We all make mistakes. DOS 6.x gave us tools for undeleting files we accidentally blew away. But Windows 95 and 98 aren't so forgiving. They give us the Recycle Bin, figuring we won't empty it by mistake.

But what happens if you do? Is there any way out? If you upgraded to Windows 95 or 98 from DOS and still have your DOS undelete.exe utility, the answer is yes. Here's what to do.

1. The moment you discover that you've deleted a file you need, stop what you're doing. If you continue to use your hard disk, the file may disappear permanently.

2. Select StartûShut Down. Click Restart the computer in MS-DOS mode, then click Yes.

3. When your PC restarts, navigate to the folder where the deleted file used to be.

4. To allow the undelete utility to access the disk directly, type lock c: (your drive letter may differ) and press <Enter>. Type Y and press <Enter> to acknowledge the scary message (but don't worry; we won't leave the disk locked for long).

5. Now type undelete and press <Enter>. Follow the prompts to restore your file.

6. When you have restored the file and are back at the DOS prompt, type unlock c: to prevent further direct disk access. Then type exit to return to Windows.