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Can files be retrieved after deleted from recycle bin?

  • 14-10-2009 9:20pm
    #1
    homerun_homer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,027 ✭✭✭


    I'm asking this for my housemate - he deleted his girlfriends files she had stored on his PC not realising she hadn't kept a copy herself. Is there anyway they can be retrieved?

    He has Windows XP if it makes any difference.


Comments

  • #2
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    I assume they've looked in the recycle bin. If they are gone from there you can still recover them. But they have to stop using the PC immediately. Its possible to recover the files using recovery software. Haven't done it in years. Last time I think we got back almost everything.


  • #3
    Biggins
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 34,567 ✭✭✭✭Biggins


    Yes in most cases they can.
    DO NOT defrag - move files around, create files/documents etc.

    Then try one of these free tools: http://download.cnet.com/1770-20_4-0.html?query=file+recovery&searchtype=downloads&filter=licenseName=Free|&filterName=licenseName=Free|device=Mobile%20Device&tag=ltcol

    Start off with this one: http://download.cnet.com/Handy-Recovery/3000-2248_4-10268456.html?tag=mncol

    There are others which you will have to pay for but one of the above might just do the job.

    Good luck.


  • #4
    Kevster
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,980 ✭✭✭Kevster


    Yeh, a 'deleted' file in the eyes of Windows is just any file with a '?' as the first character. That's what it does when it 'deletes' files, but it also removes the file's index from the master file table, making finding it difficult. plus, these '?' files are easily overwritten, so do'nt make any big copying/moving tasks, as Biggins has implied.

    If what he suggets doesn't work, then you might just have to splash out on commercial software. I fecked up my disk years ago but went out and bought Recover My Files, and it got EVERYTHING back perfectly.


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