URGENT!!! Formatted a partition. I need a file on that!!!

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DrLynx

Member
Dec 2, 2003
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I had kept a very important folder containing one of my very valuable documents on the desktop of my administrator account on the C drive install of windows xp.

I removed all the important files from drive c, and then I DELETED THE PARTITION (from Win XP Install option), formatted the partition using NTFS system, and reinstalled XP Pro in C drive.

Now, I need that folder on my desktop. It was very stupid, really stupid of me to have overlooked the desktop. But, I desperately need those documents. I havent taken any backups. Again, my stupiditiy.

I tried recovermyfiles.com 's reovermyfiles software, but, it though recovers many irrelevant smal small files, it didnt find my file or any of the files in that folder in desktop. What should I do?

Do I have any hope?

Please, please help me...
 
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bersl2

Golden Member
Aug 2, 2004
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If you had only changed the partitioning info, it would be easy to recover, by restoring the parameters of the previous partitions. But it sounds like you overwrote the previous file system with a new one. That's no good.
 
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bsobel

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Dec 9, 2001
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Did you do a quick or full format? If full, those files are gone (sorry). If quick there is a small (I'd guess less than 5% chance) you can get those files recovered...

Sorry...
 
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DrLynx

Member
Dec 2, 2003
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I tried every single software except hdd regenerator. Nothing helped. i think i am doomed...

thanks anyway. am so depressed.... :`((((
 
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bsobel

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Dec 9, 2001
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Originally posted by: DrLynx
No I DID a FULL format... :(
Click to expand...

That data isn't recoverable in any cost effective way by a consumer (there are goverment labs that could still probably rebuild some of it). At this point I'd suggest setting up a backup plan (so it doesnt happen again) and try to see if you have some of the data elsewhere you might be able to start rebuilding from....

Sorry!
 
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imported_BikeDude

Senior member
May 12, 2004
357
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Originally posted by: bsobel
Did you do a quick or full format? If full, those files are gone (sorry). If quick there is a small (I'd guess less than 5% chance) you can get those files recovered...
Click to expand...

Hmm... Are you sure modern drives wipe the contents during a full format? I haven't tested lately, but e.g. microdrives (bad example, I know) won't. They seem to lift the data of the sector in question and write it back again (the filesystem will wipe the allocation table afterwards).

I've been meaning to test this on proper drives, but haven't gotten that far. (I doubt that I'm right, but the microdrive took me by surprise and now I'm forced to actually try this on a proper HD before I can be 100% sure either way)
 
Ronin

Ronin

Diamond Member
Mar 3, 2001
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server.counter-strike.net
A full format effectively writes 0's to the drive (which is why it takes so long), and makes recovery that much more difficult (although not impossible). However, once installing over the drive, you have an almost 0% recovery chance.
 
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networkman

Lifer
Apr 23, 2000
10,436
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Originally posted by: anarchyreigns
I guarantee you drivesavers can get it.
Click to expand...

And I guarantee you they can't. Take a look at what they recover:

Head Crash/ Unusual Noises
Power Outage/ Surge
Water Damage
Fire
Virus
Impact Trauma

Let's think about this shall we? User removes partition, lays down a new one, reformats the drive with the FULL option AND completely installs a new operating system! I guarantee you that whatever records the MBR may have had in at one time are long gone now. Add to that, the user kept this folder on the Administrator desktop.. which with a Defrag being run at any time, may well have moved the physical file closer to the beginning of the drive to allow for faster access; so when the format and installation of new operating system were installed, the chances are MUCH greater that the location was completely written over and the data obliterated!

This is why we make BACKUPs! Store the data to tape, burn it to DVD - whatever.

DrLynx's data is gone!



 
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imported_BikeDude

Senior member
May 12, 2004
357
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Originally posted by: networkman
Let's think about this shall we? User removes partition, lays down a new one, reformats the drive with the FULL option AND completely installs a new operating system!
Click to expand...

If my assertion is correct; that not all drives wipe (write 0s) as they format, then there is still a way out. Granted, it is unfortunate that the directory structure is nuked, but if you're going to recover a text file and know part of its contents... (and it hasn't been overwritten)

I'll agree that most drives will likely wipe as they format, but none of you who says it does so, seem to indicate that you've actually verified this to be the case...
 
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bsobel

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Dec 9, 2001
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Originally posted by: BikeDude
Originally posted by: networkman
Let's think about this shall we? User removes partition, lays down a new one, reformats the drive with the FULL option AND completely installs a new operating system!
Click to expand...

If my assertion is correct; that not all drives wipe (write 0s) as they format, then there is still a way out. Granted, it is unfortunate that the directory structure is nuked, but if you're going to recover a text file and know part of its contents... (and it hasn't been overwritten)

I'll agree that most drives will likely wipe as they format, but none of you who says it does so, seem to indicate that you've actually verified this to be the case...
Click to expand...

True,but the new OS install most likely overwrote the contents anyway. Worth running a tool to check, but highly unlikely.
 
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imported_BikeDude

Senior member
May 12, 2004
357
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Originally posted by: bsobel
True,but the new OS install most likely overwrote the contents anyway. Worth running a tool to check, but highly unlikely.
Click to expand...

If it is the same OS, chances are good it installed roughly in the same spot as the old OS (assuming the same sequence of events). I.e. the user's file could theoretically still exist... But no tool would be able to recover it at that point of course; You'd have to run a disk editor and search for the file by content. As I said, would only work on text documents and you need to know what to search for... And even then... If the file is fragmented it will of course be hard/impossible to combine all the fragments. (It is a big plus if you enjoy million-piece jig-saw puzzles)

This is just a hypothesis, and based on a rather flimsy assumption that a full format won't necessarily nil the disk's contents. Certainly of no use to the OP. Sorry.
 
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DrLynx

Member
Dec 2, 2003
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BikeDude, can you explain how exactly to do that?

I have a very important .RTF file on that folder too. It is kind of possible to retrieve atleast part of it? How?
 
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Mark R

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
8,513
16
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If my assertion is correct; that not all drives wipe (write 0s) as they format, then there is still a way out.
Click to expand...

As far as I know, Windows does not write zeros to a drive when it performs a full format. In Windows, a quick format just writes a blank root directory and clears the FAT/MFT. A full format writes a blank root, clears the FAT/MFT and then tries to *read* every sector on the drive to ensure that there are no bad sectors.

As formatting is performed by the OS, and not the drive, the drive model shouldn't be relevant.

In any case, given the OP's story - format, and full reinstall - the chances that his data is valuable enough to attempt a recovery are very slim indeed. I'm sure there are companies that could attempt a recovery, but the cost is likely to be high.
 
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