How to Recover Files

Helen_from_yorkshire

My computer stopped working just before Christmas and it's just out of warranty so I made the decision to re-install XP to get it working again. My son helped me (god I needed it!) and most things are now working, except the sound but that can wait.

The thing I really need to know is ..... is there any way I can get back one Excel 2003 document I had before I re-installed. I am aware that when you delete things off your computer, they never really go for good (isn't that how all those people got caught under Operation Ore) but how do you get them back.

I'd be so grateful for any help anyone can give.

Thanks.

:xmastree:

Chippy_Minton

When you reinstalled XP did you reformat the C: partition (Windows is normally installed on C)? If you did and your My Documents folder was on the same partition (drive) then I'm afraid your Excel doc has been deleted for good. There's a small chance that it could still be on the hard drive but you'll probably need to use a data recovery company to recover it and that can be very expensive.

Helen_from_yorkshire

I think we did (though I'll have to check with my son). Thanks for your help anyway, not to worry it wasn't a really important document but if I could have got it back it would have saved me a bit of trouble.

Thanks for your help.

albertross_2

Try this, it's free (there are some other posts recommending an alternative, somewhere on this board, can't remember where.)

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/restoration.html

Even after a format, you may be able to get the files back, provided that the actual data area holding the file hasn't been overwritten.

Failing that, I have recovered files from a formatted HD using Final Data software, but the same problem applies, if the data area has been overwritten, you are unlikely to get it back..

http://www.finaldata.com/sub_products/products_1.asp?p_no=%205&pc1_code=winc

Helen_from_yorkshire

Thanks - may as well give it a try, I've nothing to lose.

Cheers

albertross_2

This free software was recommended by matty_c608

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

Can't get there at the moment, site may be down, but it's worth a try..

redux

the TuneUp Utilities suite has this facility, and the free trial version can do it - some other interesting features there too
http://www.tune-up.com/

trouble is, it's a risk loading new software - it would be nice to find one that could be saved on and run from a CD or floppy disk.

albertross_2

restoration (and 2 dll's) can be saved to, and run from floppy, it doesn't need to be installed..

Whether it will work is a different matter..

matty_c608

Thanks for recognition albertross :P

Sites back up anyway now! The stuff is Freeware and works well. It may be hard recovering though, if your operating system (XP) over wrote the 'bits' of data!

Hope you get it back!

Matt.

tigermatt

If you did a Quick Format of the C: drive where your My Documents was stored, it may be possible to retrieve the file because a Quick Format doesn't clear the actual data from the hard drive, it simply clears the computer's reference to the file on the hard drive. If you did a quick format (which is unlikely), then you may be able to get the file back with one of the free tools around to do such a job.