Hi all,

Is it possible to "unformat" to a prior format so I can
get the files off the "old" format under NTFS?
The install routine formated the wrong partition and
now my pictures aren't listed in the new format,
of course. Is it possible to undo ones steps? I have
already taken the drive out and put it in another
computer as a slave. The second computer sees
the drive fine but my pictures are not there. Is
there any way to backtrack a format command?

thanks,
charles.....

When you format a HD all information on that drive will be
lost...............you cannot "undo" a format.
peter
"***** charles" <someone@out-there.com> wrote in message
news:Weesh.68652$wP1.37820@newssvr14.news.prodigy. net...
> Hi all,
>
> Is it possible to "unformat" to a prior format so I can
> get the files off the "old" format under NTFS?
> The install routine formated the wrong partition and
> now my pictures aren't listed in the new format,
> of course. Is it possible to undo ones steps? I have
> already taken the drive out and put it in another
> computer as a slave. The second computer sees
> the drive fine but my pictures are not there. Is
> there any way to backtrack a format command?
>
> thanks,
> charles.....
>
>
>

"peter" <peterk@nowhere.net> wrote in message
news:5Iesh.716711$R63.246068@pd7urf1no...
> When you format a HD all information on that drive will be
> lost...............you cannot "undo" a format.
> peter
> "***** charles" <someone@out-there.com> wrote in message
> news:Weesh.68652$wP1.37820@newssvr14.news.prodigy. net...
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Is it possible to "unformat" to a prior format so I can
>> get the files off the "old" format under NTFS?
>> The install routine formated the wrong partition and
>> now my pictures aren't listed in the new format,
>> of course. Is it possible to undo ones steps? I have
>> already taken the drive out and put it in another
>> computer as a slave. The second computer sees
>> the drive fine but my pictures are not there. Is
>> there any way to backtrack a format command?


Not absolutely true.

--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]

"***** charles" wrote

> Hi all,
>
> Is it possible to "unformat" to a prior format so I can
> get the files off the "old" format under NTFS?
> The install routine formated the wrong partition and
> now my pictures aren't listed in the new format,
> of course. Is it possible to undo ones steps? I have
> already taken the drive out and put it in another
> computer as a slave. The second computer sees
> the drive fine but my pictures are not there. Is
> there any way to backtrack a format command?

Do a Google search for data recovery software to do this. Don't use the
drive until you try some of the software.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=data+recovery

You should always have a full and complete backup of important data.

--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]

Rock wrote:
> "***** charles" wrote
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Is it possible to "unformat" to a prior format so I can
>> get the files off the "old" format under NTFS?
>> The install routine formated the wrong partition and
>> now my pictures aren't listed in the new format,
>> of course. Is it possible to undo ones steps? I have
>> already taken the drive out and put it in another
>> computer as a slave. The second computer sees
>> the drive fine but my pictures are not there. Is
>> there any way to backtrack a format command?
>
> Do a Google search for data recovery software to do this. Don't use
> the drive until you try some of the software.
> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=data+recovery
>
> You should always have a full and complete backup of important data.

Are there any commercial applications that can recover data after a format?
I know it is possible to restore data after a format but didn't think
there'd be any applications on the market that can handle it. It's usually
an expensive propostition and will require the services of specialists.

GO wrote:
> Rock wrote:
>> "***** charles" wrote
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> Is it possible to "unformat" to a prior format so I can
>>> get the files off the "old" format under NTFS?
>>> The install routine formated the wrong partition and
>>> now my pictures aren't listed in the new format,
>>> of course. Is it possible to undo ones steps? I have
>>> already taken the drive out and put it in another
>>> computer as a slave. The second computer sees
>>> the drive fine but my pictures are not there. Is
>>> there any way to backtrack a format command?
>>
>> Do a Google search for data recovery software to do this. Don't use
>> the drive until you try some of the software.
>> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=data+recovery
>>
>> You should always have a full and complete backup of important data.
>
> Are there any commercial applications that can recover data after a
> format? I know it is possible to restore data after a format but
> didn't think there'd be any applications on the market that can
> handle it. It's usually an expensive propostition and will require
> the services of specialists.

I guess there are. Guess I should have looked at some of the search hits
before posting ;)

"GO" <aa533@remove.this.chebucto.ns.ca> wrote in message
news:OG2$dmEPHHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> GO wrote:
> > Rock wrote:
> >> "***** charles" wrote
> >>
> >>> Hi all,
> >>>
> >>> Is it possible to "unformat" to a prior format so I can
> >>> get the files off the "old" format under NTFS?
> >>> The install routine formated the wrong partition and
> >>> now my pictures aren't listed in the new format,
> >>> of course. Is it possible to undo ones steps? I have
> >>> already taken the drive out and put it in another
> >>> computer as a slave. The second computer sees
> >>> the drive fine but my pictures are not there. Is
> >>> there any way to backtrack a format command?
> >>
> >> Do a Google search for data recovery software to do this. Don't use
> >> the drive until you try some of the software.
> >> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=data+recovery
> >>
> >> You should always have a full and complete backup of important data.
> >
> > Are there any commercial applications that can recover data after a
> > format? I know it is possible to restore data after a format but
> > didn't think there'd be any applications on the market that can
> > handle it. It's usually an expensive propostition and will require
> > the services of specialists.
>
> I guess there are. Guess I should have looked at some of the search hits
> before posting ;)

Problem is, ALL of them seem to want a fee. I think the clusters are
contiguous and all ten files were in one directory on the D: drive and it
was called "My Pictures". I was hoping that someone might have a
beta version or a real stripped down version of a recovery program
that would work. I have run a recovery program against the partition
in question and it does "see" the files, it just won't let me save them to
another location unless I pay the fee. It feels like the undertaker taking
advantage of a grieving family after the person died. If I had the skills,
I'd write a program to do this and just give it away for people in my
situation. I may just end up blowing them all away but for the moment
they seem pretty important. The installation routine for Windows
needs to be changed so it is a lot tougher to make stupid mistakes like
this, formatting the wrong partition although I take full responsibility.;
It doesn't pay to be in a hurry.

later,
charles.....

"***** charles" wrote

<snip>

> Problem is, ALL of them seem to want a fee. I think the clusters are
> contiguous and all ten files were in one directory on the D: drive and it
> was called "My Pictures". I was hoping that someone might have a
> beta version or a real stripped down version of a recovery program
> that would work. I have run a recovery program against the partition
> in question and it does "see" the files, it just won't let me save them to
> another location unless I pay the fee. It feels like the undertaker
> taking
> advantage of a grieving family after the person died. If I had the
> skills,
> I'd write a program to do this and just give it away for people in my
> situation. I may just end up blowing them all away but for the moment
> they seem pretty important. The installation routine for Windows
> needs to be changed so it is a lot tougher to make stupid mistakes like
> this, formatting the wrong partition although I take full responsibility.;
> It doesn't pay to be in a hurry.

There are some free programs out there. Look through the links in the
Google search I gave you or try the links below, though I don't know if they
will work in your case. In the fee situations there is a big difference
between the cost of a data recovery program and the fee a data recovery
service would charge, plus the extent of what can be recovered might be
different. You have to decide how how much the data is worth to you. If
the data is that important why wasn't it backed up to start with?

http://www.collina.us/files/REST2514.htm
http://www3.telus.net/mikebike/RESTORATION.html

You can't engineer something to prevent poor judgment, going to fast, or not
thinking. How tough is tough enough?

--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]

***** charles wrote:
> "GO" <aa533@remove.this.chebucto.ns.ca> wrote in message
> news:OG2$dmEPHHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> GO wrote:
>>> Rock wrote:
>>>> "***** charles" wrote
>>>>
>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>
>>>>> Is it possible to "unformat" to a prior format so I can
>>>>> get the files off the "old" format under NTFS?
>>>>> The install routine formated the wrong partition and
>>>>> now my pictures aren't listed in the new format,
>>>>> of course. Is it possible to undo ones steps? I have
>>>>> already taken the drive out and put it in another
>>>>> computer as a slave. The second computer sees
>>>>> the drive fine but my pictures are not there. Is
>>>>> there any way to backtrack a format command?
>>>>
>>>> Do a Google search for data recovery software to do this. Don't
>>>> use the drive until you try some of the software.
>>>> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=data+recovery
>>>>
>>>> You should always have a full and complete backup of important
>>>> data.
>>>
>>> Are there any commercial applications that can recover data after a
>>> format? I know it is possible to restore data after a format but
>>> didn't think there'd be any applications on the market that can
>>> handle it. It's usually an expensive propostition and will require
>>> the services of specialists.
>>
>> I guess there are. Guess I should have looked at some of the search
>> hits before posting ;)
>
> Problem is, ALL of them seem to want a fee. I think the clusters are
> contiguous and all ten files were in one directory on the D: drive
> and it was called "My Pictures". I was hoping that someone might
> have a
> beta version or a real stripped down version of a recovery program
> that would work. I have run a recovery program against the partition
> in question and it does "see" the files, it just won't let me save
> them to another location unless I pay the fee. It feels like the
> undertaker taking advantage of a grieving family after the person
> died. If I had the skills, I'd write a program to do this and just
> give it away for people in my situation. I may just end up blowing
> them all away but for the moment they seem pretty important. The
> installation routine for Windows
> needs to be changed so it is a lot tougher to make stupid mistakes
> like this, formatting the wrong partition although I take full
> responsibility.; It doesn't pay to be in a hurry.
>
> later,
> charles.....

As "Rock" has mentioned there are free programs available, whether or not
they can restore a formatted drive, I'm not sure. Why do you object to
paying a fee? It takes a lot of know-how to create a recovery tool such as
this (you need to know how to program, understand various file structures
[eg FAT, NTFS], and you have to know the hardware). If the engine in your
car dies, the mechanic isn't going to feel bad and do all the repair work
for free.

"Rock" wrote

> "***** charles" wrote
>
> <snip>
>
>> Problem is, ALL of them seem to want a fee. I think the clusters are
>> contiguous and all ten files were in one directory on the D: drive and it
>> was called "My Pictures". I was hoping that someone might have a
>> beta version or a real stripped down version of a recovery program
>> that would work. I have run a recovery program against the partition
>> in question and it does "see" the files, it just won't let me save them
>> to
>> another location unless I pay the fee. It feels like the undertaker
>> taking
>> advantage of a grieving family after the person died. If I had the
>> skills,
>> I'd write a program to do this and just give it away for people in my
>> situation. I may just end up blowing them all away but for the moment
>> they seem pretty important. The installation routine for Windows
>> needs to be changed so it is a lot tougher to make stupid mistakes like
>> this, formatting the wrong partition although I take full
>> responsibility.;
>> It doesn't pay to be in a hurry.
>
> There are some free programs out there. Look through the links in the
> Google search I gave you or try the links below, though I don't know if
> they will work in your case. In the fee situations there is a big
> difference between the cost of a data recovery program and the fee a data
> recovery service would charge, plus the extent of what can be recovered
> might be different. You have to decide how how much the data is worth to
> you. If the data is that important why wasn't it backed up to start with?
>
> http://www.collina.us/files/REST2514.htm
> http://www3.telus.net/mikebike/RESTORATION.html
>
> You can't engineer something to prevent poor judgment, going to fast, or
> not thinking. How tough is tough enough?


I don't think that first link I gave is working, sorry, but the second one
does.

--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]

> If the engine in your car dies, the mechanic isn't going to
> feel bad and do all the repair work for free.

The world of automobiles and computers is NOT the same.
I understand the principle that one has to pay the light bills.
I realize that at the moment I am dealing in the Windows
world but there is another one called gpl/sometimes free.
As a computer professional I have done a LOT of stuff
for free and this type of problem happens a lot.

later.....

***** charles wrote:
>> If the engine in your car dies, the mechanic isn't going to
>> feel bad and do all the repair work for free.
>
> The world of automobiles and computers is NOT the same.
> I understand the principle that one has to pay the light bills.
> I realize that at the moment I am dealing in the Windows
> world but there is another one called gpl/sometimes free.
> As a computer professional I have done a LOT of stuff
> for free and this type of problem happens a lot.
>
> later.....

I realize the world of cars and computers is not the same, but that does not
make my point any less valid. Both fields require a certain amount of
specialization. The average Joe is not going to be able to fix his car when
he runs into engine troubles, nor is he going to be able to fix his computer
when it runs into trouble. Both fields require traning, skills and
knowledge and both can not always offer their services for free. Yes, there
is a lot of free (and good) software out there but I was simply trying to
demonstate why this is not always possible. The bottom line is, and you can
completely ignore the car analogy, that it takes a lot of time, effort and
skills to create a data recovery tool (or any software for that matter) and
for whatever reason the author(s) have decided to charge for this.

"***** charles" wrote

>> If the engine in your car dies, the mechanic isn't going to
>> feel bad and do all the repair work for free.
>
> The world of automobiles and computers is NOT the same.
> I understand the principle that one has to pay the light bills.
> I realize that at the moment I am dealing in the Windows
> world but there is another one called gpl/sometimes free.
> As a computer professional I have done a LOT of stuff
> for free and this type of problem happens a lot.

As a computer professional why wasn't there a backup of important data
before doing the repair install? If that were the case this whole
discussion thread would be moot.

--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]