A method for restoring a file which has been deleted from a data storage system is described. A set of twin pointers is created by copying from the latest pointers in the active file system at a time of restoration. A new set of pointers is created. A pointer from the twin pointers is compared with a pointer from a snapshot of the active file system made at a time earlier than the deletion of the file. In response to a pointer from the snapshot pointing to a different data block than the pointer from the twin pointers, writing the snapshot pointer into the new set of pointers. Writing the new set of pointers into the active file system at the time of restoration to restore the file to the active file system.