scan and/or recover non-deleted files more than 10 gb/each.

Recuva
1

I have 1 Tb external HD (USB 3.0 - Drive K: (ntsc)) which suddenly need to be formatted because the MFT is corrupted.

I've tried TestDisk, but it turn out either the MFT and the MFT mirror can not be fixed.

This external drive contains my edited customer movies as HD video (mkv files) with the size more than 10 gb/each. So I need to get back all those HD videos which of course they are not a deleted files.

I've tried with Recuva where in Advanced-Action option I check the radio button for

1. deep scan

2. scan for non-deleted files

I put Recuva to search VIDEO only.

Then click SCAN.

After around 10 hours, Recuva showed me the list of the files all in ORANGE double-circle status icon on the left and none of them is the mkv file but such as mpg, flv, mp4, mov which is under 4 gb file size.

From the Recuva website : "Non-deleted files are indicated with a GREEN double-circle status icon".

So, before I do the scan again with Recuva - my questions are :

1. Can Recuva recognize mkv file as a video file ?

I ask this because I HOPE that Recuva can not recognize mkv file as a video file.

So the next scan, I will put to K:/* in the search box (will not put to "video" anymore)

2. Assuming after the next scan (with K:/*) Recuva did show the non-deleted mkv files (green icon), will Recuva be able to recover those non-deleted mkv files which file size is more than 10 gb/each ?

3. Is there any way (an option) for Recuva to scan ONLY the non-deleted files ?

(because I guess to scan only the non-deleted files will be faster)

4. Since my drive has a broken MFT, does it make Recuva "thinks" that all the files in the drive are a deleted files although I never delete the file ? If YES, does it mean that Recuva is unable to scan a file size larger than 10 gb ? That's why I get the result scan all in orange icon with no mkv file ? But I hope the answer is NO :)

Any kind of respond will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advanced.

I'm sorry for my long question and my broken English.

regards.

Windows 7 Professional SP 1

i5 4460 - RAM 8 gb

2

As far as I know Recuva does not scan for mkv file types. A deep scan will not find any mkv files.

We don't know what the extent of the damage to the MFT. In any event the drive has been formatted.

I should run a normal scan with Scan for Non-Deleted Files checked. Do not select Video or any file type. When the scan has run type .mkv in the Filename or Path box. With a lot of luck you might find your files.

3

Thank you for your respond, Augeas.

As far as I know Recuva does not scan for mkv file types. A deep scan will not find any mkv files.

Yes.... with the "VIDEO" file type selection, the result didn't show any mkv files.

We don't know what the extent of the damage to the MFT. In any event the drive has been formatted.

I'm sorry for my limited English, I don't understand what you mean.

Anyway, I didn't format the drive soon I found out that the drive is unreadable.

Bold text, did you mean because the MFT is damaged, the drive reformat itself ?

I should run a normal scan with Scan for Non-Deleted Files checked.

I've tried before with normal scan, but Recuva say "unable to read MFT".

That's why I choose deep scan with Non-Deleted Files also checked.

Do not select Video or any file type.

Oke.

When the scan has run type .mkv in the Filename or Path box. With a lot of luck you might find your files.

I hope I have my luck :).

A few more question please if you don't mind before I do the next scan ...

In the Advanced Option Action, there is an option to check "Restore folder structure" which I didn't check it on my first scan.

1. if I check it, will it harm the files in the drive ?

What does it mean "secure overwriting" ?

What "secure overwriting" option should I choose ? (the options are 1, 3, 7, 35 passes).

2. After my first scan, I noticed there are some duplicated files. One with it's original name and the other one with numbers, something like 678_1.

Both of them have the exact file size and both of them I copy to other disk. I can play the original name but not the one with numbers. What does it mean ? Why there are duplicated files ?

I ask this because I'm affraid that my +/- 700 gb (files in total) after the next scan will get result of the total files size is more than 1 Tb (since Recuva make duplicates to some files) and then can harm the original files.

Thank you once again, Augeas.

I really appreciate it.

regards.

4

No, the drive won't format itself, I thought you had reformatted it.

If the only way for Recuva to read the disk is to run a deep scan with Scan for Non-Deleted files checked then go ahead. Although the deep scan will not find any mkv files you might be able to find some from the MFT, depending on the damage. You need to see filenames so that you can select any mkv files.

Restore Folder Structure applies to the recovered files. Check it if you wish when you are running a recovery, it won't do any harm.

Secure Overwrite is for deleting files, which you do not want to do. Ignore this option.

Files with numbers for names come from the deep scan, as file names are not held in the file data. It is possible that you will find some duplicates, but don't worry as none of the deep scan files are mkv.

Running Recuva will not harm anything on the disk. You are looking for mkv files so you won't be recovering everything you find.

5

Thank you very much for your help, Augeas.