Undelete

[ann_h]

My son decided to change the desktop today, and in doing so deleted my entire work folder.
Can anyone advise on the best way to dispose of the body?

No, I mean which undelete prog is best to download please- don't want to risk spyware/registration/fees etc etc

Thanks

[boxtops]

Is your work not backed up somewhere, ann? - external hard drive?

[MarkRae]

Just restore it from the most recent backup.

[DTCwordfan]

I do a nice line in very sharp spades for digging the hole in the garden.

Nothing said.

Nice Mum's day present from him!

[twix123]

Is it still sitting in your Recycle Bin?

[ann_h]

Right - it was in a folder on desktop, on horrible new pc (because my effing laptop packed up at Xmas)
No, I had not backed it up separately
No, Windows 7 appears not to have any backup and no way of restoring or even bloddy listing files/directory
No, it is not in the recycle bin as my son didn't want the recycle bin on the desktop making it look untidy therefore emptied it and changed its properties to 1KB


Mother's Day? Bah humbug!

[Wak]

For a start try not to use the computer holding the missing files as you will probably write over the files you intend to replace.
Use another computer and download one of the following programs onto a floppy disc.
Insert the floppy disc into the original computer and try to recover all the files recently deleted. Note, the first letter of the file may have changed in some of the recovery programs.
Google for :-
Fast File Undelete,
PC Inspector
Recuva
Rest2514 (Restoration2514)

Best of luck.

[bigbanana]

Eh? Not much chance of finding a computer nowadays with a floppy drive. The OP did say it was a new computer after all.

[rojash]

"No, Windows 7 appears not to have any backup and no way of restoring or even bloddy listing files/directory "
Windows 7 has an excellent backup facility.
Assuming that you haven't emptied the recycle bin, then the files will be in there.
Windows 7 can list files, directories in exactly the same way as alll other versions of Window - i.e. using Windows Explorer.
Windows 7 has an excellent search facility - simply hit control F and type a partial name for what you are looking for.

[ann_h]

Thanks for all your answers - recuva found 3 of the files for me.

Rojash - I already said the recycle was emptied and messed with by aforementioned child. I also said "appears" in that the system is not intuitive and does not work like any other I have used over the last 20 years.
I assumed there would be automatic backup or at least some trace other than the shortcut, but I can't find any by the usual method of typing filenames and extensions into search on start menu.
I have tried ctrl F in explorer, with no results - even on files I know are on pc... but was not surprised...I am "intrigued" as to how and why W7 might search the pc directory in this manner.

If you or any AB-er can actually provide step-by-step on how to view a complete list of files on the pc (god it used to be soooo easy)

Interestingly, Recuva listed many deleted files (mostly temp inet) including those overwritten and unrecoverable - yet apart from the 3 I got back, there was no mention of the others at all. Perhaps it was all a dream............ (cue wibble)

And the moral of this story is - get my Olivetti 486 out of the cupboard as it is fine for WP etc and totally useless to a modern child haha

[rojash]

"I have tried ctrl F in explorer, with no results - even on files I know are on pc"

Yes, the search facility is excellent but it does have a few quirks to catch the unwary :-)

Because of the strange (to my mind) hierarchical arrangement of folders, searching the C drive will not find files stored in the Users' folders. You need to search those folders specifically. If in cleaning up, you're son moved the folder (which would explain why the undelete couldn't find it) he may have moved it into one of the users' folders. These are only searched by Win7 if specifically selected:

Open Explorer
Double click a User Name
Type in some text to search for it.

(As an example, stuff that I download goes into Rojash/Downloads, if I search Rojash, I can find it, but if I search the C drive, I can't).

[VHG]

It is very easy in Windows to set up individual Windows user accounts.

Set up one for you and password protect it. Then set up another acount for your son.

So when Windows starts each user choses which account to log on to (you or your son). As yours is password protected he can only log on to his own.

Each Windows account has their own disk space and desk top. He can play around with HIS dekstop a much as he likes without affecting your dekstop.

And he cant delete your stuff and you cant delete his stuff.

There are 4 of us in our house (me, my wide, and two children) and they each have their own Windows user account.