Recently deleted .txt file, can only find $I of it

[Ivoni]

I've noticed I accidentaly deleted an important .txt file from emptying the recycle bin yesterday right before shutting off my PC.

 

So the first thing I done today was to download Recuva (portable version) and did a Deep Scan in Recycle Bin.

 

I found a lot of $I 544 bytes files from other files I had deleted before and I take it those are index entries and not the $R data I want.

The problem is that it only has found one or two $R files that contain readable data and they are files deleted some hours before the important .txt file I'm looking for.

 

There is, however, an $I txt file in the results and it is the one with the most recent date. If only I could find its $R... would scanning in more locations help or is it gone forever?

 

I don't understand why it managed to find smaller files deleted hours before the .txt one?

 

Thanks

[Augeas]

Yes, the $I files are indexes and are no help in recovering your data. I'm sure you've noticed that a deep scan produces a great many files identified with an ascending number and a file type. These are files that have no entry in the MFT or its indexes. They have no file name as the name is held in the MFT. Unfortunately txt files have no signature in the file data either, so they can't be identified as files in Recuva deep scan, they're just seen as clusters of random data. So if your txt file doesn't have an entry in the MFT it's very difficult to find it. Well, next to impossible really.

 

I have found that files deleted from the recycler seem to assume their original name when Recuva finds them, but I'm sure you have already looked there.

 

Edit copies are about the only hope I can offer. Did you do a deep scan from the Wizard or Advanced Mode? I would use Advanced every time.

 

Why have the $R files gone? It's just chance whether the entries in the MFT are reused. Well, first available in ascending sequence, but it looks like chance.

[Ivoni]

Thanks, I've done the scan in Wizard mode. Will try Advanced to see if anything else comes up, but not very hopeful.

[hazelnut]

Just in case you are using Windows 7 have a read here... all may not be lost.

 

 

http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/use-these-tricks-recover-lost-files-windows-7.htm

[Ivoni]

Thanks, unfortunately the last version of the folder was 6 days ago, I guess I don't have it set to save diff versions very frequently or something.

As for Recuva in Advanced mode it only still found the $I.

 

I'll just have what to rewrite what I can remember I guess. Also need to be more wary when working on the PC while sleepy, so I don't do stupid mistakes like this again.

(and rename New Text Document files immediately to something relevant, so I don't think it was some temporary text file I could delete ).

Thanks all once more.

[Guest Keatah]

After all these previous things you've done I'd take the approach of scanning the entire disk sector-by-sector for a known "string" or keywords from the file. Note the sector where it's found. And use a program that will rebuild all the links. Easy if you know the starting sector or the first few characters in the file. Get lucky and save it directly from the disk editor itself.

 

You'd need other non-Piriform software to do this.