Recover data from HDD where Windows was re-installed?

[BlueTemplar]

Hello,

I backed up the personal data on my laptop, deleted all the partitions, then installed Windows 8.
Then I noticed that my personal data wasn't actually backed up.
What program would you recommend to recover that data? (63% of the hard disk is still free.) I would spend up to 50€ for that.

Thank you in advance for your answer.

 

[hang-the-9]

Since you over-wrote files on the drive with the Windows 8 setup, your chance to recover are not good. Try Recuva, it's free and works well.

 

[BlueTemplar]

Unlike the program I used before (IIRC it was DERescue Data Recovery Master), Recuva wouldn't even list deleted partitions (I don't think it does that...). I'm going to try TestDisk : http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

 

[BlueTemplar]

TestDisk didn't find my personal folders, now trying PhotoRec : it's going to take 55 hours, but after a few hours it already found a few old photos and documents (among lots of useless files).