Used recovery on my computer and lost all of my files?

Question

My laptop wasn't working: I just turned it one once and everything you clicked, internet, my pictures, everything wouldn't come up. The next morning my mother used recovery (F11) and went through the whole computer set up. She does not know a thing about computers and did not know what she was doing. After doing that we both releazied all of our files had been lost: Tons of family pictures, important files, saved emails, everything. It would be devestating to be unable to recover these files. Please tell me if there is a way to recover this or even if I would be able to take it to a computer shop and they would be able to recover the files. This is very important; yes I know we are idiots for doing recovery but I need to know how to fix it! Thank you

Answer 1

You did a complete reinstall. You cant undo it Some of the files may still be there. A computer shop can run a grave-digger program on the hard drive and perhaps find some of them. It will probably be expensive. Use it as little as possible until you are able to find someone to do it so as few files as possible are overwritten. Im sorry this happened to you. I cant imagine loosing my photos. After this you should burn your pictures and documents to a cd periodically.

Answer 2

If the disk was reformatted, there is very little you can do.

There are companies that specialize in recovering data from reformatted drives, but it can be quite costly.

If your mother saw, "Formatting" during the recovery process, then you may very well have to resign yourself to the loss of the data.

Source: I teach a class in computer hardware, and have been something of a geek for about 20 years.

Do a web search for "data recovery" on a DIFFERENT COMPUTER.

Don't use the laptop in question, as any re-writing over the areas of the disk where your old data was greatly reduces the chances of recovering it.

Answer 3

Too late.

That "recovery" disk actually resets the PC to the way it left the factory. It doesn't "recover" anything. So now, you are left with a pristine "used" machine.

It'll cost hundreds of dollars just to try to recover something. Not worth the trouble, IMHO. You are not guaranteed any result.

Basically, think of it this way: you had some documents sewn into your jacket, very important ones. You forgot about them and sent them to the dry cleaners. Clearly, the documents are ruined... No way to get it back, but at least your jacket is clean.

You are welcome to TRY some of those recovery software, but beware EVERY FILE you write to the HD only serves to further erase any evidence of the file. As the whole HD was likely reformatted and repartitioned by the recovery disk, there is likely NOTHING to recover.

Answer 4

File recovery-
Recuva (pronounced "recover") is a freeware Windows utility to restore files that have been accidentally deleted from your computer. This includes files emptied from the Recycle bin as well as images and other files that have been deleted by user error from digital camera memory cards or MP3 players. It will even bring back files that have been deleted by bugs, crashes and viruses!
http://www.recuva.com/

Answer 5

I would definitely recommend Recover My Files, it got my files back after my hard drive crashed and I reformatted it.

http://www.recovermyfiles.com

Answer 6

There isn't anything you can do. Specialists, such as OnTrack data recovery:

http://www.ontrack.com/

can restore old files.

Be prepared to pay around £5,000.00

Don't use the computer at all to improve the recovery chance.

Answer 7

a computer repair facility can pull up all lost files check with the people u bought it from they can prob help

Answer 8

that sucks!
it says it on the disc or before you push anythign to back up data. i wish your mom would have read that. take it to best buy or some type shop try to find a different better deal. hope for the best peace

Answer 9

what happens is its all there you just can't see it. Data is only permanently erased when something takes its place.