[URGENT] I need file recovery help pls.

[ecookman]

So, i managed to somehow render my 750gb WD passport drive useless and had to quick format the drive for it to be operational...nobiggi---wait. no HUGE PROBLEM. I run programs on my internal HDD, and my external has every other file on it, from school work to videos...AND i need to hand in an ISU at the end of the week, which of course was saved on the external -_-\

I tried using Recuva and 18ish hours later i got a list of [*****].[extention] files, not too descriptive but i'll take what i could get, although all of the files are in "excellent" condition, it refuses to let me recover any files...even one by one I have also tried Pandora Recovery and PC Inspector File Recovery to try to get my files back [all 236gb of em], and no luck they don't even recognise that any files were deleted :/.

Sooo, long story short im extremely pissed, and ready to throw my drive at the wall, does anyone have any ideas on how to get my files back?

[Sur_real]

Have you tried recuva's documentation? http://www.piriform.com/docs/recuva/using-recuva/recovering-files-from-damaged-or-reformatted-disks

[ecookman]

yep, i actually just tried that 0 files found

[2goto1]

worst case scenario - and I have done this before - is to pay a data recovery specialist to try and recover data for you. I probably spent 10 - 15 hours + trying to recover data at one point and simply gave up. I paid about $100 or so to get my data recovered, to the best of their ability. Future Shop, Best Buy, Tiger Direct, etc., all have in-store staff that may be able to help. If it's just a hundred bucks, it might be worth it for you if you have no luck on your own and absolutely need the data.

The data may be recoverable if you haven't written anything else to the disk. That's because a format (assuming Windows here, quick or not) just erases the FAT entries for all files, but the data is still kept on the hard drive sectors. If you write stuff to your hard drive after a format, it overwrites those sectors that have been freed by the FAT format, so you'd be SOL for recovering those. A professional may have some ideas for you.

[ecookman]

I have done this before and Recuva got me my files back but not this time

[Homer_simpson]

that sucks .. but last time i had this happen, outta desperation i did a torrent search for file recovery programs since i couldnt find any solid info on which one works. I found a package with like 20 or so apps and i tried them. the first few didnt work but finally one of them managed to pull some files out for me. took me forever to get it done but if the files are that important its worth it. as for the name of the software i dont remember. but big package of recovery software shouldnt be too hard find.anyway hope this helps. good luck.

[ecookman]

short explanation: I got my files back after using Recuva and having nothing else running.

Long version: Alright so I tried a torrent search for some programs and none of them seemed to work. [scanning 75%of my hard drive and 0 files found -_- 40ish hours later] so 2 days before the dam thing was due, I figured...heck, might as well try Recuva again, except this time I had nothing else running at the time and left it to run overnight. The next morning I had a list of all of the files, without names -_- but just as [*****].[whatever], selected all of them and clicked recover and went to school. When I got back home I looked at my computer and to my amazement, it recovered almost 90% of my files but without names just extensions. All in all I got back all of my music, videos, most of my documents and none of my small programs i was making, meh ohwell, I should a posted them here XD..... so if you are looking for a recovery program that works quite well, it appears that Recuva is the way to go.

[Sur_real]

Makers of ccleaner is always a good bet.
Glad you got your most of files back though.