Can Recuva retrieve what I lost when computer abruptly shut down?

[Johnny Sokko]

Hello.

 

Earlier today, I was writing an article on my word processor. I had about four hours of time invested when my computer abruptly shut down (due to the computer's power cord being accidentally unplugged from the wall), causing me to lose all of my work.

 

After rebooting, I was hoping to discover that my word processor saved what I was working on so I could go ahead and finish where I left off, but no such luck. Nothing was saved.

 

Can Recuva help in a situation like this? Can it retrieve a document that lost while in the middle of being written?

 

Thanks.

[mta]

it can only recover deleted files, so if your word processor didn't create one, then No.

what is your word processor - as most have a built-in, automatic recovery/restore/backup feature.

 

Word for example, is every 10 minutes by default and will prompt you that a recovery file has been found and whether you want to use it if you open Word after an abnormal program termination.

[Tasgandy]

As mta states:  "Three things are certain; birth, death and loss of data. You control the last" Because of the latter, I have reduced my auto-save from 10 to 5 minutes and "checked" always create backup copies box. I also live in a rural area and suffer from "power outs" regularly (about 7 or 8 times a year) so I can imagine just how you must feel Johnny Sokko from loosing 4 hours of creative writing. In your case Johnny Sokko you may even consider "auto-save every two minutes".    

[Johnny Sokko]

mta and Tasgandy,

 

Thank you for your replies and for your help. I appreciate it.

 

"It can only recover deleted files, so if your word processor didn't create one, then No."

 

Okay. Thank you for explaining. At the time of my post, I wasn't sure exactly what all Recuva was capable of doing. I understand it a lot better now, though. 

 

 

"What is your word processor - as most have a built-in, automatic recovery/restore/backup feature."

 

I have two computers. Then, when my incident occurred, my girlfriend was doing her homework on my newer computer, and I was using my older one. The word processor on my older computer (i.e., the one that I was using), is Microsoft Works. It does have an automatic recovery/restore/backup feature built in, but for some reason, nothing was saved. I’ve seen it successfully save other documents for me in the past when similar situations have occurred, so I have no idea why it didn’t do it this time.

 

"As mta states:  'Three things are certain; birth, death and loss of data. You control the last' Because of the latter, I have reduced my auto-save from 10 to 5 minutes and checked always create backup copies box."

 

I was pretty sure that it already was, but just to be sure, I went to the settings on MS Works to see if auto-save was enabled, and yep, it was. No problem there, with that.

 

 

"In your case Johnny Sokko you may even consider auto-save every two minutes." 

 

Thank you for the suggestion. Unfortunately, though, on Microsoft Works, the most frequent setting is every five minutes, not every two minutes. However, just to let you know, when I made my post, the auto-save feature was set at the default of ten minutes, but since then, I have taken your advice and changed it to the most frequent setting available, i.e., every five minutes. Thanks again.

 

[mta]

And without labouring the point too much; backup now and backup often.

As you have discovered the hard way, even automated, in-built, safety guards can fail.

Get an external device and copy your mission critical data off your PC.

 

No-one here will care how you do it; backup software, drive imagining or simply copy/paste.

But please just do it - you will live or die by your backups (or lack of).

[Johnny Sokko]

Right on. Thanks.