HELP!! Formatted my backup drive, need to recover what I can!

[DigitalCancer]

So...I was retarded and had my backup drive at work (technically its theirs) while my computer is being rebuilt. I had meant to transfer the data to my media station, but was having issues so I hadn't gotten around to it just yet.

I was formatted a computer the other day (installing x64 XP) and had backed up some of the users data onto my backup drive. I left it plugged in not knowing that this program we use would find it and treat it like a physical drive. There were no labels, only drive sizes and they matched up so I went w/ the one that said 111GB...rebooted only to realize it didn't work, so I move the computer from the deploy room to my desk and try again, I notice the 111GB drive is gone...then it hits me...I LEFT MY DRIVE HOOKED UP!

So I check it and of course, all data is gone, but it has a copy of XP 64-bit...yay...

I've tried running a couple programs only to find windows crap on it...but this thing has never had windows on it, just a bunch of misc files.

I had music/pictures/excel sheet...etc. I need to try and recover at least some of them and having no luck at the moment.

I've ran a couple programs, Undelete, Recover My Files, but it seems to only find windows files? Is there ANYTHING that you guys know of that can do a nice deep scan on this thing and find my files??? I know I'd used one one on my aunts after my cuz had formatted her computer and came back w/ all the files she needed (although I can't think of the name of the program and...it was in my backup..ironic right?) This whole process took a total of 25mins...so I don't think it done the extensive format..just a quickie.

Thanks so much for any and all help!!

 

[CalvinHobbes]

Try GetDataBack

 

[DigitalCancer]

Originally posted by: CalvinHobbes
Try GetDataBack

yea, i'm running that one now. I'd ran it yesterday (NTFS) but it only found the current windows files that're on the drive, which makes no sense. I'm running the (FAT) version now, thinking 'maybe' it was in FAT mode instead of NTFS....dunno if this really matters or not, but...in 1.5hrs it'll be done and hopefully i'll see some of my data.

 

[DigitalCancer]

Originally posted by: DigitalCancer

Originally posted by: CalvinHobbes
Try GetDataBack

yea, i'm running that one now. I'd ran it yesterday (NTFS) but it only found the current windows files that're on the drive, which makes no sense. I'm running the (FAT) version now, thinking 'maybe' it was in FAT mode instead of NTFS....dunno if this really matters or not, but...in 1.5hrs it'll be done and hopefully i'll see some of my data.

FAT version found NOTHING. So apparently its never been a FAT system, like I'd assumed.

NTFS is running now...1.5hrs left so, I guess I'll poke around in there to see if maybe i'm just missing something about how this program works, b/c last time all I'd seen was the windows files...which have never been installed on this drive until yesterday...so they definitely haven't been deleted.

 

[Modelworks]

Whenever you do a format, even a full format, windows does not delete the actual files. It erases the table that stores the information of where the files are on the drives sectors. Unfortunately there is no software that can recover data that has been overwritten . So any sectors that the XP install overwrote are gone , no chance of recovery.

Make sure to scan the drive from another OS as booting up the XP install on the disk will only destroy the data further.

 

[DigitalCancer]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
Whenever you do a format, even a full format, windows does not delete the actual files. It erases the table that stores the information of where the files are on the drives sectors. Unfortunately there is no software that can recover data that has been overwritten . So any sectors that the XP install overwrote are gone , no chance of recovery.

Make sure to scan the drive from another OS as booting up the XP install on the disk will only destroy the data further.

Its a WD USB drive so its not being booted at all. 1min until the scan is done...again. Windows was never booted into from this drive either, only installed.

 

[DigitalCancer]

Sweeet! I managed to get the software to work. I had to choose for it to find lost files...stupid. Anyway..it worked very well and I've gotten most of my stuff back. Silly that i'll have to re-name everything but...I guess its worth it. ^_^

 

[Gunbuster]

DUBCD 2.0

 

[DigitalCancer]

Originally posted by: Gunbuster
DUBCD 2.0

I will DEFINITELY make use of this...I have another app called 'Ultimate Boot CD' but it doesn't have any data recovery programs, just boot programs/virii scan and what-not.

To make my life easier...is there a command/program that'll search 2 folders for the same names of files?? To check and see if I have duplicates since my files are now named..ex: 000F07B4.doc/mp3/etc.