How to recover USB files

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PolHeer0

Filing Flight Plan
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PolHeer0
Have you ever used a USB drive to hold all useful documents and found they all were wiped due to accidental format since the drive keeps asking to format? What should I do now to recover USB drive files?

Honestly, I do have searched much file recovery software information online and also found many free ones, like free Recuva, 100% freeware iCare Data Recovery Free, TestDisk and Pandora file recovery, etc.

I still do not which one of them is proper for my cases. I just do not want to make things worse. Do you have any suggestion here? Thanks in advance.
 
Methinks you are screwed.

Once you high level format something the content is gone. Now, a low level format, I'm not sure.

Backups, more backups and yet more backups. 3 computers, one additional hard drive and off-site backup (Carbonite) suggests that my pictures are safe. Two of the three computers go to Carbonite. And, yes, it has saved my bacon in one case.
 
I've used recuva before with good results. Any decent program will at least have a free mode that lets you see what's recoverable before you buy it.
 
What usb drive is always asking for a format? I wipe mine as soon as I buy them. And I use them to transfer files, not as a backup.
 
There are companies that specialize in this sort of thing.

Never cheap, but maybe worth it if the contents of the USB drive are important enough.

I may be missing it, but is this a spinning disk hard drive, an SSD hard drive or a USB "thumb drive"?
 
Ghery said:
off-site backup (Carbonite) suggests that my pictures are safe. Two of the three computers go to Carbonite. And, yes, it has saved my bacon in one case.
Click to expand...

Off topic because it won't help the OP, but I too use Carbonite. I recently had a HD Crash, and decided to replace the computer as it was old enough that everything needed updated. Recovery of my files from Carbonite was successful. :thumbsup:

-Skip
 
Ghery said:
Methinks you are screwed.

Once you high level format something the content is gone. Now, a low level format, I'm not sure.

Backups, more backups and yet more backups. 3 computers, one additional hard drive and off-site backup (Carbonite) suggests that my pictures are safe. Two of the three computers go to Carbonite. And, yes, it has saved my bacon in one case.
Click to expand...
In today's computers the chance op did a low level format is next to none, chances are he did a quick format, which is nothing more than remove file header references from file allocation table. Can be recovered with software, never tried any freebie though

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
I keep a thumb drive in my plane with the parts and service manual on it just in case I'm somewhere and need a mechanics help. I should probably check it to see it the data is still there.
 
cgrab said:
I keep a thumb drive in my plane with the parts and service manual on it just in case I'm somewhere and need a mechanics help. I should probably check it to see it the data is still there.
Click to expand...

I do the same thing.
 
I no longer have any recovery software, having been out of that end of the business for some years, so I can't help you with this. Accidental formats are usually straightforward recoveries, however.

If the data was precious, I suggest you use your favorite search engine to find a professional data recovery lab. Chances are the data is recoverable. Expect to pay dearly. However, since the drive was always "asking" to be formatted, there may be something else wrong that could make recovery difficult or impossible. Most labs will be able to determine this early on, and the one I dealt with didn't charge anything in that case.

If the data isn't that precious, most decent computer techs have at least some data recover ability or know someone who does.

As for DIY data-recovery software, I can't vouch for it. There's a chance it could make the problem worse than it already is. Or not. Your safest bet is a professional lab.

Rich
 
Hello,

Have you rescued your USB files back?

I really don’t know whether my experiences help you or not now, and I still want to share them with you.

In fact, about a half month ago, I did have got cleaned my 64GB Toshiba pen drive and also lost nearly 2GB of commercial documents. And I did also search and tried several data recovery programs online, like:

Recuva- realty free and recover USB drive data with fast speed, but, not all desired data rescued back

iCare Data Recovery Free- 100% freeware and recover 89 % of my documents and photos

EaseUS free – free to recover 500MB data

TestDisk-free, but, I am not familiar with DOS system and do not know how to cooperate this software

Overall, hope my experiences can help anyone there.
 
PilorGe0, that has sparked my memory. I have used TestDisk and Recuva. TestDisk worked better if I recall correctly. Back in the day I paid for a utility to recover stuff off an SD Card, it was cheap and it worked well.

Give it a try. Just don't write to the disk and you will be ok.
 
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