big problem ! HELP- Deleted files , how to get it back ?

Cat72

HI
Hope you can help. My father in law has been typing up a story he wrote on to Word.He has been saving it everyday and it was 80 pages long. Today something went wrong in it and I believe he pressed the delete key- it then asked if he wanted to save- and he said yes ! ( not prob realising he had just deleted it all) .Now all his work has gone and it is his first atempt at using technology .I looked through the search under computer but could not find it. I vainly tried resetting the computer- no luck. Is there any way of getting his word file back ??
ps he said it is all he wants for xmas is to get his story back

intel

Try http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/uk/welcome.htm

If he deleted all of the text then saved it well all he will have is a blank document.
As he saved nowt, thats why it is always best to back up or email a trusted friend
with the work at the very least..

phil999_2

http://www.ontrack.com/software/

Easy recovery my company uses it all the time as part of investigations - However its not cheap but it should work.

brummybloke

if you have restore points on your pc ( xp ) then try restoring yesterdays settings, it may work although doubtful.

have you searched your hard drive for the files ( not just word)?

have you got something like norton security installed on your pc, because i remember that having the option to undelte things you had previously deleted.

intel

@Cat72

Can you confirm.

The File was deleted.

Or

The File was saved but all text in the file was deleted.

Darksun

Typical file recovery software may not recover it, since it's not a 'deleted file' as such. Professional file recovery serviced may be able to get it back, but can be pretty pricey.

It's possible there are some fragments of the documents saved as temporary files. Use a search utility to search for a unique word or phrase in the document (a characters name is a good idea for a novel). Make sure you search all files.

Grep is a pretty good tool for this, but I've not really used Grep for windows (except under cygwin), so I'm not sure how useful it will be in this case. Also, searching the entire harddrive may take a while.

goldentouch

I did similar with an entire chapter of my thesis. Absolutely soul destroying. :mad:

I hope you find it.

Cat72

The File was saved but all text in the file was deleted

Yip this is what he seems to have done.I feel really sorry for him he is 62 and just started to use the computer.I think deep down he is veryupset as he phoned me immediately and i was 40 mile away - plus he phoned my mobile when he hates mobile charges ! oh so no hope then... i tried the system restore and he hasnt got norton.
I searched under hard disc d and c and my computer under its saved name but no luck either.
Would the pc inspector work then ??

intel

If the text is gone im afraid its gone it will never be recovered.

As if you recovered a deleted file with no text well youll recover a blank document.

Its bad news im afraid.

Cat72

Oh thanks- i think im going to cry for him.
Also he is typing up a book that he wrote and it is very long is there any other wat to do this maybe a web site etc as he wants photos in ittoo- and might be a better way andcheer him up a bit ??
thanks so much for trying..
I suggested I might buy him the dictator type software so he could just speak the book, is that any good ?

intel

Cat72 wrote:

Oh thanks- i think im going to cry for him.
Also he is typing up a book that he wrote and it is very long is there any other wat to do this maybe a web site etc as he wants photos in ittoo- and might be a better way andcheer him up a bit ??
thanks so much for trying..
I suggested I might buy him the dictator type software so he could just speak the book, is that any good ?

Try this get a small cheap microphone and plug into PC and record voice using http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ and save a mp3 file or just type what you want then save the file then always put a copy on a Floppy disc CD-RW or USB Pen Drive...

Just a few suggestions, I would do type or dictaphone as an mp3 file may be a bit too complicated whatever happens always always make a copy.