Recovering Data After a Format

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Kynaeus

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Feb 23, 2010
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Hello!

I won't go into the specifics of how it happened, but I ended up formatting the wrong drive on my computer while I was installing Windows 7, I formatted the drive containing all my backed up files! 🙁
The Windows setup did a 'full' format, ie, not a quick format. Nothing has touched the drive, it's completely bare of any [non-system] files. I've already scanned it with GetDataBackNTFS and Recuva or Undelete, I can't remember the name of the second program. Anyways, I did deep and full scans of the disk with both programs and they've only come up with hidden system files and none of my lost data.

Is there something I'm doing wrong or did the format erase everything instead of allocating the space to be overwritten?
 
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NO. Full format up until and including XP did NOT do a zero-fill operation. It only did non-destructive read testing. However, in that case you certainly should have been able to to find old files with GetDataBack NTFS.Si I am surprised that did not work, nor the other tool you tried.
 
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Can you clarify one (critical) detail please. In your original question you stated that "...I ended up formatting the wrong drive on my computer while I was installing Windows 7..." From this it sounds like you did format using W7. Just be clear on this because this is a very important issue indeed. If you can't be absolutely sure then say that because in this case your info will make a whole world of a difference in us being able to give you the right feedback!
 
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No, when I was initially trying to install Windows 7 (using a DVD) I ran into problems with my DVD drive, which I am trying to solve in another forum. Since I couldn't get to the point where I would format the old, remaining operating system, I ended up handing the drive to someone else to format using his computer as I couldn't do it with my own.

He had the XP cd on hand and used *that* set up to format the drive I gave him, which had all my back-up data. I'm absolutely sure it was the Windows XP setup because it looks totally different from the W7 installer.
 
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The full format under XP does delete (zero-write) the first 20MB so kills off any File Allocation Tables. You should be able to recover using MFT records; but 100% clean recovery is not possible anymore.

By the way, if this was your backup disk; that means you have other disks with the same data as well (else it wouldn't be a backup).
 
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sub mesa's clarification is useful info. But the point of many file recovery packages like GetDataBack NTFS is that they can search the entire disk area and find data in sectors, then hope to link chains of sectors together into files, without a complete set of Directory and MFT records. That is not working here, it seems. I wonder if the recovery process is stymied by the fact that NEW files actually have been written to the disk - you said the recovery software does show "hidden system files" but nothing else. Don't know what those are. Could be just the Root Directory and MFT structures for the NTFS File System, or maybe the Format operation also installed the basic I/O files, too.
 
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This is what I was talking about, these are the only files that GDB-NTFS showed after scanning the drive for recoverable files:

http://yfrog.com/1x36732859p

They're just hidden system files which only equates to 152mb and you can see that nothing else in terms of files or folders has touched the drive.

edit: I said this was the back-up disk and it is. You're right that the files exist elsewhere, on the second drive on my desktop (which was formatted for Windows) and on my laptop which conveniently decided to crash on Sunday, as well. They weren't exact copies, either. My laptop doesn't have any of my save games or an up-to-date copy of all my e-mails, etc.
 
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You can't view them on the disk itself, and i'm not sure if you even should try. Writing to the volume could produce further data loss.

You should use a recovery program that scans the disk for any MFT records, which indicate a file is being stored. It may not be able to recover the exact directory structure, or even the name of a file (you get a random named file) - but you should be able to recover part of your files. Not using Windows though, and i recommend you prevent writing to the drive until you have recovered your data..
 
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I could've sworn I enabled this option last time, but I'll try this now. Thanks Billy!

Edit: Even then, it only comes up with a few files; fonts, fragments of a .rar compilation, a few bmp's. Doesn't look like I'm going to get anything off it myself!
 
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Do you have some link that confirms that that behavior is correct even for Windows 7? From this Microsoft page it is clear that Windows Vista does this, but it also mentions Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2, but not Windows 7.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941961/en-us

It would be very good to have this really confirmed.

Theoretically, format does not delete the data actually. It just marks the head of section where data locals by a kind of symbols telling operating system that this section is re-useable.
Click to expand...

This has always been true, but as seen above changed in at least Windows Vista. From an integrity point of view I think that is good since most people has always thought that a format actually deletes their data..

EDIT: forgot the link.
 
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Good explanation about format recovery. But I want to added that when you accidentally formatted device and lost important data. The first thing you should do is to stop putting any new data on the device before recovery to avoid data overwriting. Then search format recovery software on Google, there is various software on the market.
 
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I used EASEUS Data Recovery Wizzard and have succesfully recovered over a dozen drives ranging from accidental format to partition breakdown to USB drive rendered partitionless and managed to save 98% of an important program even after a format and a windows instalation on top of it. I recommend this software it doesen;t do wonders like recovering your 7 year old files after 7 winxp instalations but i had the best experience with it.
 
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Format won't make the files in hard disk erased permanently. Those formatted file data are still stored on the disk just invisible or inaccessible. Only the FAT or NFTS table erased the information about where those data were saved but the real data are still intact there in sectors of the disk.So as long as those files are not overwritten by new data, it's highly possible to get back formatted data. And the MOST Effective way is to rely on some file recovery software. But before your formatted data are recovered, do not save more data to the hard drive.
 
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Don't worry; You can use quite useful date recovery software to recover your lost data from accidental disk format. You can try freeware recuva, it is very useful, wish you luck mate! you can download it from here: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/280846-32-will-recover-hard-drive :bounce:
 
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Don't panic! Just take your time. And do as I tell you.
1. Stop saving anything new on this drive in case of the original data overwritten by the new data, which could erase your important data permanently.
2. Select a useful and faithful recovery program to help you out. There are some free and great recovery programs.
3. Save the recovered data on another drive, for this could reduce the possibility to restore your lost data completely and successfully.
4. Always remember to back up your important data.
I hope you could get back your data as soon as possible.
 
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Thank you for your nice help. I have the same problem on my formatted usb drive and now due to your kind guide, I have already taken my lost photos off the USB with the freeware you mentioned.

Great help and you guys are doing great job on computer help. Just want to say thank you for your help.
 
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Actually when hard disk is formatted, the data on the hard drive is not erased. System only mark the hard disk as free so that new files will write to hard disk. You can recover data after format with format recover tool, see this step by step guide: format recovery

You need to take note that you should not write any new files to hard drive as new files will overwrite the space and make the original data on the space unrecoverable.

Next time always remember to back up your data, it is important as backup make your data safe.
 
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