Deleted file recovery

[Foxhound54]

Hi all,

I deleted some video files on a work computer that I thought I had saved elsewhere already (BIG MISTAKE). Now, my boss wants to see the files, so I'll need to pull them off the old computer. Thankfully, it doesn't get used for much, so they hopefully aren't overwritten yet. Any recommendations for software good at recovering deleted files? I'm working with an XP machine. Unfortunately, time is a factor as he's going to want to see these soon (probably tomorrow or Wed.), so I could really use the help! As it's a one-time thing, freeware recommendations would be best (we are all cheapasses after all!).

[eugaet]

This is what I've been using lately, seems to work pretty well. LINK (http://ntfsundelete.com/)

Good luck.

[05SCAB]

I second the vote for undelete

[GuilewasNK]

I hope you didn't run a disk defrag program since you deleted it. If so, it will difficult to impossible to recover on your own.

[m6oo]

Also, don't install the undelete program on the drive you're trying to recover from.

Best thing to do is to PULL THE DRIVE IMMEDIATELY and only hook it up as a slave drive in another machine or use a USB adapter. Run your undelete program on the other machine.

If the video files are AVI or Quicktime (.mov), you might try PC Inspector SmartRecovery:

http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/smart_recovery/info.htm?Language=1

This program uses knowledge of the file format to do a better job of piecing together files, but is limited to file formats that it is programmed for. Generic recovery programs only use file system information to piece files back together.