Lost all my family photos after reinstalling windows xp.

[nasime sahar]

hello,
I lost one folder of my pictures though other folders are still with me, but I lost a special one after reinstalling new windows XP with the cd. I couldn't find it anywhere.
I really want to know if there is any way to get them all back.
i mean there has to be a way for it
i also tried RECUVA.. but wasn't helpful and there is nothing by the name of windows.old in my computer
so i really need help..please.

thanks..

 

[Chicano]

Reinstalling Windows XP does not delete files so I don't see why your case should be the exception. There is a good chance you can recover all of your lost files with the right application... the one included in Windows is slow and inefficient... I can recall a number of times when I searched for misplaced files with Windows Search without results, sometimes even to test Windows Search when the file was at plain sight!.. so I don't rely that search application and usually Install "Everything" or "Locate"... but there are a good number of free file search applications the best of which is "Copernic".

So try "Copernic" for starters and later if necessary try "Everything", "Locate", "Index My files", "Google Desktop Search", etc. You would probably have better chances searching by files extensions (.jpg, .bmp, etc. ).

Copernic Desktop Search 3.5
http://www.copernic.com/en/products/desktop-search/

Everything
http://www.voidtools.com/download.php

 

[nasime sahar]

'' Copernic Desktop Search 3.5
http://www.copernic.com/en/products/desktop-search/

Everything
http://www.voidtools.com/download.php ''



hey there... I did try ..COPERNIC .. and EVERYTHING .. but I guess now it's better to let go because they can't be found.
so, thanks for your help... I really appreciate it, thanks again.

 

[Chicano]

hey there... I did try ..COPERNIC .. and EVERYTHING .. but I guess now it's better to let go because they can't be found.
so, thanks for your help... I really appreciate it, thanks again.

One last suggestion: Unhide all files and folders (Tools\Folder Options\View\mark; Show all hidden files and folders, and remove mark from; Hide protected operative system files (recommended)). Also see if the search applications have indexed all your files. A few more good file search applications are: Index My Files, Super Fider, Locate32, Ultra File Search... there are many more but I have tried only these few. I use Everything and Locate regularly but once I couldn't find some files with these applications so I used Index My files and that did the trick.. so the point is, no search application is 100% effective and you have to try other ones if your files are important... if so, it's worth keep trying, mainly because they have to be in your hard drive as the reinstallation did not delete them. It's a fact that hard drives have to be forced to "forget" their contents with special applications, so it's likely you may find your files if you persist long enough but make sure to check that the drive properties has a check mark in General tab\"Allow Index Server to index the drive to speed up the search". This because search applications may need this setting to be effective.

Good luck!

 

[jaguarskx]

What were the steps you took when you re-installed Win XP?

Regarding the photos that you can no longer find, where were they saved?


If you selected the option to format the hard drive before installing Windows XP and your photos were stored on the C: drive, then your photos have been deleted and cannot be recovered.

 

[nasime sahar]

Best answer selected by nasime sahar.

 

[nasime sahar]

thank you so very much for your time and help. ^_^