URGENT! What is the best utility for recovering a deleted file? (msWindows XP)

Windows XP Pro SP3 (+ all the latest patches)
ms Word (Office 2003)

Hi

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.

Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

I had a look inside the Recycle bin, but they aren't there.
There is no sign of any temporary Word (2003) files in the directory
in question through windows explorer.
I tried running something called FreeUndelete - but it couldnt see any
trace of the either of the files.

I am now trying to run a scan using something called Active@ UNDELETE
7.2.017 (DEMO).
On problem is that the scan is taking a very long time (estimated at
about 50 minutes for my 111.8 GB)...

The other problem is that my PC only has the one disk drive so I am
rather scared that I am over-writing the disk as I go... (arrrgh!)

- Any advice?


Ship
Shiperton Henethe

In article 950b2315-1e78-4b8d-9dde-04ccb44fd2e4
@z24g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...

Windows XP Pro SP3 (+ all the latest patches)
ms Word (Office 2003)

Hi

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.

Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

I had a look inside the Recycle bin, but they aren't there.
There is no sign of any temporary Word (2003) files in the directory
in question through windows explorer.
I tried running something called FreeUndelete - but it couldnt see any
trace of the either of the files.

I am now trying to run a scan using something called Active@ UNDELETE
7.2.017 (DEMO).
On problem is that the scan is taking a very long time (estimated at
about 50 minutes for my 111.8 GB)...

The other problem is that my PC only has the one disk drive so I am
rather scared that I am over-writing the disk as I go... (arrrgh!)

- Any advice?

When you "Overwrite" a file there is no recovering it, it's not deleted.

If you had critical files, and you're going to hate me for this, why
didn't you have a backup of them off-computer?

--
You can't trust your best friends, your five senses, only the little
voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.
Trust yourself.
(remove 999 for proper email address)

In article 950b2315-1e78-4b8d-9dde-04ccb44fd2e4
@z24g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...

Windows XP Pro SP3 (+ all the latest patches)
ms Word (Office 2003)

Hi

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.

Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

I had a look inside the Recycle bin, but they aren't there.
There is no sign of any temporary Word (2003) files in the directory
in question through windows explorer.
I tried running something called FreeUndelete - but it couldnt see any
trace of the either of the files.

I am now trying to run a scan using something called Active@ UNDELETE
7.2.017 (DEMO).
On problem is that the scan is taking a very long time (estimated at
about 50 minutes for my 111.8 GB)...

The other problem is that my PC only has the one disk drive so I am
rather scared that I am over-writing the disk as I go... (arrrgh!)

- Any advice?

When you "Overwrite" a file there is no recovering it, it's not deleted.

If you had critical files, and you're going to hate me for this, why
didn't you have a backup of them off-computer?

--
You can't trust your best friends, your five senses, only the little
voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.
Trust yourself.
(remove 999 for proper email address)

On Aug 17, 3:13*pm, Leythos wrote:
In article 950b2315-1e78-4b8d-9dde-04ccb44fd2e4
@z24g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...







Windows XP Pro SP3 (+ all the latest patches)
ms Word (Office 2003)

Hi

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.

Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

I had a look inside the Recycle bin, but they aren't there.
There is no sign of any temporary *Word (2003) files in the directory
in question through windows explorer.
I tried running something called FreeUndelete - but it couldnt see any
trace of the either of the files.

I am now trying to run a scan using something called Active@ UNDELETE
7.2.017 (DEMO).
On problem is that the scan is taking a very long time (estimated at
about 50 minutes for my 111.8 GB)...

The other problem is that my PC only has the one disk drive so I am
rather scared that I am over-writing the disk as I go... (arrrgh!)

- Any advice?

When you "Overwrite" a file there is no recovering it, it's not deleted.

Clearly true.
But in this case I simply asked my synchronisation software to
synchronise, but
it was late at night I was tired and I got the direction of synch the
wrong way around.

So it's not clear whether my sychronisation software (FolderMatch)
will have
deleted the file or have overwritten it in some way.

If you had critical files, and you're going to hate me for this, why
didn't you have a backup of them off-computer?
This is not helpful.
I was TRYING to back them up off-computer - that is exactly the point!

Ship

On Aug 17, 3:13*pm, Leythos wrote:
In article 950b2315-1e78-4b8d-9dde-04ccb44fd2e4
@z24g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...







Windows XP Pro SP3 (+ all the latest patches)
ms Word (Office 2003)

Hi

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.

Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

I had a look inside the Recycle bin, but they aren't there.
There is no sign of any temporary *Word (2003) files in the directory
in question through windows explorer.
I tried running something called FreeUndelete - but it couldnt see any
trace of the either of the files.

I am now trying to run a scan using something called Active@ UNDELETE
7.2.017 (DEMO).
On problem is that the scan is taking a very long time (estimated at
about 50 minutes for my 111.8 GB)...

The other problem is that my PC only has the one disk drive so I am
rather scared that I am over-writing the disk as I go... (arrrgh!)

- Any advice?

When you "Overwrite" a file there is no recovering it, it's not deleted.

Clearly true.
But in this case I simply asked my synchronisation software to
synchronise, but
it was late at night I was tired and I got the direction of synch the
wrong way around.

So it's not clear whether my sychronisation software (FolderMatch)
will have
deleted the file or have overwritten it in some way.

If you had critical files, and you're going to hate me for this, why
didn't you have a backup of them off-computer?
This is not helpful.
I was TRYING to back them up off-computer - that is exactly the point!

Ship

"ship" wrote in message
...
Windows XP Pro SP3 (+ all the latest patches)
ms Word (Office 2003)

Hi

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.

Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

For recovered deleted files I've found undelete-plus to be excellent.
(www.undelete-plus.com, I suggest you download the trial version.)

Of course if Leythos is right (and he generally is) about overwritten files
not being deleted then this might not be of any help (but I suggest you try
it anyway).
--
Brian Cryer
www.cryer.co.uk/brian

"ship" wrote in message
...
Windows XP Pro SP3 (+ all the latest patches)
ms Word (Office 2003)

Hi

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.

Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

For recovered deleted files I've found undelete-plus to be excellent.
(www.undelete-plus.com, I suggest you download the trial version.)

Of course if Leythos is right (and he generally is) about overwritten files
not being deleted then this might not be of any help (but I suggest you try
it anyway).
--
Brian Cryer
www.cryer.co.uk/brian

"ship" wrote in message
...

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.
Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

I had a look inside the Recycle bin, but they aren't there.
There is no sign of any temporary Word (2003) files in the directory
in question through windows explorer.
I tried running something called FreeUndelete - but it couldnt see any
trace of the either of the files.

If the need is urgent, you should avoid writing anything at all
to this particular hard drive, i.e. instal it as an extra or slave
drive in a different PC, that boots from its own C:\ so as to
search your own drive as nearly unchanged as possible.

You then need to search the drive directory (DOS File
Allocation Table) for the distinctive prefix character of MS Word's
temporary files -- a tilde? (I no longer use Word but remember
something like that.) If the FAT has no filenames beginning
with this distinctive character, you are not necessarily out of luck:
unallotted sectors might still hold recognizable fragments of the
target files: but returns on this much effort are diminishing.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

"ship" wrote in message
...

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.
Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

I had a look inside the Recycle bin, but they aren't there.
There is no sign of any temporary Word (2003) files in the directory
in question through windows explorer.
I tried running something called FreeUndelete - but it couldnt see any
trace of the either of the files.

If the need is urgent, you should avoid writing anything at all
to this particular hard drive, i.e. instal it as an extra or slave
drive in a different PC, that boots from its own C:\ so as to
search your own drive as nearly unchanged as possible.

You then need to search the drive directory (DOS File
Allocation Table) for the distinctive prefix character of MS Word's
temporary files -- a tilde? (I no longer use Word but remember
something like that.) If the FAT has no filenames beginning
with this distinctive character, you are not necessarily out of luck:
unallotted sectors might still hold recognizable fragments of the
target files: but returns on this much effort are diminishing.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

ship wrote:
On Aug 17, 3:13 pm, Leythos wrote:
In article 950b2315-1e78-4b8d-9dde-04ccb44fd2e4
@z24g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...







Windows XP Pro SP3 (+ all the latest patches)
ms Word (Office 2003)

Hi

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.

Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

I had a look inside the Recycle bin, but they aren't there.
There is no sign of any temporary Word (2003) files in the directory
in question through windows explorer.
I tried running something called FreeUndelete - but it couldnt see
any trace of the either of the files.

I am now trying to run a scan using something called Active@
UNDELETE
7.2.017 (DEMO).
On problem is that the scan is taking a very long time (estimated at
about 50 minutes for my 111.8 GB)...

The other problem is that my PC only has the one disk drive so I am
rather scared that I am over-writing the disk as I go... (arrrgh!)

- Any advice?

When you "Overwrite" a file there is no recovering it, it's not
deleted.

Clearly true.
But in this case I simply asked my synchronisation software to
synchronise, but
it was late at night I was tired and I got the direction of synch the
wrong way around.

So it's not clear whether my sychronisation software (FolderMatch)
will have
deleted the file or have overwritten it in some way.

If you had critical files, and you're going to hate me for this, why
didn't you have a backup of them off-computer?
This is not helpful.
I was TRYING to back them up off-computer - that is exactly the point!

Ship

Installing Active@UNDELETE may have written over the relevant place(s) on
your HDD, but merely running the scan shouldn't touch it. You're right to be
concerned about overwriting, though; the more you use that drive in your PC,
the less your chances of recovering the files. You'd be better off taking
out the HDD and slaving it to another machine. Then you can install
undelete/recovery software on that machine's main drive to your heart's
content. Do you have another machine you can use?

Failing that, you might want to try Restoration:
http://www3.telus.net/mikebike/RESTORATION.html. I've had mixed results with
it, but it has saved the day for folk on occasion. It doesn't install, which
is good for you - you could even run it off a USB memory stick if you have
one.

ship wrote:
On Aug 17, 3:13 pm, Leythos wrote:
In article 950b2315-1e78-4b8d-9dde-04ccb44fd2e4
@z24g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...







Windows XP Pro SP3 (+ all the latest patches)
ms Word (Office 2003)

Hi

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.

Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

I had a look inside the Recycle bin, but they aren't there.
There is no sign of any temporary Word (2003) files in the directory
in question through windows explorer.
I tried running something called FreeUndelete - but it couldnt see
any trace of the either of the files.

I am now trying to run a scan using something called Active@
UNDELETE
7.2.017 (DEMO).
On problem is that the scan is taking a very long time (estimated at
about 50 minutes for my 111.8 GB)...

The other problem is that my PC only has the one disk drive so I am
rather scared that I am over-writing the disk as I go... (arrrgh!)

- Any advice?

When you "Overwrite" a file there is no recovering it, it's not
deleted.

Clearly true.
But in this case I simply asked my synchronisation software to
synchronise, but
it was late at night I was tired and I got the direction of synch the
wrong way around.

So it's not clear whether my sychronisation software (FolderMatch)
will have
deleted the file or have overwritten it in some way.

If you had critical files, and you're going to hate me for this, why
didn't you have a backup of them off-computer?
This is not helpful.
I was TRYING to back them up off-computer - that is exactly the point!

Ship

Installing Active@UNDELETE may have written over the relevant place(s) on
your HDD, but merely running the scan shouldn't touch it. You're right to be
concerned about overwriting, though; the more you use that drive in your PC,
the less your chances of recovering the files. You'd be better off taking
out the HDD and slaving it to another machine. Then you can install
undelete/recovery software on that machine's main drive to your heart's
content. Do you have another machine you can use?

Failing that, you might want to try Restoration:
http://www3.telus.net/mikebike/RESTORATION.html. I've had mixed results with
it, but it has saved the day for folk on occasion. It doesn't install, which
is good for you - you could even run it off a USB memory stick if you have
one.

In article 7cda6ee5-5a85-41ff-b543-275b4d6e4a40@
24g2000yqm.googlegroups.com, says...
So it's not clear whether my sychronisation software (FolderMatch)
will have
deleted the file or have overwritten it in some way.


I'm going to bet that it OVERWRITES the files, not deletes them - but I
have no way to know for sure.

If you've INSTALLED ANYTHING on the drive, or written ANY new data to
the drive, there is a reasonable chance that you've overwritten any
deleted file or block.

When you do this, immediately remove the drive, don't even shutdown
windows as file writes happen during shutdown - remove the drive and
install it in a second computer and run the undelete software from the
drive in the second computer, not from your data drive.

--
You can't trust your best friends, your five senses, only the little
voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.
Trust yourself.
(remove 999 for proper email address)

In article 7cda6ee5-5a85-41ff-b543-275b4d6e4a40@
24g2000yqm.googlegroups.com, says...
So it's not clear whether my sychronisation software (FolderMatch)
will have
deleted the file or have overwritten it in some way.


I'm going to bet that it OVERWRITES the files, not deletes them - but I
have no way to know for sure.

If you've INSTALLED ANYTHING on the drive, or written ANY new data to
the drive, there is a reasonable chance that you've overwritten any
deleted file or block.

When you do this, immediately remove the drive, don't even shutdown
windows as file writes happen during shutdown - remove the drive and
install it in a second computer and run the undelete software from the
drive in the second computer, not from your data drive.

--
You can't trust your best friends, your five senses, only the little
voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.
Trust yourself.
(remove 999 for proper email address)

On Aug 17, 3:30*pm, "Brian Cryer" not.here@localhost wrote:
"ship" wrote in message

...

Windows XP Pro SP3 (+ all the latest patches)
ms Word (Office 2003)

Hi

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.

Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

For recovered deleted files I've found undelete-plus to be excellent.
(www.undelete-plus.com, I suggest you download the trial version.)

Of course if Leythos is right (and he generally is) about overwritten files
not being deleted then this might not be of any help (but I suggest you try
it anyway).
--
Brian Cryerwww.cryer.co.uk/brian

Sorry - but Undelete Plus is one of the most useless pieces of
software
that I've EVER come across. A poor start is that the Start Scan and
Start Undelete texts do not
sit correctly on their button graphics. Then the "Undelete Selected
files to:" doesnt work at all
it is impossible to select a directory with it.Then the file types
failed to list even a single
MS Word file. Sorry but this software is useless, bl**dy useless.

Ship

On Aug 17, 3:30*pm, "Brian Cryer" not.here@localhost wrote:
"ship" wrote in message

...

Windows XP Pro SP3 (+ all the latest patches)
ms Word (Office 2003)

Hi

I just managed to synchronise my data in the wrong direction (using
FolderMatch v3.5.0), and I have lost a couple of critical msWord
documents.

Any views on what is the best utility to recover them?

For recovered deleted files I've found undelete-plus to be excellent.
(www.undelete-plus.com, I suggest you download the trial version.)

Of course if Leythos is right (and he generally is) about overwritten files
not being deleted then this might not be of any help (but I suggest you try
it anyway).
--
Brian Cryerwww.cryer.co.uk/brian

Sorry - but Undelete Plus is one of the most useless pieces of
software
that I've EVER come across. A poor start is that the Start Scan and
Start Undelete texts do not
sit correctly on their button graphics. Then the "Undelete Selected
files to:" doesnt work at all
it is impossible to select a directory with it.Then the file types
failed to list even a single
MS Word file. Sorry but this software is useless, bl**dy useless.

Ship