[kunal2sh]

Heloo guys.... i had around 60GB of music videos in .dat format. my friend deleted them by mistake. jus deleted...is there any way to recover these deleted .dat files?

This post has been edited by kunal2sh: 15 March 2008 - 10:47 PM

[jaclaz]

Usually yes.

You need to try a data recovery program.

How were they deleted?
I mean from Explorer, keeping SHIFT pressed) from a Command Prompt using "Del" command, by formatting a partition?

Is the partition where they are:
1) a "data" partition (i.e. NOT the one where the operating system is installed
2) formatted as FAT16, FAT32 or NTFS
?

Which Operating System is it?

I need the above info in order to suggest you the most appropriate program.

jaclaz

[kunal2sh]

They were deleted by shift+Del
Its a data partition and NTFS

NB: app should recover .dat and .mpg files

pls reply jaclaz

[kz26]

Try Recuva, a free undelete utility. It will tell you what deleted files still have a trace and their integrity.
http://www.recuva.com/

I would recommend that until you have attempted to recover the files, DO NOT do any downloading or anything that will write extensively to the hard drive in order to keep the deleted data intact as possible.

[jaclaz]

Yep.

Point is that a system should be SHUT DOWN as soon as possible and the recovery initiated on another system where the "problem drive" is attached as "slave" or through an external (USB or Firewire) adapter.

Since yours is a "data" partition, you should have no problems in using the machine, as long as you use another partition to save the downlad and install the program.

DO NOT, and I mean DO NOT download and install the recovery program to the same partition.

Recuva usually is a good utility, you may also want to try:
PHOTOREC
http://www.cgsecurit...g/wiki/PhotoRec

PCINSPECTOR
http://www.pcinspect.../UK/welcome.htm

FREEUNDELETE
http://www.officerec...m/freeundelete/

SOFTPERFECT FILERECOVERY
http://www.softperfe...s/filerecovery/

jaclaz

This post has been edited by jaclaz: 16 March 2008 - 01:40 PM

[kunal2sh]

Thanks alot guys..Will test an letya know...
But is it ok if i have searched for trhe deleted file before??

[jaclaz]

kunal2sh, on Mar 17 2008, 04:37 AM, said:

Thanks alot guys..Will test an letya know...
But is it ok if i have searched for trhe deleted file before??

Yes, basically when you delete a file, you do not actually "wipe" it, you just clear the pointers to that file.

Just imagine a file system like it was a book, when you delete something it is the same as if you erase the index of the book, the pages are still there, but you cannot find them easily.

Searching for the file is just like browsing through the pages of the book, it does not make any harm.

On the contrary downloading or installing anything would be like writing over the printed pages.

jaclaz

[kunal2sh]

Well my friend had put for me some new videos after they got deleted. Will i be still able to recover them since the aboce softwares cant find a file!

[jaclaz]

kunal2sh, on Mar 19 2008, 03:52 AM, said:

Well my friend had put for me some new videos after they got deleted.

...thus OVERWRITING the old ones....

if this is the case, files may be gone forever...

jaclaz

This post has been edited by jaclaz: 19 March 2008 - 02:43 AM

[Kelsenellenelvian]

Hell of a friend....