Help- Recovering overwritten files on USB Thumb Drive?

[Sentler]

I had an unfortunate mishap the other night on my XP machine, and
accidentally overwrote some important files (mostly .txt, .doc, and
..xls files) on my 64mb USB Thumb Drive. My attempts at file recovery
(RecoverNT, Search and Recover, File Rescue Plus, Active Undelete,
eImage, PC Inspector Smart Recovery, etc) have, at best, correctly
identified the overwritten file names, but recovered garbage. While
I’ve found many freeware flash picture recovery programs, I
haven’t found anything that correctly restores overwritten
non-media files. Does anyone have any suggestion on how best to
proceed, or could recommend recovery programs (ideally freeware) that
work effectively on overwritten files on thumb drives? Thanks!

 

[Rock]

I had an unfortunate mishap the other night on my XP machine, and
accidentally overwrote some important files (mostly .txt, .doc, and
.xls files) on my 64mb USB Thumb Drive. My attempts at file recovery
(RecoverNT, Search and Recover, File Rescue Plus, Active Undelete,
eImage, PC Inspector Smart Recovery, etc) have, at best, correctly
identified the overwritten file names, but recovered garbage. While
I’ve found many freeware flash picture recovery programs, I
haven’t found anything that correctly restores overwritten
non-media files. Does anyone have any suggestion on how best to
proceed, or could recommend recovery programs (ideally freeware) that
work effectively on overwritten files on thumb drives? Thanks!

Executive Software “Undelete”:
http://www.execsoft.com/undelete/undelete.asp

Also:

http://www.collina.us/files/REST2514.htm
http://www3.telus.net/mikebike/RESTORATION.html

Recover and Restore Deleted Files (Line 36)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

File Saver Pro - Recover Deleted Files
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_u.htm#xp_util

www.recovermyfiles.com

 

[Arno Wagner]

I had an unfortunate mishap the other night on my XP machine, and
accidentally overwrote some important files (mostly .txt, .doc, and
.xls files) on my 64mb USB Thumb Drive. My attempts at file recovery
(RecoverNT, Search and Recover, File Rescue Plus, Active Undelete,
eImage, PC Inspector Smart Recovery, etc) have, at best, correctly
identified the overwritten file names, but recovered garbage. While
I’ve found many freeware flash picture recovery programs, I
haven’t found anything that correctly restores overwritten
non-media files. Does anyone have any suggestion on how best to
proceed, or could recommend recovery programs (ideally freeware) that
work effectively on overwritten files on thumb drives? Thanks!

What do you mean by overwritten? Any truly overwritten data
(i.e. new data in the sectors the old data was in) cannot be
recoverd by software and may also be unrecoverable by any
other means.

It is possible that you will not get more than the
software you cited already gave you. You could also try
a professional data recovery company, they have experience
with puzzeling files together from fragments. However even
they will not recover anythign that was overwritten.

Arno

 

[Bryce]

Does anyone have any suggestion on how best to

proceed, or could recommend recovery programs (ideally freeware) that
work effectively on overwritten files on thumb drives? Thanks!

Freeware?

Must be some really important files you are looking for.

 

[Kelly]

Hi,

What works, having done this today for an external USB drive:

1. Do a search for the file and check the recycle bin. If nothing....
2. Do a system restore, then run: Restorer2000: http://www.bitmart.net/
Note: There is a limitation to the size of recovery for the free
version.
Note: Do not save the recovery files to the same drive they were
deleted from.
3. Register the Pro Version for full recovery.

 

[Sentler]

Freeware?

Must be some really important files you are looking for.

Nope. Unapologetically really cheap.

 

[Sentler]

What works, having done this today for an external USB drive:

1. Do a search for the file and check the recycle bin. If nothing....
2. Do a system restore, then run: Restorer2000: http://www.bitmart.net/
Note: There is a limitation to the size of recovery for the free
version.
Note: Do not save the recovery files to the same drive they were
deleted from.
3. Register the Pro Version for full recovery.

Cool! I'm going to try again this evening with your suggestions- Thank
you all for your help!

 

[Roger Halstead]

Hi,

As I can't find the original post and you didn't include anything I'm
going strictly by the subject line.

What works, having done this today for an external USB drive:

I seriously doubt you recovered "over written files", it is not
normally possible. Files can be recovered when deleted and even
from reformatted drives, but not if that drive space has been over
written, at least not with normal recovery techniques. Even with
advanced techniques it's typical to only recover fragments.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

 

[JRow]

Hello,
I just had this same problem of overwritting a word document on my flash drive.
1. Download Recuva - portable
2. Extract and Run in the usb drive (you will specify the drive)
3. Select the option (word document I suppose)
4. it will scan the entire flash drive digging up documents you did not even knew existed again
5. Check to see more than one name of the exact document you are looking for
6. Click the check box of them one by one and extract to another location (example desktop)
7. All the versions will be there, before you overwrote the file and after

Voila! your problem is solved. Enjoy.
It was really a bad experience. It was solved! I believe it is for the sake of you reading right now because such things do not happen to me, except for a reason like this. Cheers