OMG!!! I just formatted...

[n715dp]

I can't believe that I just did this but I formatted one of my drives when I meant to format a different one, how can I get the files back? Looking for solutions that don't cost much, if anything, please help ASAP!!!

BTW... it was not a low level format and no OS was on the drive, just documents, and other files!!!

[This message has been edited by n715dp (edited 07-05-2001).]

[n715dp]

<<THUMP>> PLEASE!!!! HELP!!!!

[mfbf]

sorry, but I think youre SOL. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/frown.gif

[big_block_buick]

been there, i feel your pain...there are recovery tools...but from what i have read only the most expensive(definately not freeware) will get your data back..i could be mis-informed though. hopefully someone with more info will be along..

[auatech]

Nortons unformat utility "might" work.

[F4_Hunter]

If it was a quick format then your probably in luck. Quick formats just delete the FAT. You'll have lost the filenames so you have to figure out what they are on your own. Get some recovery software and give it a go.

F4

[Reddog]

Restart the computer in command line. Type in the command 'lock' (minus quotes). Goto the drive to restore. Type in 'unformat x:' (minus quotes;x=drive letter). NOTE:many not always work...

[n715dp]

thanks for the effort guys, reddog, I tried what you suggested and it didn't work... thanks anyway to everyone... I will just bag it

[Fingers]

Norton does indeed have a DOS based utitity.

UnFormat (UNFORMAT.EXE)
Program for restoring an accidentally formatted disk or repairing a severely damaged disk.

[greenlion]

Yup! get an old version of Norton Utilities that have the unformat.exe. Last month I formated a 26 mb partition full of data files. I have the neorton utility 2000 installed but it doesn't have the old dos unformat file. Lucky I was able to find an older version and I got all my files back.

[mourikise]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know if you format (not quick format) your disk with the format command of windows or through the Disk Manager then all you can do is say "Bye bye" to your data! I doubt if there is any way using any program (no matter how expensive or promising it may be) to recover the data. That's what I know. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/frown.gif

[Jamie71q]

try lost and found by powerquest it works I have used it after doing the same thing managed to get all my mp3's back allthough it takes hours to do so. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

if you need any help using it email me http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif
btw its a very small program

jamie71q@yahoo.com

[Fingers]

Norton's UnFormat isn't just on "older versions" of Norton Utilities, it's included on Emergency Disk 1 floppy of every version I'm aware of. An identical copy of UNFORMAT.EXE is also on the CD-ROM.

I have no idea how well the program works, but a successful recovery doesn't appear to be gauranteed.

22. UnFormat - DOS-based program (UNFORMAT.EXE)

Long file names are not recoverable on floppy disks. UnFormat does not work on compressed hard drives. On FAT32 drives, depending on the configuration of the drive and the amount of memory in your system, UnFormat may produce a General Protection Fault due to lack of memory. Due to the dynamics of FAT32 file systems, UnFormat may not always detect when the cluster size has been changed. - Norton Utilities 2001 - Readme.txt (http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nunt.nsf/8e4d888f4373bb0485256951004d887d/215de6d256b2e731882569570058fe7b?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,command,line,options)