# Huge Folder Deleted - Can I get it back?



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

A major folder with many, many sub-folders was accidentally deleted. It's not in the recycle bin. Is there any way to get it back?


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## idigbeets (Sep 3, 2011)

You could roll back to a system restore point... that should have it no?


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

idigbeets said:


> You could roll back to a system restore point... that should have it no?


Reverting to a restore point is not going to restore a deleted directory.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

Recovery of data from flash drives, cd's and other removable media is much easier and usually more successful. 

You do need to be careful when trying to recover deleted files from a hard drive, because some recovery software out there will actually fill up your hard drive because it is not discriminatory in what it's finding. What I mean by that is, several file recovery programs, if you read what they are for are NOT for hard drive recovery and WILL recover every shadow piece of every file ever deleted...which will first fill up your hard disk and then start overwriting it. IT'S NOT GOOD.

Also, the longer a file is deleted, the larger your chances are that the space it has allocated to the "shadow" of the files will be overwritten. So saving and doing a lot of things on the computer after you find out you deleted something you need back, is NOT a good idea.

Here is a good article that explains all of this better than I have time to at the moment. It also suggests different software products to try. Read each product description to decide what is best in your situation OR even better...take it to someone who specializes in hard drive data recovery. 

How to Recover Deleted Files with Free Software

If the files are that important, it will pay to pay to have it done and your chances of most or full recovery are better in my opinion. Having, myself, done quite a lot of data recovery, there are things that can come up even with the most effective software designed for this.

Your other option, if these files are EXTREMELY important is to send the drive to a clean lab. You will have to replace your hard drive, as they will take it apart, but your chances of recovery are much greater. It is also usually very expensive. The last drive I sent to a clean lab came back with 97% recovery of all data and it was $3500.00 and some change.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

What she said.

:gaptooth:

(Thanks, WN - you're making my advisement so much easier.)


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

One other point - until you have recovered - DO NOT use your computer for anything else. As far as the OS is concerned it is fine to write over the area where your directory used to be. Needless to say, a defrag would be bad on older systems. (IIRC, the newer file systems do some basic defragging on their own.)


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

Kung said:


> (Thanks, WN - you're making my advisement so much easier.)


You're welcome. :shrug: I just pick a few here and there if I have time. I'm glad it helps.


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## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

Thank you SO much! It's going to be a couple of months before we can get into town (we live in the bush). I'll try to recover it myself since it's going to be awhile before I could get it to someone who knows what they're doing. Ohhhh, hope I don't end up deleting everything else! 

Thanks again!


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Well, if it says "Delete?" don't say "Yes" to it, and don't hit that "Delete" key.


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## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

Thanks!!


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Kung said:


> Well, if it says "Delete?" don't say "Yes" to it, and don't hit that "Delete" key.


You know, this really brings up an important point with computers (and their users) in general, when you get a pop-up, don't automatically hit OK to get past it UNTIL you know what you are agreeing to.
I do tech support for a living and there are many times when someone calls with a problem and I ask them what happened just before this issue came up and they will say there was a pop-up and they clicked OK, so I ask them what the pop-up said and they'll reply "I don't know"

Not scolding the O.P. just making a general comment that hopefully will keep someone else out of trouble in the future.


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## Guest (May 23, 2012)

This is a good lesson in how important it is to have backups on other devices and/or burned to CD/DVD disks. (Which I learned the hard way years ago).


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## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

I didn't take it as scolding, mnn2501. My youngest son was on the computer, and well, he's a little too curious . . . . "I wonder what would happen if I ____? "(fill in the blank). He clearly needs closer supervision. And I have learned my lesson about backing things up.:smack


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## wogglebug (May 22, 2004)

You know, there's a good chance it wasn't deleted, but just caught up with an accidental touch of a key with a mouse move, and dragged'n'dropped somewhere else. Believe me, I know. This is one of the reasons why it's a good idea to replace a keyboard that's acting flaky, even if you can still make it do what you want with a little effort.
If this happens, you can try an immediate *E*dit, *U*ndelete . 
Now, with time passed, try running a search on unique words from the folder name, or a file within the folder, and see whether you can find it some peculiar other place. 
If so, obviously just a *E*dit, *C*opy for safety sake; then drag'n'drop the folder back where it belongs.

AND, to the tune of "Brush up your Shakespeare" from the musical "Kiss Me Kate",

"Back up your data,
Start doing it now,
Back up your data,
Nerds and geeks will all go "Wow!"

Back up your data,
Right now, and HOW!
Back up your data,
and the techies will all kow-tow!"


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