Recover Deleted Files Please Help

HairyChickens on 29/06/2021 - 01:02
Last edited 29/06/2021 - 14:15

Hi everyone, today I accidentally deleted some of my work files from my laptop when I meant to delete them from my backup hard drive. Considering its just been recently (1 hour or so) deleted hopefully my chances of recovering most of it will be high. Luckily it was just one folder and I have the backup of the same folder however it is 2-3 months old. Any help will be greatly appreciated. This is the last thing I want from my absolutely crapshow of a day.

I'm probably going to put my laptop to sleep/hibernate now, hopefully, that doesn't overwrite anything when I turn it back on the next day.

Also, these files aren't so important that I need to go to a data recovery service. Just want to try out all the options I have and if that fails then its a big lesson learnt. 

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Edit:
After Staying up to 4:30AM I was technically able to "recover" 80% of my files through me finding hard copies and bits and pieces that have been uploaded as email attachments and Google Drive. I'm glad it's just one folder with 2-3 months worth of files and not anymore. Using Microsoft's Window's File Recovery I was able to recover broken documents, images etc that weren't able to be opened but did help me in clawing back the bits and pieces through the document names.

Curious if there are anyways of opening these files

A few fatal errors I did make while trying to recover the files was that as mentioned in the comments below, I didn't immediately shut off the laptop and installed 5 different recovery software on the same SSD in which I deleted my files on and I think as a result all 5 found nothing.

Now because I was desperate last night I installed 5 different software in which I kinda regret because now I am a little paranoid that they could've come with malware as when I looked into control panel there were programs that I didn't install namely Dokan Library, K-Lite Codec Pack and LAV Filters. Running Trend Micro, Malwarebytes and Adwcleaner did result in any detections and Googling these programs seemed to be fine.

The 5 software I used were
https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download
https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva
https://www.stellarinfo.com/windows-data-recovery-profession…
https://www.cleverfiles.com/data-recovery-software.html
https://recoverit.wondershare.com/

I think all of these software are legit and its probably just me. Rn I am assuming the PUPs are just additional programs that these recovery software need in their recovery process.

Going forward I might look into Windows File History and definitely need to be more careful.
Anyways Thank you for your help.

Computing

Comments

  • Hybroid on 29/06/2021 - 01:08
    +2

    Try recovery software like these to see if they can pick up the deleted files:-

    https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva

    https://www.stellarinfo.com/windows-data-recovery-profession…?

    • HairyChickens on 29/06/2021 - 01:12

      Doing it rn wish me luck…….

    • HairyChickens on 29/06/2021 - 01:54

      Hey uhh stellarinfo is asking me for some recovery key?

      • Chandler on 29/06/2021 - 09:02
        +1

        It's right there on the page Hybroid linked:

        *Free download to scan and preview your lost or deleted data.

        You can see your lost files, but you'll need to pay to recover them.

    • HairyChickens on 29/06/2021 - 14:18

      After Staying up to 4:30AM I was technically able to "recover" 80% of my files through me finding hard copies and bits and pieces that have been uploaded as email attachments and Google Drive. I'm glad it's just one folder with 2-3 months worth of files and not anymore. Using Microsoft's Window's File Recovery I was able to recover broken documents, images etc that weren't able to be opened but did help me in clawing back the bits and pieces through the document names.

      Curious if there are anyways of opening these files

      A few fatal errors I did make while trying to recover the files was that as mentioned in the comments below, I didn't immediately shut off the laptop and installed 5 different recovery software on the same SSD in which I deleted my files on and I think as a result all 5 found nothing.

      Now because I was desperate last night I installed 5 different software in which I kinda regret because now I am a little paranoid that they could've come with malware as when I looked into control panel there were programs that I didn't install namely Dokan Library, K-Lite Codec Pack and LAV Filters. Running Trend Micro, Malwarebytes and Adwcleaner did result in any detections and Googling these programs seemed to be fine.

      The 5 software I used were
      https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download
      https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva
      https://www.stellarinfo.com/windows-data-recovery-profession…
      https://www.cleverfiles.com/data-recovery-software.html
      https://recoverit.wondershare.com/

      I think all of these software are legit and its probably just me. Rn I am assuming the PUPs are just additional programs that these recovery software need in their recovery process.

      Going forward I might look into Windows File History and definitely need to be more careful.
      Anyways Thank you for your help.

  • bazingaa on 29/06/2021 - 01:39
    +1

    I have had great success with below softwares. Always save the recovered files to a different drive.

    TestDisk : Used to recover from lost files on a SD Card from my DSLR, worked with HDD as well
    PC Inspector File Recovery : This was my goto tool back then, used to recover all partitions and data on a 40 GB HDD, now this tool is quite old

    • 900dollaridoos on 29/06/2021 - 06:54
      +1

      damn wish you were there when i lost all my travel photos several years back. I hope this saves someone else the pain haha

  • garetz on 29/06/2021 - 03:39
    +4

    Why would you sleep/hibernate, the hibernate file could overwrite the data. Should of switched off the pc instead.

  • kiitos on 29/06/2021 - 07:57
    +2

    Probably too late, but don't install the recovery software onto your PC as that could be installed into the space where the deleted files are. There are some ISO images for recovery tools that you can install onto a USB stick and boot from that. You'd need to have access to another PC to do this.

    • garetz on 29/06/2021 - 08:53

      You can just install it on a different disk.

  • NewbiefromVic on 29/06/2021 - 09:29
    +4

    Have you tried the Recycling Bin? Unless you selected to delete permanently, deleted files usually go in there first. If you did select to delete permanently, you can still try to recover using the tools mentioned by other members above, but do your best not to cause any more changes to disk (e.g. installing programs, creating new files etc.)

    As suggested by another member, use another PC / laptop to download Recuva (https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva/features/portable-version) to a USB drive. You can plug this into the laptop with your work files and run it from there.

    Good luck & Cheers.

    • shaybisc on 29/06/2021 - 09:32
      +1

      Yes, Newbie, it is pretty hard to accidentally delete files permanently with Windows. You have to delete them twice and even then, Windows delete doesn't overwrite.

      • spackbace on 29/06/2021 - 11:58
        +1

        Not that hard, hold shift while pressing delete…

        • HairyChickens on 29/06/2021 - 12:34
          +1

          Yep got too lazy emptying the recycling bin years ago. Discovering shift delete was a double-edged sword

  • iDroid on 29/06/2021 - 10:23
    +3

    One key thing here is to stop using the drive - every second that thing is running as your OS disk you're overwriting files (all disk activity will start over writing the empty space (where your deleted files are).

    You need to plug the drive into a machine as a non OS drive so you can access the disk without writes happening to it.

    Not doing so will reduce the success of getting your files back.

  • ozwog05 on 29/06/2021 - 10:26

    Any chance you have Previous Versions enabled on the folder? (or perhaps the parent folder)
    Eg.

  • pharkurnell on 29/06/2021 - 10:56

    I've had great success looking in the recycle bin.

    Unless you have bypass recycle bin selected (is that still an option?).

    • spackbace on 29/06/2021 - 11:58

      Hold shift then press delete = no recycle bin

      • pharkurnell on 29/06/2021 - 16:47

        Yep., most users wouldnt know that … possibly less chance since it was a mistake

  • Randxyz123 on 29/06/2021 - 10:58

    Just to be very clear, when you say you deleted them, do you mean you cleared them from the recycle bin as well as deleting the folder/the file?

  • jv on 29/06/2021 - 12:37

    Do not try and save any new files.

    Download a free undelete tool and run it…

  • TheBird on 29/06/2021 - 15:06

    Considering its just been recently (1 hour or so) deleted hopefully my chances of recovering most of it will be high

    I don't know where you got this impression, but since it's only been an hour has no real bearing. It's more to do with use than anything.

    Anyway, the more you use that machine when the drive could be written to, your chances get of recovery get worse. This is assuming your data is held on your boot drive (most people do).

    If the information is critically important, take it to a professional to get recovered. They will remove the drive from your computer and do what they can to recover your data.

    If you insist on doing it yourself, make sure that drive isn't written to. If your data is on your boot drive, you'll want to remove the drive from your computer. Get some software (don't download it to the drive you need to recover) and start the recovery process. If you don't care much about the data, download some recovery software and try to see what happens. I suggest removing the hard drive and doing the whole thing from another computer.

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