A friend of mine had his laptop harddrive wiped and Windows 7 reinstalled by a computer repair store. Is it possible at this point to recover files that were wiped?
If it is properly wiped, it would be difficult enough for the average joe, to require expensive machinery to do this I would think.
Which probably would not be worth it.
Edit: If you absolutely have to have it, a data recovery lab MIGHT be able to pull it off, but then again they might not, & it would cost $$$.
If it was a reputable computer store it should have saved user files before wiping.
As Super Fast more or less said... it's unlikely and would be horrendously expensive.
If it was a less reputable computer store they also might have saved user files before wiping.
It may be appropriate to consider whether his user files compromise the security of his financial accounts.
It may be time to change passwords etc on bank and credit card accounts.
It's standard procedure I think to save a customers files in a folder called "Windows.old", and locate it in the new operating systems root drive (C:).
That's assuming the guy knew what standard procedure was before he reinstalled.
I'm going to say give it a try, before the friend uses the computer if possible. You may have a chance (small though it may be) of getting maybe a few "precious memories".
Thanks, all.