File recovery
 

Nightmare scenario has happened. I went to my folder that I keep general photos in, and the whole lot have disappeared. I have downloaded 3 different recovery programs and have spent the day trying to get them back. I have found pictures that I deleted years ago, and deleted pictures that were taken at the same time as my missing items quite recently, but I cannot find my missing photos. They were kept in various folders, and I can't find a way to enter a folder name as oppossed to a file name to search. I also believe that I have not deleted these, as I would have spotted the folders in the recycle bin. Anybody got any tips I can try.
Thanks
Danny

In windows explorer, try enabling hidden files and folders in case they've hidden themselves.

Also in Explorer, search for *.jpg (assuming they're jpegs), and see if any you're looking for get listed.

Start your search from c:\


That's bloody odd, and stupid! Typing C : \ without the spaces gives the 'wibble' smiley. Very useful in a computer forum!!

Frostie - next time, there's an option to disable smilies!

I can only empathise with you. Exactly the same happened to me a few weeks ago, I went through the same process as you with the same result. I hope you eventually have better luck than I did!

On *another* computer with a CD burner, download testdisc/photo rec from TestDisk Download - CGSecurity. Burn the CD image to a CD. It's important to stop using the problem PC to prevent your missing files from being overwritten.

Boot the problem machine with the Testdisc/Photorec bootable CD. It can be used to scan the hard drive for the raw data that composes your files without writing to that drive. Because it's looking for file type bits it can circumvent operating system issues. If the file's bits can be read the file can be recovered. You'll need an alternative storage for found files to be copied to and recovered files won't have their original filename - but at least you get your files back.