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HOW TO RECOVER DELETED FILE AND DELETED PARTITONS
1.0 Overview
This guide will help you recover lost or deleted files. You only need basic computer
knowledge to follow this guide.
I will cover 3 very common scenarios of lost files/data; so, you only need to read the section
that relates to your situation. I have also included a section on warnings and things that are
useful to know before you start.
The software used in this guide is free and there are versions for Windows and Linux. I
encourage you to donate to CGSecurity as a good gesture for helping you through your crisis
of lost data (www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Donation) [ I don’t have any association with them.
Other than I was freaking out when I lost all my data and their software helped me].
Please circulate this guide to any one who needs it. My appreciation goes to CGSecurity.
2.0 Before You Begin (Warnings and Cautions)
DO NOT damage your deleted files any further. The files you lost are somewhere on
your disk drive or USB key or memory card. You risk permanently losing these files if
you continue to save or move files in the drive.
You need a second hard drive to recover your files. If you are recovering a USB Key,
memory card, ipod, you can recover the lost files on the hard drive of your computer.
However, if you are recovering a hard drive you need a second computer to recover the
lost data.
The second hard drive (or recovery hard drive) MUST be larger than the deleted hard
drive.
Make sure you know the size (capacity) of the drive you are trying to recover.
Your files will lose the file name. The rescued files will have a number (and an
extension) as the new name ie. f12345.ext. If you are looking for one or two specific
files you need to only recover the by file type, otherwise all files will be recovered.
The second computer (the computer you are using to recover files) may not open all the
recovered files. The second computer may not have all software installed as the first
computer. Also, the recovery software (Photorec or Testdisk) may have given a wrong
extension to a file; so, the wrong application may be trying to open a file. You need to
open the file with other application to see what works. You may open the file with a text
editor to gain clues of what files or application is giving you a problem.
I have also included a trick (section 7.0) to see what the file name may have been prior to
the data loss.
The recovery software (Photorec or Testdisk) will recover ALL files, including files that
you intentionally deleted; so, you will have a lot of files recovered and/or multiple
versions of the same file recovred.
OK, let’s get going
3.0 Download Software
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We will download one file that contains two applications. The two applications are:
Photorec and Testdisk).
Photorec is to recover deleted files or files lost due to a deleted partition. Testdisk is to
restore damaged or accidentally deleted partitions.
The file may be downloaded from www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download. There are
version for many platforms. Unzip file. This could be a good time to create a folder to save
your recovered files.
On a Windows install run the executables (Photorec or Testdisk) from
C:\SCAN_DISK\testdisk6.10\win.
4.0 Recover Files from Flash Memory (USB Key, Memory Cards, ipod, other)
Read section 5.0 if you are trying to recover a Laptop Hard Drive.
Make sure you know the size (capacity) of the drive you are trying to recover.
Arrow Keys help you navigate the screen, and the letter ‘q’ will take you back one screen
Step 1: Start photorec
Select the drive (hard drive, USB key, memory card or mp3 player). It may be helpful to look at
the size of the drive. Press enter to proceed
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Step 2:
Select the partition type. It is best to just press enter as the program usually selects the correct
partition type.
Step 3:
On bottom line:
Select [ Search ] if you want to recover all deleted files. Go to Step 4
Select [ File Opt ] to recover specific file types. Go to Step 3A
Press enter to make your selection.
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Step 3A:
Use the Up and Down arrow to navigate through the files types.
Use the Left and Right arrows to unselect the files types you NO NOT want to recover.
Hit the ‘b’ key to save your selections.
Also, you can hit the ‘s’ key to select and unselect all the file types
Use the ‘q’ key to move back one screen once you have made your selections.
Step 4:
Select filesystem type of the drive being recovered, or press enter to select the default filesystem
type.
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Step 5:
Select the folder where recovered files will be saved.
The program give you a default folder. Make note of the path and press ‘Y’ to accept this default
folder. Else you can navigate the folders by using the up, down, left and right keys to select a
different folder.
Step 6:
Files are recovered. Go to the recovery folder to start sifting through the files. You can read
section 7.0 to make file naming easier.
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5.0 Recover Files from a Hard Drive (Laptop or Desktop PC)
You only lost a few files: You can use a USB Key to recover your files. Insert a USB
Key and at Step 5 hit the Left Arrow key until you see the USB Drive.
You lost all your data on your Desktop PC: You need to remove your hard drive and
install it on another PC as a second hard drive. I will not cover how to do this, but there
are many resource on the internet that explain how to install your hard drive as a slave
drive.
You lost all your data on your Laptop: You need to remove your laptop hard drive and
turn it into a USB drive to plug into a second computer (it’s very easy, read on).
Buy a “Hard Drive Enclosure”. I got mine on ebay but you can also try Amazon. I paid
$10 but they can go up to $40 depending on the quality and delivery method.
Most hard drives are SATA or ATA. I suggest you remove your laptop hard drive before
ordering your hard drive enclosure.
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This is how my hard drive is mounted on my laptop.
How hard drive is bolted to a bracket
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Remove plastic adaptor from existing hard drive
Picture of “Hard Drive Enclosure”
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Connect Hard Drive to enclosure
Ready to plug via USB port to another computer
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6.0 Recover Deleted Partition
TestDisk restores partitions on Hard Drives. The TestDisk website was very detailed
stepby step instructions on how to repair a 1) Damage Partition and how to 2) Restore a
Deleted Logical Partition. Here is the link:
www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step
In my case, I 3) Accidentally Reformatted my hard drive and I could not boot from it ( A
third case that I will cover here). Please read section 5.0 before moving on. The
following assumes that you have followed section 5.0 and are working on a second
computer with your damaged hard drive attached as a slave or plugged into a USB port.
Read section 5.0 if you are trying to recover a Laptop Hard Drive.
Make sure you know the size (capacity) of the drive you are trying to recover.
Arrow Keys help you navigate the screen, and the letter ‘q’ will take you back one screen
First let’s get an idea of what TestDisk does:
a. Finds partitions on your hard drive
b. Shows you the files on these partitions to help you decide which partition to restore
c. Restore the partition
Step 1: Start TestDisk
Create a Log file. I don’t know haw to use the log file, but it does not hurt to create it. Hit enter.
Step 2:
Select the correct Hard Drive. It’s safer/easier to select the drive if you the size of the hard drive.
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Step 3:
Select Partition Table Type. Press enter and accept the default
Step 4:
Press enter to analyze the damaged hard drive.
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Step 5:
You will see a screen saying that there are no bootable partitions.
Press enter to do a “Quick Search”
Step 6:
Look for a partition created by Vista. Y or N?
TestDisk suggests you answer Y if you are unsure.
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Step 7:
Part “a) Find partitions on your hard drive” is complete
Select the partition with a * and press enter
Step 8:
Press enter for a deeper search.
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Step 9:
Press ‘P’ to see what files are on each partition.
Step 9A:
You will see this screen if you select a partition without any files. Hit the ‘q’ to go back and
select a different partition.
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Step 10:
Here is the partition I was looking for. Press ‘q’ to go back and select a partition to restore.
Step 11:
Select the desired partition and hit “L” to load the back up.
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Step 12:
Press enter to “Load” the back up of the partition.
7.0 Help with File Naming
There is other software to recover data/files that can be download on the internet; however, you
have to pay for the software. But, you can use the forsale software to see what your files were
named.
Here is a software you can download. Run it on your computer to see what your files were
named. www.recoverdeletedfilestool.com/download.htm
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