Mate lost everything in My Documents folder

[Russ]

Using Windows XP on an 5 year old Samsung netbook, so after the end of XP support he decided to install the free version of Avast Antivirus. Had a few problems & couldn't download anything so decided to uninstall it (used add & remove programmes in control panel).
After re-starting PC everything has gone from the My Documents folder - Photos - videos, MP3s, & all documents & files etc.... Got no back up of any of the important stuff & desperate to get the family photos documents back.

Not tried a system restore yet but don't think this would restore any of the My Documents folder ?

Has tried using Getbackdata FAT version (is this wrong version - should it be the NTFS version ?) but did not find anything at all.

Any suggestions or help for him please ?

[JonEp]

Might not be lost just My Docs folder changed.

Go to CMD prompt and run dir *.jpg /s from the command line and see if the pics are there ..

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[JonEp]

Actually first type cd\ to get you to route of C before running the above.

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[Russ]

Ok - thanks for your reply will get him to try that hopefully tomorrow. He did try to do a search for one of the folders using windows explorer that was in the Pictures album but didn't get any results.

[Over Carl]

As it's XP, use windows explorer to go to c:\documents and settings\. Now you should see a load of folders that correspond to the users. Poke around in these and see if anything turns up - I've seen windows sometimes gets bored of an existing profile and makes a new blank one for a laugh.

(btw, if it was a vista/7 system you go to c:\users instead).

[reverend]

Odds are it would be NTFS - tell him not to write anything to the disk if possible (it maximises the chances of getting things back) and try something like Getdataback NTFS - it's a free trial so you can try it and see what it finds before you pay.

Good luck!

[Russ]

Odds are it would be NTFS - tell him not to write anything to the disk if possible (it maximises the chances of getting things back) and try something like Getdataback NTFS - it's a free trial so you can try it and see what it finds before you pay.

Good luck!

Cant use GetDataBack if installed on the drive that need to make recovery from - any other options or anything that can install onto the same drive ?

[reverend]

This is a portable version mate that should just run from USB etc:

http://takebin.com/u/8b47a7f0f5

Another version here:

http://flo.demeyer.free.fr/persoflo/....1%20Portable/

[DejaVu]

Can always use GetDatBack even if recovering TO the original drive. It's just not recommended on flakey hard drives.

Easeus Data Recovery I found works a lot quicker and easier.... PM me for some details if required.

Last night I reinstalled a customers PC whose information I backed up to a Logical partition (foolish mistake) - reinstalled machine - Drive now inaccessible.
Formatted the drive clean, assigned a drive letter. Ran Easeus on it... recovered the lot. Result.

[liveseytowers]

I'd do a treesize on the c drive to see where the bigger folders are as there is a chance they we still there just moved? Download free version from here http://www.jam-software.com/freeware/

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[Russ]

No good result so far - tried Easeus Data Recovery & that did not find any of the lost files or folders. He managed to obtain a copy of Active@ UNDELETE Enterprise Edition, this did manage to find most or all of the lost files and folder names, but failed to recover anything - there is or was several GBs of photos & it found the files & correct names & various folder names, but when he tried to recover them every photo was blank - even though file sizes appear to be correct. Non of the videos or MP3s will play & no document files will open either.

He has tried doing a few searches of the C drive for some various file names but no luck yet again.

[Pegasus]

Easy Recovery Pro by Ontrack, use it in RAW mode.

[Russ]

Easy Recovery Pro by Ontrack, use it in RAW mode.

Thanks, have you got any links for it please ?

[Pegasus]

Thanks, have you got any links for it please ?

You have PM