G
Guest
Hi.
Question: is there a way to recover files that were moved accidentally to
the recycle bin and then deleted? I have always heard that no file is ever
truly deleted, that they are simply rendered 'inaccessible' somewhere on the
hard drive. The reason I ask is that I recently noticed that an important
folder no longer appeared in the Windows Explorer file tree. I do not believe
I touched it at all but it is gone. I am assuming either I accidentally
removed it (I don't know how) or that a virus is at work. I tried system
restore, returning my computer to a state from three months ago (as far back
as Windows System Restore allows) and the folder and subfolders reappeared,
but they were all empty, devoid of their contents. Their contents were
hundreds of photos that I am very sorry are lost. Many are saved outside the
computer on discs, but many are recent and have not been moved to disc. Do
you have a recommendation? I've attached a screen capture of the file string
as it once appeared. The missing folder is the 'My Files' folder and
everything in it. The CamediaImages and My Pictures folders are the critical
ones.
A colleague told me when you empty the recycle bin of say "12345678.jpg" it
renames the file "?2345678.jpg". The space previously occupied by the file is
then made available to other files. Until the space is overwritten by another
file - or until the disk is wiped or reformated - the file may be recovered.
However, if the "searches" fail, I could use a file recovery program to try
and regain the data. He thought Norton System Works had an "undelete"
function. If I go this route, and don't have such a recovery program already
installed, he said it would be safer to take my hard drive out of my system
and attach it to a system that already has an undelete program installed. In
that way I won't overwrite the images that I want to recover by installing
recovery software.
System Restore won't allow me to go further back than March of this year.
When I search that Restore Point, as at other Restore Points, the folders I
seek are found - they are just empty - no pix. These folders were present,
available and full no less than a couple months ago. I had the same problem
yesterday with a brand new folder of pix but I was able to use the 'question
mark' search and recover that folder with all pix intact. Why was I able to
recover folders containing pix that were lost yesterday but the older folders
are empty?
I use a laptop and would have difficulty removing the hard drive. Does
anyone have suggestions?
Thanks!
Computer Info:
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Manufacturer Dell Inc.
System Model Inspiron 6000
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 6 Model 13 Stepping 8 GenuineIntel ~1496 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A05, 2/23/2005
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)"
Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Total Physical Memory 512.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 142.82 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 1.22 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
Question: is there a way to recover files that were moved accidentally to
the recycle bin and then deleted? I have always heard that no file is ever
truly deleted, that they are simply rendered 'inaccessible' somewhere on the
hard drive. The reason I ask is that I recently noticed that an important
folder no longer appeared in the Windows Explorer file tree. I do not believe
I touched it at all but it is gone. I am assuming either I accidentally
removed it (I don't know how) or that a virus is at work. I tried system
restore, returning my computer to a state from three months ago (as far back
as Windows System Restore allows) and the folder and subfolders reappeared,
but they were all empty, devoid of their contents. Their contents were
hundreds of photos that I am very sorry are lost. Many are saved outside the
computer on discs, but many are recent and have not been moved to disc. Do
you have a recommendation? I've attached a screen capture of the file string
as it once appeared. The missing folder is the 'My Files' folder and
everything in it. The CamediaImages and My Pictures folders are the critical
ones.
A colleague told me when you empty the recycle bin of say "12345678.jpg" it
renames the file "?2345678.jpg". The space previously occupied by the file is
then made available to other files. Until the space is overwritten by another
file - or until the disk is wiped or reformated - the file may be recovered.
However, if the "searches" fail, I could use a file recovery program to try
and regain the data. He thought Norton System Works had an "undelete"
function. If I go this route, and don't have such a recovery program already
installed, he said it would be safer to take my hard drive out of my system
and attach it to a system that already has an undelete program installed. In
that way I won't overwrite the images that I want to recover by installing
recovery software.
System Restore won't allow me to go further back than March of this year.
When I search that Restore Point, as at other Restore Points, the folders I
seek are found - they are just empty - no pix. These folders were present,
available and full no less than a couple months ago. I had the same problem
yesterday with a brand new folder of pix but I was able to use the 'question
mark' search and recover that folder with all pix intact. Why was I able to
recover folders containing pix that were lost yesterday but the older folders
are empty?
I use a laptop and would have difficulty removing the hard drive. Does
anyone have suggestions?
Thanks!
Computer Info:
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Manufacturer Dell Inc.
System Model Inspiron 6000
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 6 Model 13 Stepping 8 GenuineIntel ~1496 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A05, 2/23/2005
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)"
Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Total Physical Memory 512.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 142.82 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 1.22 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys