help - I've deleted all my photos!

frugalsar

I've just found some by going to C and searching but when i click on them picture gallery tells me the location is unavailable?

davetrousers

If you have Vista, then I trust you have a new(ish) computer?

Have you got these pics on an old computer?

albertross_2

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/restoration.html
http://www.officerecovery.com/freeundelete/
http://tokiwa.qee.jp/EN/dr.html

http://www.free-av.com/antivirclassic/avira_unerase.html
http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/uk/welcome.htm
http://www.recuva.com/
http://www.download.com/Recover-Files/3000-2094_4-10715456.html?tag=lst-7
http://www.partition-recovery.com/
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
http://www.data-recovery-software.net/Linux_Recovery.shtml
http://www.fdrlab.com/software/tfu.html

http://www.runtime.org/products.htm
http://www.finaldata.com/sub_products/products_1.asp
http://www.restorer2000.com/
http://www.recovermyfiles.com/

buglawton

So you have searched the whole C drive for images and they cannot be found?

The more you use your computer, even if just web browsing, the less chance of recovering things. Plus Vista may have some background utilities that constantly reorganize the disk in the background. These are also likely to make recovering deleted items impossible.

On MSE Vista is very thinly covered regarding file recovery. If the data is sufficiently valuable, consider a paid for Vista utility - there is http://adv.active-undelete.com but I would try to see some reviews first. Try to run utilities like this off a usb drive or CD without booting up the PC normally, if possible.

gazzak_2

Firtst things first, if you've accidentally deleted them then anything you write to the hard disk will be making more damage and overwriting the data so DON'T INSTALL anything just yet. Doing so will make recovery more difficult.

From your description it appears that there are other accounts on the PC, I suggest you log in as the main administrator and search again.

Don't panic. Files can be recovered. Don't go crazy, just take a deep breath and be prepared to do some work soon.

frugalsar

how do i sign on as administrator? i always just turn it on and it comes up with me and i've never had any other users?
also - i tried one of the undelete programs but it didnt bring any photos up?

moonrakerz

Are you using any type of photo "filing" software ?

The symptoms you describe sound just like the sort of thing that happens when you have a load of photos referenced by a software package and then you move them elsewhere without telling the software package where you've moved them to. This is why you still have the thumbnails showing.

See if you have a "reconnect" (or similar) command.

frugalsar

no - i've just sorted them out into folders in 'my pictures' i did move this then copy it then delete the copy I think thats how they got deleted but they wernt in the recycle bin?

culpepper

you could just search *.jpg and see where they turn up then you might be able to right click and copy from the search result page. I havent got vista but in XP that is what I would do.
Maybe they have copied into another users folder by mistake.
With our old XP computer I had to change privelidges to copy my daughters 'my documents' folder. I cant remember how as my son showed me what to do but someone else will no doubt know.

fwor

If you decide you want to check the hard drive for errors here is how (apparently) you do it in Vista:

> So how do I schedule a chkdsk to run on one of my drives in vista?

Start Menu>Computer>
right click the drive, select Properties.
"Tools" tab.

But... I wouldn't be surprised if you need to be logged in with Admin privileges for it to work?