Which computer do I download Recuva to?

[carmen.n]

Hello Recuva forum.

 

This is the first time I have ever used a recovery program and am nervous because I am not a "techy" person.

So far it seems this program is very easy to use.

 

I am attempting to recover music/audio files (from an audio recording software called Audacity) that got "lost"

 

Question:

Do I download this software onto the same computer I am trying to recover the files from?

 

If no, then here is my situation.

 

My PC laptop is vista 64 bit

My PC desk top is vista 32 bit - the computer where my lost files are

 

I have an external hard drive if need be.

 

Please advise me as to how to get started.

 

Thanks very much for your help.

carmen

[Sune]

Recuva is used on the computer with the harddrive where you would like to recover files from. Download and install the program, then set up your scan through the guide and see if it is possible to recover any of your lost files.

 

Good luck!

[Augeas]

It would be better to install Recuva on a different drive/partition from the one that holds the deleted files, or install the portable version on a flash drive. This is because installing Recuva (or doing anything, even starting up your pc, on the drive/partition in question) will create temp and other files that will overwrite deleted files, reducing the chance of recovery. For that reason you should also recover any files to a different drive/partition/flash drive.

[carmen.n]

It would be better to install Recuva on a different drive/partition from the one that holds the deleted files, or install the portable version on a flash drive. This is because installing Recuva (or doing anything, even starting up your pc, on the drive/partition in question) will create temp and other files that will overwrite deleted files, reducing the chance of recovery. For that reason you should also recover any files to a different drive/partition/flash drive.

 

 

Thanks, both Augeas and Sune

 

What does a drive/partition mean? - that scares me!

 

If I did download onto my desktop (where the files are 'missing")

where would I save and execute it from?

 

or should I just download to my external hard drive and execute it from there? will that work?

(you said flash drive, is that the same as an external hard drive?)

If I did do this, how would the Recuva system know what my computer system is? (ie. vista 32 bit or 64 bit)

 

What is THE simplest thing for me to do?

 

Again, thanks for your help.

 

carmen

[marmite]

Hi Carmen

 

What does a drive/partition mean?

That's just like your C drive or D drive etc. To reiterate Augeas' point, if your deleted files are on your C drive for example, then you should download Recuva onto some other drive to reduce the chances of overwriting the deleted files.

 

Since your files were on your desktop, the sooner you try and recover them the better ... for example the temporary files that you're creating whilst web browsing could potentially be overwriting your deleted ones, since they're probably on the same drive.

 

or should I just download to my external hard drive and execute it from there? will that work?

Yes. Unless your hard-drive has a different partition (drive) like a D drive, then by all means download to your external drive. You can run Recuva from there and also recover your deleted files to that drive. ... That essentially is the easiest thing to do.

 

Go to this page ... http://www.piriform.com/recuva/builds ... and download 'Recuva - Portable' directly to your external drive. Unzip the download in situ and run the appropriate exe (32 bit or 64 bit) from there.

 

[Edited from original post to correct 32 vs 64 bit details]

[carmen.n]

Thanks!

 

I will do this as soon as possible.

 

Will let you know what happens...

 

newbie on the go!!!!

 

Carmen

[marmite]

Also just noticed you have two machines ... if you download to your external drive you could do a trial run on the other one first