Data recovery programs

Topic: Data recovery programs (Read 2725 times) previous topic - next topic

Data recovery programs

March 13, 2008, 11:49:00 AM

Has anyone had any experience using them?

I recently had some issues with Quicktime & ITunes and had to manually delete the files in order to get either program to re-install.
I followed the directions on Apples site to the letter and was very careful not to delete any files that were not called "QuickTime" or "QuickTimeVR".
After doing this, ITunes & QT were re-installed and are again working properly and everything seemed fine.

Then a few days later, I went to retrieve a photo from one of the folders in My Pictures file and found that every .jpg in every folder was gone. The folders themselves are there but no pictures.
I did a deep search for them on the hard drive but nothing.

I didn't loose any .jpg files that are in folders on the desktop though, just those in the My Pictures section.

At this point I think I have no choice but to try one of these Data Recovery programs.

I have a Dell PC with Windows XP Media Edition

Thanks,
Brent
:cougarsmily:

Data recovery programs

Reply #1 – March 13, 2008, 03:12:38 PM

Oh that SUCKS.

Interestingly enough, I just had almost the same problem yesterday. I was testing out a .mp4 (MPEG-4) file that I converted on the PC, and Quicktime asked if I wanted it to open files with that extension from now on. I clicked 'ok' and it played the file.

Well, it also converted ALL of my .jpg, .psd, and who knows what else, files on the entire computer over to have Quicktime open them. I didn't tell Quicktime to do THAT, but it did anyway. Really pissed me off.

So I went into the Quicktime control panel, click on the File Types tab, and unchecked everything in there. Now the files seem to have reverted back to their original settings, although I do see that Quicktime is fighting to get them back.

As much as an Apple fan as I am, Quicktime on the PC is a frickin' battlefield. I can understand how people would be pissed off at that program. In no way is it like that on a Mac.

Anyhow...the only suggestion I have is to try that, see if it recovers anything. Otherwise I'd try one of those software-based data recovery programs that you mentioned. I had a Mac-based one years ago that seemed to work fairly well. It was just to recover things from the trash (recycle) bin though. I think the key is that you don't write over the areas on the hard drive where the original files were. So long as that is more or less true, you *should* be able to recover something.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Data recovery programs

Reply #2 – March 13, 2008, 05:57:43 PM

BCA, I'll see if I still have it. I'll get back with you.
until then, don't install anything on that drive

Data recovery programs

Reply #3 – March 13, 2008, 06:45:00 PM

I'm still not convinced that whatever happened that caused the problem was QuickTime's fault, it just doesn't make sense to me that deleting QT files would have an effect on .jpg files. Oh well, what's done is done, but my wife is none too happy about the situation.

daminc,
I looked at a lot of different programs today and read the user reviews and I was about to pull the trigger on trying one, but I will wait and see what you may have first.

Thanks,
Brent

Data recovery programs

Reply #4 – March 13, 2008, 11:20:14 PM

Brent,
I havn't used a pc in a few years. What file system does xp use?
NTFS?
Don't want to give you the wrong program.

Data recovery programs

Reply #5 – March 13, 2008, 11:37:27 PM

it could be either ntfs or fat 32... it depends which you set it up as.

Data recovery programs

Reply #6 – March 13, 2008, 11:46:51 PM

In that case I should still have the software. Just need to find the right disk, just used it about a year ago on my daughters computer

Data recovery programs

Reply #7 – March 14, 2008, 09:37:05 AM

daminc,
No need to look for it now.
An IT guy at my wifes workplace convinced her that he needs to do the recovery process for us. He of course told her it is much to technical for the average person to try themselves.

I'll let him be the hero.

Thanks anyway.
Brent