I messed up big time

KARichardson · Jun 12, 2016

Right lads and lasses,
last night I thought it would be a good idea to download windows xp onto our home PC for giggles, well what I didn't relize is our home finances were recorded on there and there isn't any backups online as my father doesn't trust "the cloud" since then i have deleted the os using the Diskpart > list disk > sel disk 1 > clean, methrod inorder to do this and reinstalled windows 10, is there any way to get back these files without expensive software or should i just pack my bags and leave,
cheers - K

Saga Lout · Jun 12, 2016

Pack and run. Two reinstallation formats + third party software = one big NoNo to any data recovery.

I'd love to be wrong so prove it using Recuva from http://www.piriform.com and aim for documents and spreeadsheets, ignoring all the other catgories. Tick the Deep Scan option. then go and hide somewhere until it completes and you hear the wails of despair from your father. Then run!

lodders · Jun 12, 2016

Yeah, you did.

If you delete something on a disk, the data is still there. Even if you do a quick format, it is still there
If you save something else on a disk, some of the data can get overwritten. The overwritten stuff is gone for ever.
Putting XP on the disk would have destroyed some data
Putting Win 10 back on would probably have destroyed some more.
If you are lucky, your important data is still on the disk, but windows does not know it is there.
You need some expensive software to find it
good luck

USAFRet · Jun 12, 2016

Windows 10
Install XP over that
oops...
Diskpart - Clean
Install Windows 10

Run. Don't stop to pack, just run.
The diskpart-clean was probably the complete undoing.
But do try the Recuva mentioned above.

And please let us know. (if you still retain all your fingers)

And this is a wakeup for you AND dad....always have a backup. What you did is little different than the physical drive failing. The data would have been gone just the same.
A local backup is fine. But a file that exists in only one place may be said to not exist at all.

KARichardson · Jun 12, 2016

Cheers mate this hasn't been the best Sunday but at least i now know where i have gone wrong cheers

Also no idea if i need to close this or if it just closes itself

Saga Lout · Jun 12, 2016

It stays open for a while but will always be visible if anyone with a similar problem to read and act accordingly.

I'll just add to USAFRet's backup advice - put the future backups in a fireproof box like a safe.

KARichardson · Jun 12, 2016

Well even though i don't think it worked i managed to get the file back using, the file itself is called the same, same created date and info like that the only problem is its filled with
O#ìm€"¹ì QÛ#(íÂBíKŠá#£î<ÏB#7nÊ¶¦ÔÜü¤^d«yù†<Ä•ôÓ#9é �
´»q#©ìõh#'åbEõ«™Á#®ø#Ãà#©öÆô#©¾ H¾ � Ü:#~4(úõ‰#ts”#‘FK° #‚8#g¼~ø8æøh¹�
B¡cõ##x«” Ë"Uà <--- like lines on the .ods format, i have no idea if this is due to encryption, corruption or just not working.

USAFRet · Jun 12, 2016

KARichardson :

Corruption and being overwritten.
You may have found the file header or locator. But that is not the actual 'file' in totality.

KARichardson · Jun 12, 2016

USAFRet :

One the bright side we have managed to recreate the documents off old bank statements and he has finally opened up a microsoft account and put a copy onto the one drive, cheers for your everyone's help know where I've gone wrong and what not to do at a stop light has really made the stress alot easier to deal with

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I messed up big time

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