recover files after full format and OS reinstall

[Bbale]

Hey All,

i recently full formatted my windows 8 dell latitude e6330. i only backed up partition D and forgot to backup C/. i then reinstalled windows 7 enterprise. Is it possible for me to recover my C: data. Please help.

 

[Boogieman_WD]

Hey there, Bbale.

It could be, but unfortunately chances are really really slim if not gone for good. 🙁
The thing is that full format makes it pretty difficult for data to be recovered and additionally installing your OS has probably overwritten a lot of what was left, which makes things even worse. In my opinion, data recovery software might not do the trick, but you can at least give it a go: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/filerecovery/tp/free-file-recovery-programs.htm. However, please install the program on a different drive and use that different drive as the destination for the recovered data.
If you have no luck with any of the data recover tools, perhaps your best bet would be a professional solution, such as a data recovery company, if the data is really valuable to you.

Hope that helps. Good luck!
Boogieman_WD

 

[captaincharisma]

the issue is that a format zeros out all the sectors on the hard drive which makes everything on the drive as writable again. the issue is that once you start writing data to it there is no way to know what sectors of the drive are being used so even if there was a chance to recover the data before the format there is no way to know what you would be able to get back or even if the data you would get back would not be partial or corrupt