Question Is it almost impossible to recover overwritten files?

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brannsiu

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Apr 20, 2013
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I know that there is "Previous Version" feature in Windows but unfortunately I did never set up this.
In this case, is it almost going to be impossible to recover an overwritten file? It is not deleted, it is not lost, it is just because the file is updated and has been overwritten. If it is still possible, unlikely though, what is the best software I can give a try among so many options on the web? Please suggest, please....please......
 
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brannsiu said:
I know that there is "Previous Version" feature in Windows but unfortunately I did never set up this.
In this case, is it almost going to be impossible to recover an overwritten file? It is not deleted, it is not lost, it is just because the file is updated and has been overwritten. If it is still possible, unlikely though, what is the best software I can give a try among so many options on the web? Please suggest, please....please......
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If the file is actually overwritten, it is gone gone gone.

Like taking a page out of a book, tearing it into tiny pieces, and burning most of them.

Gone gone gone.


However...the file being updated is not necessarily the same as deleted and overwritten.


Give us more detail on exactly what you did.
The whole timeline from start, to right now.
 
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when a file has been "updated" usually it entails the previous file held in a temporary space while it is being updated and then being deleted and the new file being saved in it's place.

even within editing tools like Paint, Notepad, etc this is essentially what takes place.

you are going to need to explain exactly what you are hoping to attempt here.
 
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USAFRet said:
If the file is actually overwritten, it is gone gone gone.

Like taking a page out of a book, tearing it into tiny pieces, and burning most of them.

Gone gone gone.


However...the file being updated is not necessarily the same as deleted and overwritten.


Give us more detail on exactly what you did.
The whole timeline from start, to right now.
Click to expand...
Hi USAFRET and JohnBonhamsGhost, thank you for reply and I don't know how to multi quote two messages here, okay let's go ahead.

OK, for a very personal reason, I'd like to get back some browsing history of Chrome, Edge and Opera older than 90 days, from the setting or normal configuration of these browsers there is no such option. But I know that the "history" file is kept in the %Appdata% folders and I'm able to locate it. The only way I can think of now is if there is any tool or software that can help reverse the "history" file. I think you guys are so knowledgable you'll know which history file I am talking about. Please... and thanks.....
 
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JohnBonhamsGhost said:
when a file has been "updated" usually it entails the previous file held in a temporary space while it is being updated and then being deleted and the new file being saved in it's place.

even within editing tools like Paint, Notepad, etc this is essentially what takes place.

you are going to need to explain exactly what you are hoping to attempt here.
Click to expand...
Hi, would you please look at the reply above? I don't know how to multi quote two messages in one message.
 
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brannsiu said:
I'd like to get back some browsing history of Chrome, Edge and Opera older than 90 days
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most browsers store up to a certain amount of this data and then begin overwriting when that limit is reached.

there would be an option to 'Manage History' within the browser itself.
in that section there will be a 'Restore' option but it usually only holds a day or 2 of browsing data from what i've seen.
unless you previously saved that History list to disk, i seriously doubt you're going to retrieve it.

what exactly were you browsing that you need to recover so badly?
 
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JohnBonhamsGhost said:
most browsers store up to a certain amount of this data and then begin overwriting when that limit is reached.

there would be an option to 'Manage History' within the browser itself.
in that section there will be a 'Restore' option but it usually only holds a day or 2 of browsing data from what i've seen.
unless you previously saved that History list to disk, i seriously doubt you're going to retrieve it.

what exactly were you browsing that you need to recover so badly?
Click to expand...
Sorry

I have already studied the options of the setting of different broswers but it looks like there isn't someting like "Manage History" that it can help restore a day or two. For example, Chrome and Edge, where is such option?

By the way, is saving by copying the "history" file to somewhere else enough to keep 90 days of history record? Do I need to copy and save more files?

Sorry, I am not able to tell clearly the reason behind but it is purely personal and NOT interesting at all, but if you are still interested, let me know and I'll tell you in private message, but have to do it a few days later.

Thanks for advice.
 
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yes, almost every browser out there has a similar option.
the access point is usually in the drop-down list of current history.

saving would be accomplished within any 'Manage History' type option, whatever it may be labelled as in this particular browser.
just something like an 'Import' & 'Export' option.

if you can't locate these settings and aren't willing to explain the situation to the community here then, good luck elsewhere.
 
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JohnBonhamsGhost said:
yes, almost every browser out there has a similar option.
the access point is usually in the drop-down list of current history.

saving would be accomplished within any 'Manage History' type option, whatever it may be labelled as in this particular browser.
just something like an 'Import' & 'Export' option.

if you can't locate these settings and aren't willing to explain the situation to the community here then, good luck elsewhere.
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There is no something like "Import" or "Export" for the History of either Chrome or Edge....There is only button for deleting all or desired line of history.

I have already explained the whole story from the starting point already. That is I'd like get back the history older than 90 days, probably from 120 days to 90 days. However, Chrome and Edge only keep 90 days.
 
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brannsiu said:
There is no something like "Import" or "Export" for the History of either Chrome or Edge
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there are, you just don't know where to look.
but, if you didn't export that set earlier then there will be nothing to import anyway.
so it wouldn't matter.

you can always try using a "Restore Point" for Windows itself and get your entire system back to a time when that data was still accessible.
brannsiu said:
I have already explained the whole story from the starting point already.
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no, you haven't.
if there's something very specific in that history you are looking to recover then a member may be able to help you rediscover that.
without knowing what it is, there is no helping.

but just looking for tabs in a browser that you can't locate has nothing to do with Windows 10 in particular so you should be moving this thread to a section where members will be focusing on software/applications within the OS, not the OS itself.
 
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JohnBonhamsGhost said:
there are, you just don't know where to look.
but, if you didn't export that set earlier then there will be nothing to import anyway.
so it wouldn't matter.

you can always try using a "Restore Point" for Windows itself and get your entire system back to a time when that data was still accessible.

no, you haven't.
if there's something very specific in that history you are looking to recover then a member may be able to help you rediscover that.
without knowing what it is, there is no helping.

but just looking for tabs in a browser that you can't locate has nothing to do with Windows 10 in particular so you should be moving this thread to a section where members will be focusing on software/applications within the OS, not the OS itself.
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Well. Forget about history. Can you suggest one tool that can be downloaded online that I can make my final attempt to recover an overwritten or updated file? Please and thanks a lot.
 
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brannsiu said:
history file (without no file type) located under %appdata%. Being "overwritten" or "updated" a few days ago. I have already stopped using the browsers. System drive is SSD. Thanks for any advice.
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I thought you said "Forget about history"...

In any case, if it is the same file being overwritten, there is nothing to go back to.
The old data no longer exists. There is nothing to recover.
 
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