Final answer:
When a file is deleted, the data still exists on the storage device until it is overwritten by new data. Specialized software tools can be used to recover deleted files as long as they haven't been overwritten yet.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a file is deleted from a computer or storage device, the data still exists on the storage device until it is overwritten by new data. The file system marks the space occupied by the deleted file as available for reuse, but the actual data remains intact until it gets overwritten.
There are specialized software tools and techniques that can be used to recover deleted files, such as file recovery software or forensic techniques. These tools can scan the storage device and retrieve the deleted files as long as they haven't been overwritten yet.
It's important to note that solid-state drives (SSDs) and certain encryption techniques can make file recovery more difficult, as they use mechanisms to actively erase data or make it unrecoverable.