I reinstalled Windows 8.1 on my laptop. After the format I installed Recuva and selected the settings so that non deleted files are displayed too. But even after deep scan, I still can't see ANY of my files.
I get this :
What should I do to restore my files? I don't recall having any partitions on my drive; I never created any partitions. Just C and D.
Failed to scan the following drives:\HardDiskVolume4: unable to determine file system type
If you formatted the drive and then installed Windows 8.1 again. I don't think you will be able to recover anything, the files have been overwritten all ready.
If you formatted the drive and then installed Windows 8.1 again. I don't think you will be able to recover anything, the files have been overwritten all ready.
I went to PC settings <Update and Recovery< "Remove everything and reinstall Windows". Does this mean my files are still capable of recovery?
If you reinstalled Windows I would guess that everything on that drive or partition would be wiped.
This is why Windows, when being installed over a previous install, sometimes creates a "Windows.old" folder containing the users personal data which is there to be found after the install.
I don't know as to whether Windows does this with a re-install, or if that option has to be selected during the start of the process, as I've never installed or re-installed an OS in that way.
Finding a "Windows.old" folder is your only option I would think, and others may be able to advise as to whether a re-install of the same OS would create one.
... But even after deep scan, I still can't see ANY of my files ...
... Failed to scan the following drives:\HardDiskVolume4: unable to determine file system type
I don't get that. How did you do a deep scan if you received the "Failed to scan ..." message?
That message usually pops up when Recuva finds a RAW drive. Or in other words "Unallocated Space". Yet you did your re-install and then started using it. So the drive wasn't Raw, and your post does seem to refer to one single location.
Can you be more specific as to what has been happening?