13 replies to this topic

[Lidarose]

Can anyone tell me how to recover cleaned (deleted) items that were cleaned in error by CCleaner, or if CCleaner even has this option available?

Please give step-by-step description of how to do this if it is possible.

Thanx,

Lida

[kroozer]

Yes, it's possible if you use Piriform's Recuva program. However, if you download and install this on your system drive you may end up overwriting the files you wish to retrieve. So download and install on an external drive.
There is a small learning curve involved, but you should be able to grasp it. Just follow instructions here.

[Lidarose]

Wow, Kroozer, thanks for the very fast reply! Here's what occurred...I tried to use CCleaner for the first time. and unchecked everything except my "Temporary Internet Files", "Cookes" and "Empty Recycle Bin". Then ran CCleaner.

When I checked to see which of these items it had cleaned, I found that it had cleaned other items also, that I did not request to be cleaned, among which were some Java files, some Adobe Shockwave Flash Files and some others! I do not know if these were important files or not, and cannot locate any log to see them, to even describe them here!

I'm not computer literate enough to run Recuva from an external hard drive, although I do have one.

So far, nothing "evil" has occurred, but I have no idea what CCleaner deleted from this computer, as I thought it would only delete the checked items, and not these other items???

Can you explain what occurred here?

Thanx again,
Lida

[kroozer]

Quote

Can you explain what occurred here?

These 'other' files were probably junk files you didn't need. However if anything important was in the recycle bin you have cause for concern. Not having direct access to your computer I can only speculate, but if you can't find anything missing then you're probably ok, and I'm happy for you. So download Recuva now to your C drive since it won't overwrite anything you need and it will always be there for you in the future.

[Lidarose]

kroozer, on Feb 1 2010, 12:42 AM, said:

These 'other' files were probably junk files you didn't need. However if anything important was in the recycle bin you have cause for concern. Not having direct access to your computer I can only speculate, but if you can't find anything missing then you're probably ok, and I'm happy for you. So download Recuva now to your C drive since it won't overwrite anything you need and it will always be there for you in the future.

Thanx, I think I see what occurred...I didn't realize the "applications" tab had a bunch of items checked in that too, and they were cleaned. It included some registry items so I sure hope I didn't do any damage. I really don't understand this program and what it cleans. Are they only superfluous files? Isn't this a dangerous program because it might clean something important by mistake! I thought it had its own recover feature and that's why I used it without thinking of the consequences. I will be more careful in the future. Sure hope I didn't wipe anything important, but I guess I'll never know.

I looked at the checked items in "Applications" and they included my Opera Browser's Internet Cache and History, Google Earth History, MS Office Picture Manager, Office 2007 (don't know what there it wiped?), Sun Java, Yahoo Toolbar, Adobe Flash Player, Quicktime Player, Quicktime Player Cache, Windows Media Player (don't know what it wiped here either?), MS Wordpad, and Regedit (Regedit is the one that really worries me, as I don't have a clue as to what in my registry was cleaned???).

No, nothing important was in my recycle bin, thank heaven!

Can you help me know if I'm in trouble here?

Many, many thanx again,
Lida

[kroozer]

No sweat. They're all just junk, including the RegEdit.

EDIT: I suggest you install ERUNT so that if you mess up the Registry you'll have a backup handy. It automatically backsup your registry every day. Very easy to use.

[Lidarose]

kroozer, on Feb 1 2010, 01:27 AM, said:

No sweat. They're all just junk, including the RegEdit.

<Big sign of relief>

Is there any way to see what you've cleaned previously, i.e., a log or something within this program. I couldn't check what was previously cleaned in order to give you that information!

Cordially,
Lida

[kroozer]

After cleaning the panel switches from Analysis Complete - Details of files to be deleted to Cleaning Complete - Details of files deleted.

[Lidarose]

Lidarose, on Feb 1 2010, 01:42 AM, said:

<Big sign of relief>

Is there any way to see what you've cleaned previously, i.e., a log or something within this program. I couldn't check what was previously cleaned in order to give you that information!

Cordially,
Lida

Wha?! I'm referring to AFTER you close the program, and then re-open it, Kroozer.

Also, I checked out ERUNT, but am afraid I'm too much of a novice to run it properly. I tried to read the "Read-Me" file, but it's a mile long with all kinds of technical info in it that I'm totally unfamiliar with. I might be able to get far enough to do a daily back-up, but would have no idea how to replace it. Thanks for trying, though, it's appreciated!

[kroozer]

Unfortunately no logs are kept (that I'm aware of).

[Alan_B]

Lidarose, on Feb 1 2010, 05:32 AM, said:

When I checked to see which of these items it had cleaned, I found that it had cleaned other items also, that I did not request to be cleaned, among which were some Java files, some Adobe Shockwave Flash Files and some others! I do not know if these were important files or not, and cannot locate any log to see them, to even describe them here!

Your mistake was the past tense in "checked to see which of these items it had cleaned"
That has only caused you concern.
What I always do is "Analyse and inspect to see which items ARE ABOUT TO BE cleaned"
then if I am concerned I safely abort.

Alan

[ident]

Lidarose, on Feb 1 2010, 06:58 AM, said:

Also, I checked out ERUNT, but am afraid I'm too much of a novice to run it properly. I tried to read the "Read-Me" file, but it's a mile long with all kinds of technical info in it that I'm totally unfamiliar with. I might be able to get far enough to do a daily back-up, but would have no idea how to replace it. Thanks for trying, though, it's appreciated!

You dont need to do any thing with ERUNT. it does every thing for you. Once installed thats it.

If you ever need to redo the registry go to

C:\WINDOWS\ERDNT\AutoBackup\<date of the back up>

Open that folder, double click ERDNT.EXE in that folder and confirm it.

simple.

[Andavari]

Lidarose, on Feb 1 2010, 12:20 AM, said:

I looked at the checked items in "Applications" and they included my Opera Browser's Internet Cache and History, Google Earth History, MS Office Picture Manager, Office 2007 (don't know what there it wiped?).....

All CCleaner does for in the Applications tab is this:
* Cleans the most recently opened documents "MRU" list (if the application supports this).
* Cleans relatively unused files that most users don't pay any attention to such as logs, etc., created by the application (if the application creates them).

The only cleaning of a program that you may actually need to untick is Office 2007 if you've configured Microsoft Word to your liking - if you don't it will reset Microsoft Word back to the factory default settings. The reason for this is the Microsoft Word MRU list is nestled in with the settings in the Windows registry. Personally I have a registry exclusion in CCleaner for Office just in case by accident the Office box gets ticked it can't ever wipe out my preferred settings.

I exclude these, which should cover most or all Office versions:
* HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office
* HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Office

[Lidarose]

Andavari, on Feb 2 2010, 04:36 PM, said:

All CCleaner does for in the Applications tab is this:
* Cleans the most recently opened documents "MRU" list (if the application supports this).
* Cleans relatively unused files that most users don't pay any attention to such as logs, etc., created by the application (if the application creates them).

The only cleaning of a program that you may actually need to untick is Office 2007 if you've configured Microsoft Word to your liking - if you don't it will reset Microsoft Word back to the factory default settings. The reason for this is the Microsoft Word MRU list is nestled in with the settings in the Windows registry. Personally I have a registry exclusion in CCleaner for Office just in case by accident the Office box gets ticked it can't ever wipe out my preferred settings.

I exclude these, which should cover most or all Office versions:
* HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office
* HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Office

Thanx guys - appreciate all of your responses!

Lida