Mixture................
Many thanks for your advice. "Horses and stables doors" come to mind!! Your info coincides with that given by the data recovery specialist I am in contact with. My problem is, I am not "techie" and really do not understand computing and IT.
To me, a computer is tool for me to use. I view in the same way as a motor car, I drive it: I don to need know the hardness of rubber used to manufacture the tyres!!
Been an unpleasant experience but I will just have to live with it unless my data recovery man gets lucky. Not holding my breath!!!
Oh, regarding paying to release data, I wouldn't anyway but also could not follow their instruction even if I was inclined to. Just another thought perhaps I should to it my info to Chinese or Russian Intelligence, they have apparently de-encrypted some of the stuff Mr Snowden "liberated" from the US!!
Thks again...!!