Computer C Drive wiped clean

Computer C Drive wiped clean

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My Computer C Drive has been wiped clean as a result of a storm - I think - is there anything I can do to retrieve it ?It is an acer veriton 7700g - the Motherboard is an Acer 190m. I have looked at the Acer restore facility and there is no data  before the 08/11/10 (date after storm) on it. I have limited backups & am desperate to retrieve the lost data. The machibe has restored to factory settings so even software I have installed has gone - i.e. Word, excel, sage & Quickbooks. I can easily reinstall the programs but obviously it is the files I had on each application that I need. Any help / advice would be greatly appreciated.

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David Winch
By David Winch
09th Nov 2010 18:28

Recovering lost files

I am no computer guru but I learned many years ago that (in a conventional hard drive) a computer stores not only files on the hard drive but also a 'map' of where the files are on the drive.  Normally every file will be stored on the disk in multiple fragments (a lot of fragments - often a single file may be in over a thousand fragments).  So the 'map' needs to record where on the drive each fragment of every file is and which order they go in to make the complete files.

What may have happened in your case is that the 'map' has become corrupted.  There is usually a second copy of the map on the drive, but that too may have become corrupted (or the computer may have drawn up a fresh 'map' from scratch having lost the old one - but this new 'map' does not have any of your files on it).

If that is the case all your files are still on the hard drive (it has not, in that sense, "been wiped clean") but your computer cannot find any files on the drive without the previous 'map' so it reports that there are no files there.  If the 'map' can be fixed your files can be recovered.

The 'map' also serves to 'tell' the computer which areas of the hard drive have files on and which do not.  The areas that currently do not have files on are treated as available for re-use.  But that information has probably been lost as well.

This means that every time you use the computer and something is written to the hard drive (which happens all the time in normal computer usage) that may be obliterating something on the drive which you wish to preserve (because the computer will currently be regarding everywhere on the drive as available for re-use).

So

(1) Do not use the computer at all (because every time that you use it you are likely to make matters worse);

(2) Consult a computer expert to see if the files can be retrieved.

 

Most of all do not reinstall any software as that will involve a lot of writing to your hard drive.

 

If the situation is really bad then retrieving the files on the drive may be (a) impossible or impossible in part and (b) expensive!

Good luck

David

P.S. The 'map' is sometimes known as the 'File Allocation Table' or 'FAT'.  Things have probably changed out of all recognition since I learnt this - but I suspect the advice at points (1) and (2) still holds good.

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By nogammonsinanundoubledgame
09th Nov 2010 19:00

Have a look at Spinrite

http://www.grc.com/default.htm

I have used it and confirm that it seems to recover stuff that nothing else that I have tried can reach.

To be honest, though, if the data is valuable, your time would be better spent getting someone else to do it.

With kind regards

Clint Westwood

 

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By pawncob
09th Nov 2010 20:42

system?

What operating system are you using? Win7 and XP (assuming option is set) will make two copies of all "restore" files so all you data should be intact. If C is blank, presumably you used a boot disc to load system files. This will enable you to examine the directory structure and determine which files are missing. If you're not competent to do this, take it to someone who is.

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By cymraeg_draig
09th Nov 2010 23:25

Backups

Another example of why daily backups of all data to an external drive is vital.

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By landscaper
10th Nov 2010 16:34

Use an IT professional

There's a very good chance that the data can be recovered but use a good IT professional; now where you find that person is another matter altogether!  Where are you based?

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By toniab
10th Nov 2010 18:11

In the Isle of Man

I think your right. Its a strange one because the computer is in full working order. I've had one IT man look at it who says the same as you - that the files will be there but it needs a specialist to retrieve them. So I'm making enquiries and keeping my fingers crossed that it won't cost me a fortune to retrieve it, if indeed it is possible

Thanks for your advice

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By NetAccountant
11th Nov 2010 11:24

Evidence Talks

I have used a local company, Evidence Talks, (http://www.evidencetalks.com/) - which have retrieved all my "lost" files. I think you should give them a call, I know that other local businesses have used them with a high success rate and that police also use them to go over hard drives.

NetAccountant - Social Media for Accountants

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By brianjleach
11th Nov 2010 13:42

Computer C Drive wiped clean

You say the disk has restored to factory settings. I fear that this may mean that software has been written over the top of some of your data. When this happens I believe that the data cannot be recovered.

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By GrantF
11th Nov 2010 14:23

Don't panic, all may not be lost

The key is not to use your machine, as every time you use it it will operate the drive, and potentially change the information stored on it.   My recommendation is that you hand it over to to a data recovery expert, and have them assess the viability of recovering the data, as well as the associated costs. Once you have that you can make the justification or not as to whether its valuable enough to attempt to recover.

As an example, I have a home server running Windows Server with 4 x 500GB disks in a RAID5 configuration, and store all my family picures, video camera movies, and music library, as well as crucially my company documentation.  Same as many folk, no backups of any of this data, so nothing to fall back on.

Due to a catastrophic failure where I 'lost' two of the 4 disks in quick succession, I lost access to the logical disk spread across all 4 of the disks, and I desperately looked around to see what my options were.

I ended up deleting the logical disk, and re-create a new array with the same settings, using the same disks, which sounds like the worst thing possible to do. This was actually the recommendation from the manufacturer of the RAid card, as this would effectively re-write the information needed to access the disk, and hopefully allow me to link all the disks together again, and view the system and data. 

To cut a longer story short, it wasnt succesfull, and I all I could see was the "No operating system installed" message!  However crucially, I knew all of my data was still on those disks and it hadnt been overwritten.....

I handed all the disks over to an data recovery expert, who was able to re-construct the original drive pattern, and recover ALL my 1.5TB of data for me.

I used this guy in Glasgow http://www.databusters.co.uk  as I live locally, although I'm sure he can take mail order disks as well. Just be sure to protect it well in the packaging.

 

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By martinlea
12th Nov 2010 12:19

Data recovery

I have used this company in the past, who successfully rescued a client's entire business data overnight:

www.cleardatarecovery.co.uk

Speak to Frank Priest who is an expert there and very down to earth.

Cheers

Martin Lea

RMT Technology Ltd

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By Ian_mcdonald
13th Nov 2010 16:59

data recovery software

The first post (answer) has all the info you need (the FAT is also now the MFT) about the problem and how not to make it worse.

There are several free programs available on the WWW that will recover the data for you but you have to:-

a. remove the hard disk and connect it to another computer upon which the free recovery SW is installed

b. run the recovery program which takes many hours but can be left to run without supervision and is non destructive - ie it will not cause further damage.

c. save the intact recovered files to a portable disk

d. put your hard disk back in the computer and copy all the recovered user (data) files from the portable disk to the correct locations.

You will note it is very time consuming but only medium skill level and does not require high tech equipment. With this in mind take care when choosing who you entrust the work to.  Ensure they know that you understand this is technically straighforward and you should expect to pay roughly £70 to £200 for the service.   Some of the specialist firms charge very large amounts but that should only be for the high tech stuff where the disk/electrics are physically damaged or there are some very important files that have been overwritten during the windows reinstallation (not likely).

 

-- Ian McDonald IML Interim Management Ltd Finance~Accounting~Systems http://www.i-m-l.org

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By iriyas
15th Nov 2010 16:19

warning

in case this is not common knowlege if you have lsot or your system fails never sue the manufacturers system restore disks on the computer as this will usuall delete all data on your drive. Usually there is always a warning.

Also like one of the earleir posters said always remove the HDD and plug it into a new machine if it is the HDD the operating system is installed on (usualy drive c:)

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