HD file recovery tools???? - GoFuckYourself.com

Mike Semen · 03-18-2007, 06:05 AM

Can anybody recommend a good file recovery tool? Just formatted an old HD and realised there's a few meg of personal pics on there it would be nice to keep...

rowan · 03-18-2007, 06:26 AM

What did you use to format it, and was it a quick or full format?

rowan · 03-18-2007, 06:35 AM

Just adding to my last post...

If you did a quick format, AND you haven't written anything to the drive (including system files during format) then you can probably recover everything.

If you did a full format then you're probably out of luck unless you engage a data recovery specialist and pony up big $$$$

uno · 03-18-2007, 07:57 AM

GetDataBack has worked for me in the past.

Mike Semen · 03-18-2007, 09:17 AM

bit more complex than that I'm afraid. The drive is a bit fucked and hung on 25% of a full format. I then did a quick one so I can use it as a scratchdisk.

So yes and no

StuBradley · 03-18-2007, 09:46 AM

even with 25% of a full format 95% of the data will be unrecoverable. hard drives scatter the information everywhere.

rowan · 03-18-2007, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StuBradley

even with 25% of a full format 95% of the data will be unrecoverable. hard drives scatter the information everywhere.

25% of a full format will zero out 25% of the drive.

tASSy · 03-18-2007, 11:10 AM

ack, frustrating problem! i'll be interested to see what other recovery tools people are using after a full format (or part of a full format).

RegUser · 03-18-2007, 01:38 PM

just google for rec4all. It is free and excellent

StuBradley · 03-18-2007, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowan

25% of a full format will zero out 25% of the drive.

Yes, but when a hard drive writes a file it does not write it all in one sector. He has lost 25% of his sectors. Granted most of his files (pictures) will have 75% of their data untouched, but you need 100% of the file for it to be recoverable. I would guess that 90-95% of the files had at least SOME PART of their data in one of the sectors that are now gone. Like you said before, he can recover the sectors lost in the full format, but not with a simple windows program...he's gonna have to send it somewhere and pay big $$$.

rowan · 03-18-2007, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StuBradley

Yes, but when a hard drive writes a file it does not write it all in one sector. He has lost 25% of his sectors. Granted most of his files (pictures) will have 75% of their data untouched, but you need 100% of the file for it to be recoverable. I would guess that 90-95% of the files had at least SOME PART of their data in one of the sectors that are now gone. Like you said before, he can recover the sectors lost in the full format, but not with a simple windows program...he's gonna have to send it somewhere and pay big $$$.

A file system may not store files in a linear fashion, but the formatting process itself is linear. Formatting 25% will have erased 25% of the sectors from the start. Also, most file systems still prefer writing as close to the start of the drive as possible. What do you think defrag does? Moves everything back that way...

03-18-2007, 06:05 AM	#1
Mike Semen Confirmed User Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: London Town Posts: 2,924	HD file recovery tools???? Can anybody recommend a good file recovery tool? Just formatted an old HD and realised there's a few meg of personal pics on there it would be nice to keep... __________________ ICQ 1454 81 522 \|

03-18-2007, 07:57 AM	#4
uno RIP Dodger. BEST.CAT.EVER Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: NYC Area Posts: 18,450	GetDataBack has worked for me in the past. __________________ -uno icq: 111-914 CrazyBabe.com - porn art MojoHost - For all your hosting needs, present and future. Tell them I sent ya!

03-18-2007, 09:17 AM	#5
Mike Semen Confirmed User Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: London Town Posts: 2,924	bit more complex than that I'm afraid. The drive is a bit fucked and hung on 25% of a full format. I then did a quick one so I can use it as a scratchdisk. So yes and no __________________ ICQ 1454 81 522 \|

03-18-2007, 09:46 AM	#6
StuBradley Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 2,625	even with 25% of a full format 95% of the data will be unrecoverable. hard drives scatter the information everywhere. __________________ 51-566-514

03-18-2007, 11:10 AM	#8
tASSy Spread The Pink! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: pinktown! Posts: 8,229	ack, frustrating problem! i'll be interested to see what other recovery tools people are using after a full format (or part of a full format). __________________ tassyPINK ICQ ~ 318097066 *

03-18-2007, 06:26 AM	#2
rowan Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 17,393	What did you use to format it, and was it a quick or full format?

03-18-2007, 06:35 AM	#3
rowan Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 17,393	Just adding to my last post... If you did a quick format, AND you haven't written anything to the drive (including system files during format) then you can probably recover everything. If you did a full format then you're probably out of luck unless you engage a data recovery specialist and pony up big $$$$

03-18-2007, 01:38 PM	#9
RegUser Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,472	just google for rec4all. It is free and excellent