Help! How can I recover files from a formatted external hard drive?
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WanderingWombat92
I accidentally formatted my mom's external hard drive (1.3TB) while trying to connect it. I didn't realize what formatting meant and now all her precious photos and videos are gone! I know that the data might still be recoverable since formatting typically just removes the index. I've tried using Disk Drill (found almost everything but it requires payment) and Recuva (which didn't help much). I'm currently saving any recovered files to a separate pen drive, not back onto the original drive. Does anyone know of any reliable free tools or methods that actually work for file recovery? I'd really appreciate any suggestions as these files are incredibly important to my mom.
Answers
R-Studio is another recovery option that might be worth considering if the free tools don't work out for you. It's well-regarded, especially in commercial environments, but it costs a bit. However, it’s generally cheaper than professional recovery services, which could be your last resort if everything else fails.
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I recently used an app called Get Data Back to recover files in a similar situation, and it worked pretty well for me! Just a heads up though, it's not free, but if you find it effective, it might be worth the investment.
WanderingWombat92: Oh cool! Thanks for the suggestion! How would you rate it overall?
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Have you tried PhotoRec? It’s free and I’ve had good success with it. You can find it at https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec. It recovers more than just photos too, like documents and videos. Just be aware that it’s a command line tool, so it might take a bit to get used to. If it finds data, you might have to sift through a lot of files before spotting the ones you need, but it can recover a good amount!
WanderingWombat92: Haha, I'll have to learn how to use it! Mind if I ask you for help if I run into any issues?
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WanderingWombat92: Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely check it out. I know I won’t get everything back, but any recovery would be fantastic.