PDA

View Full Version : Accidental deletion



Archangel
Thu, 12-22-2011, 04:34 PM
I accidentally deleted some files i didn't mean to, any idea on how to get those back?

I tried panda recovery and recuva but i'm still missing some huge movie files and an iso.

David75
Fri, 12-23-2011, 12:48 AM
When accidentally deleting files, first rule is switch to another computer immediately so that the bit are not overwritten.
Ideally, you'd take the harddrive out and put it in an other comp where you'd install recovery software and then try to recover your files on that harddrive.

Why?
Because when you deleted a file, the OS only erases data that tells where the file chunks are stored. When that is done, any write to the drive might overwrite areas where your file once was.

For that very reason, file recovery works best with small files and when you react fast.

I think windows 7 has some kind of file versionning, don't know if that's useful for erased files.

I'm sorry I can only be generic and not really help you with your problem.

Kraco
Fri, 12-23-2011, 04:23 AM
When I accidentally deleted my anime folder, I used software called Pandora Recovery to get most of it back. However, not all of it was recoverable, maybe some 85%. The rest turned out as null files with zero size.

What David said about another computer would likely help immeasurable if it's your system drive or another equally actively used, but if it's an archive drive seeing no use except when you specifically save something there, it shouldn't make any difference. As long as you make absolutely no changes to the drive after the accident. My own 15% loss was likely due to the fact that despite deleting some 75GB of downloaded anime, I didn't immediately pay any attention to it and, if memory serves, downloaded something onto the drive before taking action to recover the stuff.

If you already tried two programs and it didn't work, you are probably out of luck. I imagine the all recovery softwares work in a uniform manner.

Killa-Eyez
Fri, 12-23-2011, 06:12 AM
If it helps, I use Recover My Files, though I'd expect every program to kinda work the same. Plus what all the others said.

Archangel
Fri, 12-23-2011, 09:28 AM
Meh, fuck it. I'll just download it all again.

Thank fuck my college folder is still in one piece though, I'd go on a murderous rampage if i ever lost that one.

Buffalobiian
Fri, 12-23-2011, 10:15 AM
Did you delete your entire library or something?

Archangel
Fri, 12-23-2011, 10:21 AM
I deleted the download folder and that's where i keep my unsorted crap.