Computer Help Needed (Deleted File Recovery)

[colchar]

A couple of days ago I accidentally deleted some files that I wanted to keep (mostly video files of British TV shows as well as some personal photos). I can get these files again but doing so will be a pain and will be rather time consuming so I was wondering if anyone can recommend a (preferably free) file recovery program that will work with Vista that will enable me to recover these deleted files?

[CameronBornAndBred]

I use a program called EasyRecovery, from OnTrack. It's not free, but they might have a demo version that would at least enable you to recover a smaller amount of files. Or you could try finding it on a bittorrent site. It works great, as long as the drive will spin, this software can get your stuff back, even after formatting.

[-jk]

The most important thing is don't use your computer until you recover the files, otherwise you might overwrite them and never get them back.

Meanwhile, check out the Ultimate Boot CD.

-jk

[colchar]

The most important thing is don't use your computer until you recover the files, otherwise you might overwrite them and never get them back.


-jk

Oops.

[colchar]

The most important thing is don't use your computer until you recover the files, otherwise you might overwrite them and never get them back.

Meanwhile, check out the Ultimate Boot CD.

-jk

So had I had a utility like this and had I run it right after deleting these files would they have been easily recoverable?

I managed to recover some of the lost files but now they don't work properly (ie. Windows Media Player says it cannot play the video files and other players play the audio but not the video). I guess I'll have to play with them to get them to work properly (if they ever do again).

[-jk]

So had I had a utility like this and had I run it right after deleting these files would they have been easily recoverable?

I managed to recover some of the lost files but now they don't work properly (ie. Windows Media Player says it cannot play the video files and other players play the audio but not the video). I guess I'll have to play with them to get them to work properly (if they ever do again).

Think of a file as a being analogous to a book, with a bunch of individual pages. File systems keep track of each page individually. When you delete a file, each page is flagged as empty, and can be reused by another file.

If you delete a large file - one with many "pages" - you leave a lot of empty pages that can, and will, be overwritten with new files. Just using your computer, and especially an internet browser, creates new files, filling those (supposedly) empty pages with new data.

Had you immediately tried to recover them, chances are you would have recovered them. Now, though, the corrupt ones are probably missing crucial bits, and will never work properly.

So, yes, you're hosed.

-jk

[colchar]

Think of a file as a being analogous to a book, with a bunch of individual pages. File systems keep track of each page individually. When you delete a file, each page is flagged as empty, and can be reused by another file.

If you delete a large file - one with many "pages" - you leave a lot of empty pages that can, and will, be overwritten with new files. Just using your computer, and especially an internet browser, creates new files, filling those (supposedly) empty pages with new data.

Had you immediately tried to recover them, chances are you would have recovered them. Now, though, the corrupt ones are probably missing crucial bits, and will never work properly.

So, yes, you're hosed.

-jk

Damn, and I thought I had recovered them quickly enough. But thanks for the layman's version.