Dell Inspiron laptops are widely used for business, education, and personal computing. However, when files and folders appear as gibberish (random symbols or unreadable characters), it often indicates file system corruption due to bad sectors, malware infection, or ransomware encryption, making stored data inaccessible.
This case study details how we successfully recovered important personal and work-related files for a client in Guildford from a Dell Inspiron laptop hard drive, after a suspected ransomware attack or file system corruption caused files to become unreadable.
As Guildford Data Recovery, Surrey’s oldest and best data recovery company, we have 25 years of experience using malware-infected disk recovery, deep sector scanning, and forensic-level data extraction techniques to restore lost files securely.
Dell Inspiron Files & Folders Displaying Gibberish Characters
A Guildford-based client contacted us after their Dell Inspiron laptop failed to open files properly, with the following issues:
- All file and folder names appeared as gibberish (random symbols and unreadable text).
- Attempting to open documents resulted in error messages or corrupted content.
- The client suspected a possible malware or ransomware infection.
- The drive contained essential personal and business documents.
Since ransomware infections can encrypt files, and file system corruption can cause irreversible damage, an immediate professional recovery solution was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the Dell Inspiron hard drive arrived at our secure cleanroom facility, we conducted a full hardware and malware diagnostic. Our findings:
- No mechanical issues detected, meaning logical corruption or malware was the primary cause.
- File system corruption (NTFS index damage) – Preventing files from being read correctly.
- Possible malware/ransomware infection – Some files appeared encrypted with unusual extensions.
Since continuing to use an infected or corrupted drive can worsen damage, we prioritized non-intrusive forensic recovery techniques.
The Recovery Process
1. Cloning & Imaging the Hard Drive to Prevent Further Data Loss
To preserve all recoverable data, we:
- Created a sector-by-sector forensic clone of the Dell Inspiron hard drive.
- Used malware-safe recovery tools to extract readable sectors while bypassing corrupted areas.
2. Identifying & Removing Malware/Ransomware Encryption
Since malware was suspected, we:
- Scanned for known ransomware signatures and identified any encryption patterns.
- Used proprietary decryption tools to unlock affected files where possible.
- Rebuilt file structures manually for partially corrupted directories.
3. Extracting & Verifying Personal & Business Files
Once the file system was repaired, we:
- Recovered all personal documents, spreadsheets, and work files.
- Restored original filenames and folder structures.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a secure external backup device.
The Results: 96% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our forensic-level malware analysis and file system repair techniques, we successfully recovered 96% of the client’s lost files, including:
✅ Work documents, PDFs, and reports
✅ Personal photos, videos, and archived emails
✅ Organized file structures restored for easy access
The client was able to retrieve all essential files and remove the malware, preventing further data loss.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful hard drive recoveries, we are England’s leading Dell Inspiron data recovery specialists. Our expertise includes:
✔ File system repair & NTFS corruption recovery
✔ Ransomware-infected drive recovery & decryption
✔ Personal and business document retrieval
✔ Secure & confidential malware-safe data recovery services
If your laptop files are displaying gibberish, becoming unreadable, or showing signs of ransomware encryption, stop using the system immediately and contact us for expert data recovery.