Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

Mark42

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OOPS! I have lost the entire Shared Documents directory on my PC. A majority of the data on that directory are JPG photos. About 2/3 of the photos are archived on DVD, but I really need to recover the rest of the photos.<br /><br />I have been searching for file recovery software but just don't know which is best.<br /><br />Any suggestions???<br /><br />BTW, I ran CHKDSK in safe mode and there is no disk corruption. The directory was just deleted by mistake, and it's not in the Recycle Bin to restore. I am not using the PC to prevent the photos from being over written. I plan on installing the software on a second PC (again to prevent overwritting of the photos by the install), and making the entire C drive "Shared" oven the LAN so the second PC can have access to the whole drive. <br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Mark<br /><br />PS, my wife will be very happy if I recover the photos.
 

gewf631

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

Mark,<br />My first thought isn't so much to stop using that PC, as it is to yank that drive out of the PC - any use of that PC could cause files to be written to the location of your deleted ones.<br /><br />Second, you don't mention the OS, but XP has a RESTORE option, allowing you to roll-back to a previous date. This may/may-not work, depending on where your files were stored - probably not, as it's meant more for OS and applications, but it's an option..<br /><br />A third option, and fortunately, one I've not had to try, is PC INSPECTOR™ File Recovery I can't personally vouch for this, but I have heard good things.<br /><br />Finally, here's a nice, concise write-up about recovery/restore options.
 

Andrew Leigh

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

Hi Mark<br /><br />Google for "file scavenger". It is brilliant. If you do the advanced search which take a while you will be amazed at how many long lost files are retrieved.<br /><br />I have used file scavanger in critical moments when large work related files have been lost.<br /><br />Cheers<br />Andrew
 

Mark42

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

Thanks guys for the info. I'll play around with PC inspector on the good PC tonight and see how well it retrieves files I copy and then delete. <br /><br />If PC Inspector doesn't do it for me, then I'll give File Scavenger a try.<br /><br />Guess that I better remove and install the drive in the other PC tonight like the software suggests. Can't be too safe!<br /><br />Thanks again. I'll let you know how it goes.
 

Mark42

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

Last night I didn't have time to do a full recovery, but I did play with PC Inspector on a good PC. After installing PC In. I copied a folder with about 12 pictures from an archive disk to the hard drive. Then I deleted the folder and deleted it again from the recycling folder. PC Inspector did find the missing folder and pictures. I saved an individual photo from the missing folder to a flash drive. That photo was not viewable with any software. Got a "missing length" and "unexpected non JPG control character" message depending on what software was used to view the photo. Man, my heart sunk when I saw that. <br /><br />But there is good new... When the entire folder is selected for restore, the photos are OK. Selected the folder, restored it to the flash drive, and all photos in the folder were opened without any problems. A thumbnail directory file was created and all is well.<br /><br />Hopefully tonight I will be able to recover the entire missing "Shared Documents" file. But I wonder if I will be able to restore it back to it's original structure because of the error message "folder not accessable" that is issued whenever I try to display the Shared Docs folder now. Will see how it goes.<br /><br />PC inspector also found lots and lots of old software that was installed and deleted months ago, even after upgrade from WIN ME to Win XP. Some of the files were listed as "poor" condition and were actually not retreivable, but many were.<br /><br />PC Inspector is a neat little piece of shareware software. If I am able to do a full recovery of my photos, I will send those folks a few bucks. I recomend you download and install this package now, BEFORE you ever need it. That way you won't have to pull the drive to restore it. You can search the drive and save to a flash drive or CD/DVD.
 

timfromfc

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

I'm sure you're painfully aware of this now, but it is a really good idea to back your pics to a CD/DVD and store it in a fire/heat proof lock box along with all of your important documents. You will probably never need it, but it's an inexpensive way to provide a higher level of protection.<br /><br />This wasn't a slam on you (I've lost more stuff from not backing up my data than most), but a reminder to others so they don't have to scramble later.<br /><br />Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
 

Scaaty

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

Try installing googles "Picasa"...it wiil find any pictures on your drive. When I installed it, all kinds of stuff showed up. And its a great photo editor. Just google it..
 

Mark42

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

Last night I pulled the drive with the missing photos and installed it in the good PC (as drive F:) and ran PC Inspector. I didn't get the results I was looking for. Although it did find many JPG files, unless they were small photos, they can't be opened. I do believe it found all my missing photos because there are multiple groups of 100 to 150 photos with the same date/time stamp, just one or two seconds apart, exactly the type of time stamp the photos get when loaded from the digital camera. Unfortunatelly, althouth I was able to save the photos to the C: drive, they are virtually unusable. At this point, I am not going to continue with PC Inspector, although it does work well for retrieving files that were deleted by accident and you want it back. I think there is more to my missing photo problem than just a simple delete. The directory structure for the Shared Documents is corrupted.<br /><br />So, I will go the next step and buy some hi powered software. I'll try Andrews suggestion and check out File Scavenger. If I can't get these photos back, then I'll have to send the drive out for recovery. <br /><br />Will keep you posted. And keep the suggestions for software coming too.
 

Mark42

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

FYI File Scavenger worked. It retrieved the entire missing directory structure 100% intact. Included in the missing structure was all my video productions, most are in progress and I wouldn't want to lose all that video editing. All in all, about 60 gig of data was lost and recovered. <br /><br />File Scavenger is $49 and worth every penny. Now I think I'll add a 160g drive to use as backup for all my data.
 

Solittle

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

The absolute best for backing up your entire system is Acronis True Image. Check their web site.
 

gewf631

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

Mark,<br /> Thanks for continuning to post updates on your progress. Sorry for pointing you off course, but I'm truly happy that something worked.<br /><br /> Obviously, you've learned your lesson, and will implement a better backup strategy!<br /><br />Ed
 

Mark42

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

Update:<br /><br />This is what happened:<br /><br />I was setting up lan shared folders and had put the "Shared Documents" folder in "My Network Places". Then changed my mind and went to delete it, but I was not on the Network Places window, I was on My Computer (oops). I see that the delete is taking a while, not the 1 second that deleting a shortcut takes. I suddenly realize my mistake and click on the Cancel button. OOps. Big mistake.<br /><br />The result is that ALL the permissions were removed from all directories and files in Shared Documents. That makes the folder and everything in it "Not Accessable" and lists the directory as being "Empty Folder". I do not realize it is a permissions issue at this time. <br /><br />After a while of screwing around trying to find my folders, I decide to do a System Restore. Nope, Shared Docs is not back.<br /><br />So believing the data was deleted, I get the recovery software. It was a good thing too. File Scavenger found all the files and copied them to a new drive I installed for this purpose.<br /><br />I also take the time to do a Backup of the entire Shared Docs directory to new hard drive using the Backup Utility. The backup utility runs awhile, so i believe it found everything. <br /><br />As a test, I do a restore from the backup and it runs a while and ends OK. But the data is still showing as not available and as an empty folder.<br /><br />I also notice that most of the entries in All Programs are gone. Including the System Utilities. I find the utility execute in the windows directory and run it to undo the affect of the restore utility. No good, the System Restore says the PC cannot be restored because no ativity has taken place. Nice, very nice. So now the Restore Utilty has made things so the System Restore won't work and now the whole situation just got worse. :mad: <br /><br />Eventually I start browsing the recovered files on the new drive created by File Scavenger and see that my Start Programs file is still intact, and different than the one I now have on the C drive. A little poking around the help files and I realize that this may be a permissions issue. (Also note that the C drive is still the same percent full as before this whole mess started, so the system thinks the data is still taking up space, even though it tells me the Shared Documents folder is empty. We are talking about 60 gigs of data. hint hint.)<br /><br />So with a quick education on permissions, I jump into the C drive and set Simple File Sharing OFF and start inspecting permissions under the Security tab. Turns out there are NO permissions on the Shared Documents folder. So nothing has access. Hence my inability to see it. I do a global permissions change to allow "Everyone" to have "Full Control" over the folder and set it so children folders inherit the parent folder permissions. Things start looking better.<br /><br />But... my start programs is still messed up. Seems the Restore Utility (not system restore) has really buggered up the data. So I copy my file from the recovered data on the new drive and suddenly my programs are all back. I decide to copy the entire "All Users" folder on the new drive recovered using the File Scavenger program to the All Users folder in Shared Documents on the C drive. This worked. Everything is back, and the machine is working as it was. It did take 4 or 5 tries because there were a few security software files that did not take permissions from their parent directory and had to be addressed one on one. This was a pain, because copying All Users takes 35 minutes on my PC and it doesent find these problem files until the very end. Go figure :rolleyes: <br /><br />I probably have about 20 hours work into recovering this PC. But its back. And I'm going to start burning all new backups of the data files I want to keep. Then take a restore point. I also have to set the permissions back to the proper levels for "Everyone" because right now "Everyone" has full control. Not too good with kids around.<br /><br />BTW, I ended up putting Shared Documents in My Network Places last night anyway..... Remember what started this whole mess? :D :eek: :D
 

Solittle

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

Acronis-Acronis-Acronis!!!
 

Andrew Leigh

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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

Hi Mark,<br /><br />I am pleased it worked for you. I too know the pain of hours of creative video work being lost. With creative stuff you can never get the same juices to flow when you try recreate the video.<br /><br />The best save I had was wroking through the night on a business report that had an early morning deadline. Lost the file but was able to recover...phew.<br /><br />Cheers<br />Andrew
 

tbeaun

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Jul 16, 2005
Messages
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Re: Best File Recovery Software? Last update 10/05

Originally posted by Tim's Floater:<br /> I'm sure you're painfully aware of this now, but it is a really good idea to back your pics to a CD/DVD and store it in a fire/heat proof lock box along with all of your important documents. You will probably never need it, but it's an inexpensive way to provide a higher level of protection.<br /><br />This wasn't a slam on you (I've lost more stuff from not backing up my data than most), but a reminder to others so they don't have to scramble later.<br /><br />Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Another solution to this problem is to install a second harddrive & format it for storage. You can save everything to it & if your computer is hit by a virus, it will be safe as viruses cannot damage a storage-only harddrive
 
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