Problem with Recuva 1.29 and Thunderbird emails.zip

Recuva
1

The new version 1.29 of Recuva has thrown up a strange problem. I can "overwrite highlighted" in C: drive except for one single file:

C:\Users\BillPender\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\tl0zu6s8.default\Mail\Local Folders\Thunderbird emails.zip

which Recuva stubbornly refuses to overwrite.

Recuva also claims that the file status is "not deleted":

Size: Unknown (Unknown)

State: Not deleted

Creation time: Unknown

Last modification time: Unknown

Last access time: Unknown

Comment: No overwritten clusters detected.

but I can't find the file using Windows Explorer or Opus Directory (with hidden and system files visible).

Neither can I find any such deleted file using jv16 power tools. (I am using Vista Home premium on an ACER PC, with Thunderbird 2.0.0.22)

I am not aware of Thunderbird backing up its system with invisible zip files, and neither Mozilla nor the Internet seems to know anything about such a file.

I "recovered" the file to D:\ and it is in fact a very large file - almost 1GB - a backup of all my Thunderbird email, but I don't want such a backup, because I have other backup procedures.

The presence of this file in Recuva's list of deleted files means that I cannot simply highlight all files and "Delete Highlighted", because the "Delete highlighted" command is greyed out whenever Thunderbird emails.zip is one of the highlighted files.

A few months ago I transferred Thunderbird's active folder to D: drive. When I run Recuva on D: drive, Recuva finds an exactly analogous file inside the new mail folder system at:

D:\DataOnD\Munsalvaesche\Thunderbird\Profiles\Mail\Local Folders\@SGS.sbd\Thunderbird emails.zip

1. What are these two files and how did they get there?

2. Are they deleted files, and if so why can't Recuva overwrite them, or jv16 Power Tools see them?

3. Are they undeleted files, in which case why did Recuva list them, and why can't Windows Explorer or Opus Directory see them?

2

This file is due to the new feature in 1.29 which allows recovery of deleted Thunderbird emails. This file doesn't actually exist until you recover the files, that's why you can't overwrite it.

The file will consists of all the recoverable deleted Thunderbird emails in .eml format.

MrRon

3
This file is due to the new feature in 1.29 which allows recovery of deleted Thunderbird emails. This file doesn't actually exist until you recover the files, that's why you can't overwrite it.

The file will consists of all the recoverable deleted Thunderbird emails in .eml format.

MrRon

Thanks for that clear explanation. Now it all makes sense.

The problem is that it is now quite inconvenient to overwrite all files in C: drive or D: drive, because each time Recuva scans, it throws up Thunderbird emails.zip. When I highlight everything, I can't then "Delete Highlighted". I first have to go and seek out Thunderbird emails.zip and unhighlight it - quite inconvenient.

Perhaps an item could be placed in the "Options". Easier still, just exempt Thunderbird emails.zip from the overwriting even though it is highlighted.