Recover Files After Windows Reinstall

[rkpub]

Hello,

I reinstalled Windows XP on my machine. I was expecting that the data files/photos will not be erased as part of the re-install. Apparently files on the "desktop" and under "my documents" do get erased. The hard drives are and were fine.

I am trying to recover the files more importantly the photos, can this software do the trick.

Thank You

rkpub

[Alexey V. Gubin]

You should try the demo (evaluation) version first. Once you reinstalled Windows, part of data is overwritten. Exactly what is overwritten, what remains, is a matter of luck. If the files you need are not overwritten, ZAR can get them back, but you should try with the demo first.

[rkpub]

I just bought a 500GB external USB drive which I attached to the desktop that has the windows reinstall drive (70GB).

Do you recommend that I first take a disk image before running the evaluation software. Is it OK to install the ZAR evaluation software on the desktop. Where do I install the disk image software? I am willing to buy the disk image software to try out the demo version.

Thank You

Rkpub

[Alexey V. Gubin]

You got it backwards.

You need to have a working Windows installation on a drive which is NOT the drive you are recovering. DO NOT use the "reinstalled" Windows to run a recovery software.

Another option is to use some sort of CD-ROM or USB bootable Windows environment, similar to BartPE.

Anyway,
1. Avoid using the "reinstalled" Windows.
2. Do not install the recovery software into it.
3. Avoid writes to the drive containing damaged data.

I'm thinking along the lines of
1. Get the 500GB drive out of USB enclosure
2. Connect 500GB drive directly to the system and install Windows on it.
3. Use this as a "temporary" installation and perform a recovery from within it.
Probably disconnect the 70GB drive during steps (1) and (2), as to avoid possibility of further damage during Windows install.

Still, the exact details of the setup are up to you.

[kollip]

I recovered the files like AVI, MPEG4 and other files after the hard disk format, but when I try to open those files on my audio and video editors they say it is unable to open. Can you please help us how to fix this issue. I purchased the softwrae from you.

[Alexey V. Gubin]

Could you please get the log file,
C:\Program Files\ZAR\logfile.txt
ZIP it, and email it to me at development@z-a-recovery.com
so that I can review it