Can't view recovered files!

adaadat

Hi,

I’ve been trying, without any luck, to recover several files I deleted: Word docs, JPEGs and WMVs.

I quickly did a search for progs. which may help and downloaded PC Inspector’s File Recovery, Disk Internals’ Uneraser and Restoration v. 2.5.14.

File Recovery baffles me and I haven’t used Uneraser as to fully recover files you need the paid-for version.

Restoration v. 2.5.14 is free and has a simple Windows-style interface, but I’m still unable to fully recover my files. Once I’ve scanned the drive, selected the files I want to “Restore by Copying” and sent them to a new folder, I still can’t read them. I know a file isn’t really deleted when ‘deleted’ but modified, somehow, so it can be over-written at a later date, but what do I have to do to restore the files to their original state?

Are any of the other many ‘recovery’ progs. – many listed in these threads: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=491887&highlight=deleted+files, http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=411343&highlight=deleted+files and http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=357071&highlight=deleted+files – any easier...and free?

Thanks for any help. I'll get back to reply after 8 p.m.-ish.

Tallymanjohn

What happens when you try to read the recovered files? Often the suffix needs replacing, so you may get a file called 'recovered.jp*' - you need to change it to 'recovered.jpg' for it to be recognised.

adaadat

In Windows Explorer, viewing the "Details" of the files, indicates the images are JPEGs and the Word docs are just that. This will sound stupid, but how do I discover the whole file name, with file-type suffix?

Chippy_Minton

In Windows Explorer, Tools - Folder options - View tab - untick 'Hide extensions for known file types' - OK.

skiddy2k

Often the files get corrupt, especially if you install/download things on your PC AFTER its been deleted... the best way to use recovery software is to install them all prior to when you need to use them... I'm sure its maybe a little too late to do this now though!

Remember to also save the recovered files onto another harddrive (or removable disk) to also reduce possibility of corruption.

Sorry, not too much of a usefull post for you at the moment, but just posted this for future refrence.

albertross_2

its the first letter of the filename that gets changed on deletion.

restoration is the smallest tool in the list, so less likely to everwrite the data area, if that didn't work, try the others, how successful it will be depends on free space available, time since deletion, how much you have written since deletion, and luck