Files are there, they're 'excellent', but no dice

Recuva
1

Hello. Please read my lovely story to understand my hilarious predicament:

I recently decided to reinstall Windows 7 on my SSD due to data corruption (this would be the 3rd time I've had to reinstall on this SSD). The reinstallation went swimmingly and I had the system up and running to a very good functioning level, aka, most important drivers, programs, and settings installed. Having never cloned a Windows installation before, I decided that maybe this time would be a great time to learn how to do it, and to simply go through with it just in case. Using Macrium's Reflect cloning software, I attempted to do just that.

I selected the system reserved partition as well as the primary partition, both of course on C: and selected the output HDD. The output HDD was one in which had all of my artwork, my photographs, my documents, my backup freeware installation files, and pretty much everything else I've accrued ever since I decided to start doing such a thing (probably about 10 years of collecting and creative work). Mistakenly, I thought this 'cloning' of the drive would in fact create a singular file of some sort for which I could use to recover (obviously now, 'imaging' was what I really wanted). A little mistake that was. So I started the process and immediately noticed that the output HDD disappeared from My Computer's list. Realizing just what was happening, I immediately aborted the process, but it had gone far enough to probably overwrite the MFT of this HDD.

The only way that I could 'see' the drive was if I went into Windows' Computer Management/Disk Management tool and view it there. It listed the drive as having the typical 100mb system reserved partition, but what was most interesting was that it had the primary partition listed as 'unallocated space'.

So after understanding and somewhat coming to terms with what just happened, I realized that maybe the files could still be recoverable even in this state. However, since I doubted most programs could work with this 'unallocated space', I formatted the drive so that said programs could potentially recognize it.

And so here I am:

I ran Recuva for 3 hours with the 'deep scan option' and low and behold, I see most, if not all of the original files still listed for this drive. Their file and folder paths show a question mark (I'm not sure if this is because of me not checking the 'restore folder structure' PRIOR to scanning), but most of the files are seen as in 'excellent' condition. I tried to recover various jpgs, but all of them seem to be unviewable, with Windows Photo Viewer stating them as being too large or corrupted. Next, I tried to recover some mp3s that were on the drive. They play music, but they don't play the correct music with file names seemingly being completely useless at this point. This makes me wonder if any of the other files can be reliably recovered (mostly likely not).

Am I thoroughly screwed? Did I just utterly disorganize and damage the last 10 or so years of my computer-literate life away in a literal instant because I thought it would be great to clone something when I should have been imaging it? A truly ironic situation.

Truth be told, I'm kind of liberated with the idea that I'm basically akin to someone who just bought a new computer. Perhaps the severity of the situation hasn't really dawned on me yet. I'm sure it'll kick in some time soon.

Oh my god.

2

After some frantic research and testing, I was able to find another program that will be able to recover my files. Sigh of relief and moving on.

3

Update please! I will assume you've gotten back most everything. Did you happen to use Get Data Back?

So let this be a lesson2U. Make sure you always have 2 copies of anything important you want to keep! This means purchasing another drive, and mirroring the files, or drag'n'drop copying them!

4

What would be useful is to state the tool for the benefit of anyone who independently makes the same mistake and uses Google to find that there is a solution,

but no clues were given.

So let this be a lesson2U. Make sure you always have 2 copies of anything important you want to keep! This means purchasing another drive, and mirroring the files, or drag'n'drop copying them!

Total disagreement.

Wasteful and Useless.

As the OP has belatedly recognised, Macrium Reflect can make a Partition Image backup and this is VERY EASY to restore to a drive,

regardless of whether the drive is absolutely empty and has a full Operating system installed.

The backup file is usually about 60 % of the size of NOT the total size of the partition(s), BUT 60 % of the size of the Used space EXCLUDING the Pagefile.sys and Hiberfil.sys.

Furthermore the backup can be used to shrink or expand the restored image to fit the size of any new replacement drive.

Creating and using a clone takes longer and has booby traps for the unwary.

5

Alan you have your opinion on the usefulness of keeping backups of important files and I, like Keatah, have mine.

Really, really, important things to me such as product keys for instance, I make another copy of and keep on an external drive (along with my backup of C drive) Also have separate backups of pics and music on an external drive.

I even printed off a copy of all my product keys info and keep it in a biscuit tin on the top shelf in the kitchen :)

6

Sorry, my criticism is based on the suggestion of buying another drive dedicated to this purpose.

So far as I am aware you only need a dedicated drive when making a clone, and clone making caused this topic.

I have no problem with copying files to another drive,

nor with printing them and keeping them with recipes :)

though I would recommend the freeware version of Teracopy rather than drag-drop.

N.B.

When Microsoft violated my settings and forced an unwanted emergency update that trashed my system,

it never lived more than 30 seconds after a reboot and Windows login.

They rendered inaccessible my files and documents which I had been creating and updating.

Windows was trashed so bad that running under Windows I could not restore any image backup.

The Macrium Boot Recovery CD could restore my system to the state of the previous night's backup,

but this did not include my latest files and documents.

Fortunately the Macrium Boot Recovery CD ALSO had the ability to image backup my trashed system complete with my latest files and documents,

So first the CD imaged my trashed system,

then it restored the previous night's system.

Using a fully operation system with last-nights files,

I "mounted" as partition P:\ the image of a trashed C:\

Then used freeware Portable Bestsync to compare C:\ with P:\

http://www.risefly.com/fsedwld.htm

This instantly (within 15 seconds) identified all the files that were different and I could then copy what I wanted from P:\ to C:\.

Macrium Reflect restored what was backed up before disaster

AND GAVE ME the files which had NOT been backed up.

Sphht has the perfect tool for disaster recovery, and hopefully has now mastered how to use it safely.

@ Sphht

There is a lot of useful advice available, even if you have the free version, at

http://support.macrium.com/

If you have the free version it may be difficult to post queries on the above site,

but you can see many topics and also post queries on

http://www.sevenforums.com/

e.g.

http://www.sevenforu...backup-restore/

Regards

Alan

7

I won't give out highly detailed advice, because everybody has individual requirements and unique system configurations. Instead I'll tell you this:

If you want to keep your data safe, it is absolutely imperative that you have a minimum of 2 living, working, verified copies on 2 separate hardware devices at all times. 1 of which can be the original you work with in your day to day activities. This is a given. This is fact. This is the very foundation of data backup philosophy. It is a time-honored tradition. It cannot be argued with. Period. The end.

You may clone, print, copy, burn, image, drag'n'drop, sync, zip, send to cloud, so on and so forth - whatever floats your boat. Use freeware, payware, whatever. Set up your own schedule. Your call. The point is to have two copies at all times. When updating backups, you may never erase any one these copies without having confidence the new updated replacement backup is valid and secure.

Exact methods, procedures, tools, hardware & software will change over time, but one thing remains constant, 2 copies, all times. 1-upping your game means you keep a tertiary copy off site - away from any serious misfortune that may befall your hardware.

I provide this advice with the hopes that it will help the reader avoid having to spend hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on a data recovery job. Equally you don't want to be messing with recovery software for hours on end or posting to forums while hanging on the edge of your seat. Bug eyed with terror from losing 15 years worth of irreplaceable material. With a proper backup plan in place you'll never panic over any computer or user malfunction. Backups will enable you to recover smoothly and smartly from any disaster scenario if and when crunch time comes.

k

8

So let this be a lesson2U. Make sure you always have 2 copies of anything important you want to keep! This means purchasing another drive, and mirroring the files, or drag'n'drop copying them!

Total disagreement.

Wasteful and Useless.

Sorry, my criticism is based on the suggestion of buying another drive dedicated to this purpose.

So far as I am aware you only need a dedicated drive when making a clone, and clone making caused this topic.

I have no problem with copying files to another drive,

nor with printing them and keeping them with recipes :)

though I would recommend the freeware version of Teracopy rather than drag-drop.

The root cause of this incident was user inexperience with a new software package and lack of proper backup. The user had attempted to execute a potentially dangerous operation and involved his/her valuable historical data in the first-run. This situation could have been prevented by gaining familiarity with a new software package and/or having a correct backup.

1- Familiarity with new software, the user should have become familiar with the options regarding cloning and imaging provided in the package. The near-fatal mistake here was caused by inexperience and using a device containing irreplaceable data.

2- If the user had a 2nd copy of said creative work, stored properly on physically separate media, he/she would have been able to recover and restore the damaged copy in a matter of minutes. Data would not have even been lost in the first place. A prime reason for performing backups is to protect against user error.

The cost of a 2nd drive is perfectly justifiable here: To hold a backup copy or act as a testbed & tool for experimenting and effecting repairs. This situation was little different than having mal-ware or a virus ravage the data. In this case it was instigated by the user. Hopefully the OP comes back to read these messages!

9

I am in full agreement with using a separate hardware device for holding the backups, whether they are created by drag-n-drop or imaging.

To that I add the recommendation of using an external drive which might survive smoke/fire damage confined to the inside of the P.C.

I concede that it is better to buy a spare drive for experimenting on when you do not know what you are doing,

but I am hoping a painful lesson has been learnt by the OP.

Regards

Alan

10

So, I encountered the same situation as OP and unfortunately was not able to open many files that Recuva claimed to be "excellent." I finally was able to recover those files using PhotoRec which made by the same people who made TestDisk. After running that, I was able to retrieve about 95% of those file.

Since OP neglected to tell anyone what he used, I figured I would share my positive outcome with others who find themselves in a similar situation after using Recuva.

11

Recuva is a front-line program.. Because it is easy and free. If it fails there are many more tools in the arsenal, PhotoRec/testdisk, Adroit PhotoRecovery, GetDataBack, Ontrack Easy Recovery, Recover My Files. Then you can move into the forensics category of tools and file carvers, and finally hardware based solutions.