Recovering files from computer that won't boot

Recuva Recuva Suggestions
1

I've been asked by a friend to recover some files from his PC which were deleted (and cleared from the recycle bin) in error. I've told him not to boot up the PC just in case Windows starts overwriting some of the areas on the hard drive that the deleted files still occupy.

For the same reason I think I would have to run Recuva from a boot CD to be on the safe side.

Alternatively I guess I could remove the hard drive from the PC and somehow access it from my laptop which is running Recuva, and recover the files onto my laptop's hard drive. Is this possible, and if so do you know what sort of connector I would need - presumably something that would plug into my laptop's USB port and also plug into the problem hard drive's IDE connector (I think it's IDE anyway).

2

+1 for a recuva that would run in WinPE...

wait recuva portable might just run on WinPE live cd, have you tried?

Topic moved to suggestions

3

Thanks for replying. How would I go about creating a WInPE live CD?

Would I just boot up from the live CD and then run recuva froma memory stick - or something like that?

My laptop is running Windows 7 in case that matters.

4

Hi eric.

I've never had any success trying to run a windows executable from a linux "LiveCD", but I've just tested out booting my XP machine with my BartPE Rescue CD, and then navigating to and successfully running "Recuva Portable" which I'd placed on a separate flash drive.

BartPE is similar to WinPE.

I'm curious as to whether my BartPE will actually work fine on another computer seeing as I'm considering getting a new one.

You could help me out with this by downloading my BartPE ISO from here ...

http://www.mediafire...xj4v1i3di29r0w4

Extract the ISO from the ZIP file, and burn that to CD as an "Image File" using something like "ImgBurn", and then boot your mates computer with it.

At the same time have a flash drive inserted containing "Recuva Portable", available here ...

http://www.piriform.com/recuva/builds

Once BartPE is installed, use the file manager to navigate to the flash drive and launch Recuva.

Good luck with it, and let me know if that CD of mine runs OK on another computer.

Thanks. :)

EDIT: I should add, that BartPE installs into memory. It won't touch the hard drive.

5

I just tried it.

The Bart's PE cd runs fine on my win xp computer. Didn't try all the functions, but the file explorer works.

It gives a BSOD on the win 7 UEFI GPT computer. Did not try any exotic options like switching boot modes or anything like that on the win 7 box.

6

There is another option available to you although it's a bigger download (594mb), but will go on a CD.

Hiren's BootCD 15.2:

This is a similar Mini XP CD although it includes an unbelievable amount of useful utilities, including a version of Recuva. So you wouldn't need to use portable Recuva on a flash drive.

I've never used, or had need to use this, and it was pointed out to me by my illustrious friend hazelnut, another moderator.

So take your pick, and good luck with it.

7

Hiren's ver. 15.2 runs fine on the win 7 box, might be a good solution for ericpode, the OP. ??

Haven't tried it on the win xp box, but still 99.99 percent sure it would work. Earlier versions do.