How to recover the deleted files?

D

DKTVPN

Weaksauce
Joined
Jun 20, 2004
Messages
72
I missed some important files, I thought I backed up them already, before install Fresh Windows 7 on it. How can I recover them? TIA.
 
Do you have System Restore on? If so, the Previous Versions tab on a folder or file can restore old versions.
 
CrimsonKnight13 said:
Do you have System Restore on? If so, the Previous Versions tab on a folder or file can restore old versions.
Click to expand...

I install Fresh Win 7. It had Win XP on it and when I install Win 7 I deleted all partitions to make only 1 partition to format, install Win 7. I did a lot of updates from Windows Update, Microsoft Office, Photoshop, ... also using Win Utilities to clean all the registries, tweak, scan, defrag,... So it's like a new hard drive with new Win 7 on it, nothing from previous Win XP is there anymore.
 
Whatever you do, do not use that computer until you've done your recovery attempt. Downloading and installing things on it will overwrite more things, reducing the chances of recovery of the files you need.

Ideally (and if the files would cost you a lot of money to lose), you would unplug the hard drive from the PC, put it on another PC and do a sector-by-sector backup of it, mount the backup as read-only and do your work on that. At the least, boot up on a CD or DVD and do your work from there.

Recuva is a good free tool for file recovery:

http://www.piriform.com/recuva/features/recovery-from-damaged-or-formatted-disks

I think UBCD has some tools too but I am less familiar with doing that.
 
Good luck. You've likely overwritten the files when you reinstalled the OS, and did all the updates, etc.

You can also try Zero Assumtion Recovery. The free version will scan and recover one directory a scan. They usually run weekend deals for the paid version. This program was well worth the money when I bought it. It has an option of scanning for recently deleted files.
 
I second the use of Zero Assumption recovery, i had us pick up the paid version at my work and have had very good success with it so far even when the drive seems to have reverted back to a freshly formatted drive. I think we got the paid license for like 50bucks or something but the free works good too albeit just takes longer since its only one directory at a time.
 
Hi DKTVPN,

I wouldn't do a system restore.. it might be a solution but for me it doesn't really work
(mainly because it restores everything and i need to adjust other stuff again)

evilsofa gives a good tip STOP using your computer!
You might overwrite the files and then it will be really hard to recover them.

with a bit of luck and good software you might still be able to recover them.

The software evilsofa named is a good one, i like the software from auslogics for this:

auslogics file recovery software.
(free for the first 14 days.)

gooood luck!! Henk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top