders

We don't recommend excluding files and folders as if that file/folder gets infected then RollBack Rx won't be able to help you as another version of that file/folder doesn't exist in any of the snapshots.