Retrieve lost files? (Page 2): Thank you for your response, Bayou. The missing files are on an external hard drive. I stopped using that drive when I ran into this problem. The...

Bobby123

Bayou wrote:

This is a bad idea. If the files were accidentally deleted, their recovery could be imperiled by writing new data to the drive, such as would occur were you to edit and save other images, or if the computer decided to automatically run its defragmenter. The safest thing would be to turn off the computer totally and take to a shop before using it again.

Thank you for your response, Bayou. The missing files are on an external hard drive. I stopped using that drive when I ran into this problem. The remaining files are on a different hard drive, so I won't be using the drive with the issue. I think that will keep whatever remains of the missing files as safe as possible. Thank you for the warning, though.

Bayou

Bobby123 wrote:

...The missing files are on an external hard drive....

Nicholas J DeSciose

Thank you for your consideration.[don’t you still have the original Camera card images?

delder Loc: Maryland

Usually, lost files require immediate recovery to prevent them from being overwritten.
Personally, I like to know where ALL of my photos are on my drives IN File Explorer.

A backup Hard Drive is also suggested....

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I have a lot of links for recovering files. Something might help.

https://recoverit.wondershare.com/photo-recovery.html
https://fossbytes.com/top-best-free-data-recovery-software-2016/
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-scan-reformatted-hard-drive-to-recover-files/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/136677/article.html
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17119/windows-7-recover-lost-deleted-files
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2147668/how-to-recover-deleted-files.html
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/software/how-recover-deleted-files-free-3365461/

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

If you are using a Windows PC I would suggest doing a system restore. Restore to a date that you knew the files were working.

therwol Loc: USA

CHG_CANON wrote:

Only if they're accepting foolish advice. I try no... (show quote)

The decision not to reuse cards is a personal one. I don't take a high volume of pictures. That might not work for others. I don't think it's bad advice to transfer two copies into two places before doing anything else.

profbowman Loc: Harrisonburg, VA, USA

Robert has received a lot of good advice, but I'd suggest one thing before he tries any of them. That is, the whole external hard drive on which the "lost" files were located should be cloned. Then any trials at recovery can be done on the cloned drive without destroying or overwriting the original "lost" data.

And here is a freebie that might be useful to you, Robert. It is a threaded discussion on a Microsoft forum about this issue. It might not be a software problem but malware or something else.
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/icons-and-folders-grayed-out-on-desktop-and-in/c4f7902d-e0b0-4edf-ad6e-f07698b9a5f1

--Richard

xposure

I lost an entire hard drive. I used one of the recovery programs and it took about a week of running uninterupted but I got almost everything back.

rck281 Loc: Overland Park, KS

I don't know if this is Windows or Apple. If this is Windows, try looking in the Recycle Bin to see if they were accidentally deleted.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Bobby123 wrote:

I have apparently lost over 700 photographs from a... (show quote)

That is scary.
I have no programming skills but found that it is best to make folders of the original photos directly and avoid these other programs.
Then if you wish use whatever program you wish on a copy and keep your originals safe in a folder totally unrelated to these various programs like Topaz.

delder Loc: Maryland

Architect1776 wrote:

That is scary.
I have no programming skills but found that it is best to make folders of the original photos directly and avoid these other programs.
Then if you wish use whatever program you wish on a copy and keep your originals safe in a folder totally unrelated to these various programs like Topaz.

GREAT IDEA!
UHH is full of horror stories of OP's loosing track of the ACTUAL photos in some Photo Workflow Program.
Having the photos in a KNOWN file location will help with recovery in case of hardware failure, system updates/upgrades and allow proper backup.

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

Private message me and we can discuss some options.

Clyde 13 Loc: Valpariso, Indiana

Back again to the forum
After my hard drive crashed after trying to update the computer, it crashed.
My son and I had to reformat the hard drive and reinstall windows.
Lost all my photos on the computer.
Luckily I have most of them backed up to a personal portable hard drive.
Lesson learned
Lost all my passwords and usernames to deal with yet.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Clyde 13 wrote:

Back again to the forum
After my hard drive crashed after trying to update the computer, it crashed.
My son and I had to reformat the hard drive and reinstall windows.
Lost all my photos on the computer.
Luckily I have most of them backed up to a personal portable hard drive.
Lesson learned
Lost all my passwords and usernames to deal with yet.

Additional lesson: create a password-protected file (encrypted better) that has your usernames and passwords and add that to your back-up files. Or, create the same list in a secure app that specific to this function.