Lost images to recycle bin, Please advise...

[Togra4]

I was organizing last night and I seem to have misplaced my 2007 Nascar file and all the images therein. I am not quite ready to freak out just yet, although for the life of me I can't figure out how the hell I could have done such a thing.

I have searched but have not found any instruction on how to retrieve files from the recycle bin in xp. I saw a post that said the xp holds dumped files for a bit, is this a false sense of relief? How can I try to get them back if I dont have an external HD?

If your eyes are better than mine and you know of any informative links to previous posts please share, and I thank you so very much for your help!

[gcogger]

Do you have a Recycle Bin icon on your desktop? Double click on that to open it, and see if your files and/or folders are in there. If so, just right click on them and select 'Restore'.

[tim]

You have a chance of getting them back. Generally the best advice is to take the disk out of the PC, install it into another PC, and then run a file recovery program. Any time you spend using the disk the images are on will reduce the chances of recovering the images. If you're on the PC now TURN IT OFF and take it to a nerd.

Or restore from backups. You have backups, right? If not... no sympathy.

[Mike]

A quick google search uncovered this helpful article: http://www.tech-pro.net/how-to-recov...ted-files.html
and this looks like a good place from which to download recovery software:
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/col...ads/files.html
Good luck!

[Retouch UK]

Are/Were the files in question stored on your C drive or another drive?

Try not to add any more data to the drive that they were stored on as you can overwrite the deleted files inadvertantly.

Chris

[Togra4]

Originally Posted by gcogger

Do you have a Recycle Bin icon on your desktop? Double click on that to open it, and see if your files and/or folders are in there. If so, just right click on them and select 'Restore'.

They have already been dumped from the recycle bin. I am sorry, I dont think my original post was clear now that I read it again.

I didnt realize I sent them to the RB and dumped the RB.

Thanks for trying to help!

[Togra4]

Thanks everyone.

Luckily I do have most of them on a disc but I'm not sure if I saved my Homestead shots. It was crazy in my world upon returning. I dont have the money right now for an external hard drive but if you want a 400mm 5.6....lol

Thanks again.

[tim]

If you can't afford backups you shouldn't be taking digital photos. That should come before fancy lenses.

[Togra4]

Brilliant, Tim! Thanks so much for the advise.

[vetkrazy]

Tim's advise was solid not flippant. A 500gb Seagate is $89, not much for peace of mind. In the last two years my C drive has crashed, I have had an external HD die and I just had my Raptor scratch disc die. Warrenties replaced the drives and redundant back ups saved my files.

[PixelMagic]

It wouldn't hurt to try any of the free Undelete or File Recovery programs but you should try not to write any data to the drive (Hopefully the photos are not saved on the same drive with your operating system or program files). Otherwise you might want to try an Undelete program that runs from a floppy disk.

Here's a free Undelete utility that's well recommended: http://www.majorgeeks.com/FreeUndelete_d4407.html

or

http://undelete-plus.com/

[tim]

Originally Posted by craftgirl

Brilliant, Tim! Thanks so much for the advise.

I was being serious.

[neilwood32]

Having also lost images due to HD failure (1 years worth), i would suggest having at least one backup of EVERYTHING!

For the cost of storage these days, its insane not to back up!

[Tsmith]

Originally Posted by tim

If you can't afford backups you shouldn't be taking digital photos. That should come before fancy lenses.

Very solid advice.

[Togra4]

Originally Posted by tim

I was being serious.

and so was I, your advise is brilliant, Tim. However, I found your comment to be a little harsh considering I did mention I backed up most, if not all of this particular file to disc. In fact, last evening I checked and I still have my homestead files on my CF Card. So I am all set.

Sometimes like every other non-perfect human being, an over-site occurs and we forget to back up. It happens. I find no fault in inquiring about retrieval if it is possible, whether I have the files or not. I am a photographer not an IT professional. It's called being informed, learning something new. That is why I come here. So, thank you to those who have offered suggestions i can look into. (including you, Tim)

As another poster mentioned, back up HD's crash too... I use discs because they are less expensive and fairly reliable. It works well for me. I even go so far as to label my discs carefully and keep them safe in those handy protective CD cases.

No harm, no foul. I was asking for information not criticism and thats how your post struck me. I apologize if that was not your intent. Maybe you meant "you" as in everyone not just me specifically. I was curious and thought my inquiry and the advise received could help out others who haven't been as diligent in backing up as most of us.

No Biggie.