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overwritten file


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#1 OFFLINE   vickie

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Posted 26 August 2008 - 03:46 AM

Does anyone know of a possible way to restore a file that was accidentally overwritten on a flash drive? I accidentally overwrote it on 8/22/08 and opened it.

#2 OFFLINE   Augeas

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Posted 26 August 2008 - 08:23 AM

What do you mean by 'overwrote it'? Did you use CCleaner secure deletion or some other software? Did you just copy a same-named file on top of it? Did you edit/save it?

Have you already used Recuva normal scan to look for the file?

Don't use the flash drive for anything at all. Run a Recuva deep scan on the drive and then plough through all the files returned to see what's there. You may find a copy of the file before it was overwritten. If so recover it to your hard drive, don't put anything on the flash drive until you've recovered the file or given up.

#3 OFFLINE   vickie

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Posted 28 August 2008 - 04:44 AM

View PostAugeas, on Aug 26 2008, 12:23 AM, said:

What do you mean by 'overwrote it'? Did you use CCleaner secure deletion or some other software? Did you just copy a same-named file on top of it? Did you edit/save it?

Have you already used Recuva normal scan to look for the file?

Don't use the flash drive for anything at all. Run a Recuva deep scan on the drive and then plough through all the files returned to see what's there. You may find a copy of the file before it was overwritten. If so recover it to your hard drive, don't put anything on the flash drive until you've recovered the file or given up.


I had a file that was current as of 8/22/08. On that day I accidentally saved a version from 3/25/08 and replaced it. I did a deep scan but it shows the file as of 8.25.08 when I opened it and it appears to be unrecoverable. I was wondering if anyone has any ideas. I just downloaded recuva and am not sure I am using it to the best of its ability.

#4 OFFLINE   hazelnut

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Posted 28 August 2008 - 05:21 AM

Unfortunately overwritten files tend to be just that, overwritten.

I fear your chances of recovering it are very, very slim :(
CCLEANER, RECUVA, DEFRAGGLER AND SPECCY DOCUMENTATION CAN BE FOUND HERE

http://www.piriform.com/docs

#5 OFFLINE   Augeas

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Posted 28 August 2008 - 09:10 AM

There may be a chance that an edit copy exists under a temp name without a file extension. Run another deep scan (not too onerous on a flash drive) and sort the results in date/time order. Then if there's only a relatively small amount found recover them to your hard drive, rename them with the extension name of your file, and try to open them. It's a slim chance.

#6 OFFLINE   vickie

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Posted 03 September 2008 - 08:15 PM

View PostAugeas, on Aug 28 2008, 01:10 AM, said:

There may be a chance that an edit copy exists under a temp name without a file extension. Run another deep scan (not too onerous on a flash drive) and sort the results in date/time order. Then if there's only a relatively small amount found recover them to your hard drive, rename them with the extension name of your file, and try to open them. It's a slim chance.


thank you for the information. I'll give it a shot.