Looking for a good freeware program

Nestor_Kelebay · 10-29-2009, 09:31 PM

Is there a good freeware program available for file recovery?

(PS: I am aware that when a computer deletes a file or folder, it simply replaces the first character of that file or folder with an "@" symbol, and that means the space occupied by the file or all the files in a folder is available to be overwritten. So, as long as I don't write over those files, they are still retrievable by simply changing that "@" symbol to something else in the file or folder name. I just wanted people to know that I already know this so that I don't get everyone telling me not to write anything more to that memory stick. I already know not to.)

I used my digital camera to take a bunch of pictures in an apartment that a tenant left filthy and damaged, and I stored all those pictures on a memory stick. Then, I used the Move command instead of the Copy command to move those pictures onto a CD so that I could use them to support my claim against the tenant's damage deposit. I was concerned that if I used the Copy command, I'd lose track of which ones had been moved and which hadn't, and I'd end up missing some.

Well, just as you'd expect, I got some kind of an error message while the files were being moved, and the end result was that the directory the files were in on the memory stick is no longer there to click on. That directory is available for clicking on on the destination CD ROM, but when I double click on any picture to view it, I get "Preview not available".

So, I've spent the past two evenings trying various file recovery programs that offer "free trials". I've downloaded a program called Free Undelete which is supposedly freeware, and it would claim to have found the files in the directory on the memory stick, and reports they are all in good condtion, but I simply can't get it to display or save those files somewhere else so that I can access them.

I downloaded another file recovery program, and this time I copied some files onto a floppy and deleted one of them just so that I could practice with the program to learn how to use it. The program couldn't find that deleted file on the floppy!

Does anyone know of a freeware or shareware file recovery program that works well that I can use to recover the files on this memory stick? I don't want to buy a $100program I'm probably never gonna use again (cuz from now on I'm gonna Copy, Confirm and then Delete instead of MOVE important files.)

oldog/newtrick · 11-01-2009, 07:38 AM

Did you delete the pictures from the memory card on your camera?

What about a local community collage, call their IT dept and ask if there might be a student who might want to earn a couple bucks to come over and see if they can find the files, I don't know just a random thought. Only way I can fix anything on these things are with a hammer.

Nestor_Kelebay · 11-01-2009, 12:01 PM

That's a good idea. I can phone down to our local community college and see if there's a computer technology department that has a good data recovery program that might be able to copy the deleted files onto a CDR.

No, I haven't done any writing to the memory stick cuz I know that could write over the photo files I want to recover.

oldog/newtrick · 12-13-2009, 05:19 PM

Nestor, did you ever find out how to get the pics back?

Nestor_Kelebay · 12-14-2009, 06:03 PM

Oldog/Newtrick:

No, I still have the pics on the memory stick, and I expect the tenant intends to just forfeit his damage deposit. The tenant left for the US. He's in the Boston area now. I also have his signature on the outgoing condition report, so I can take new pictures of the damage I was unable/didn't repair (like chips in the stove enamel and knife cut marks on the brand new plastic laminate kitchen counter top). I'm just going to have to settle for the damage deposit on this one because even if I did have the pictures available to me, any decision by a Canadian court isn't enforceable in a foreign country like the US.

Still, I guess it's a good thing to have a freeware file recovery program available, so if you hear of any good ones, maybe lemme know.