Word Doc Missing, need retrieval program

[Sakker]

So ya, I spent all of yesterday writing a paper, It was a decent paper, only like 11 pages long. I saved it, and went to bed at like 2:30am. Wake up at 8:00am so I can print it and its gone, vanished. Pretty sure I was an idiot and saved it in the temp folder on accident. The paper is due in like 20 minutes, and I have no idea how to get it back. I already know its going to be late, and that he probably won't accept it, but I need to find this paper.
So does anyone know of any good program that will retrieve deleted files? I know there are a couple out there I just can't remember their names.

Thank you!!

[Bucko]

Use the search function for all files or folders. Don't put anything in the text box, but organize it so it has last modified.
I've recovered a few files for guys at work by doing that.

[nil8]

Open word, hit the file tab, at the bottom should be a recent list of the last few word documents you opened. Click on the most recent one, print that sucker out.

If that doesn't work, file->save as should point you to the last directory you saved in.

And if that doesn't work, do a search on your machine for .doc and see if it magically pops up. If you run across one that has a dollar sign($) at the front, that's Word's way of making a temp file. Don't count those out. They can be very useful in restoring data.

I hope these help. If you're still having trouble finding it, give us as much info as you can and wait for a response. I know I'm not the only IT guy around here who has had to track down word documents.

[Sakker]

I found a shortcut to the file, but no actual file, when trying to open the shortcut I get this error : The document name or path is not valid. Try these suggestions. *check the file permissions for the document or drive. *use the file open dialog box to locate the document.

I searched for it, by just last date modified, and no sign, also added in search text, used the name of the person the paper is about (Booker T. Washington). Nothing. So I really don't know what to do. I talked to the professor and he gave me an extension until early next week, which is amazing! I guess I will just rewrite it over the weekend and hand it in monday.

Thanks for the help!

[DaveW]

If you're using a *nix system and you saved to a Pendrive, don't forget to unmount the drive before you remove it. Otherwise...all hell breaks loose really :eek:

-Dave

[nil8]

Did you try to open word, go to the file menu and open it from there?

If you did delete it, there are a couple of programs that are available to recover lost data. I am extremely busy at work right now, so I will look those up for you later.

One thing I have to say is don't download, copy or move any files on your machine. You could overwrite your deleted file.

[.Maleficus.]

http://www.runtime.org/

http://www.recovermyfiles.com/

What I personally use:

http://www.quetek.com/prod02.htm

[Sakker]

Thanks for the help guys, I am pretty sure that its gone, the prof is letting me rewrite it so I am just going to spend my weekend doing that. The paper I lost was crap, wrote 11 pages in one day, basically just BSing the entire thing. I'm in college, and the prof doesn't really care about content, just grammar.

Thanks again.

[jdbnsn]

filescavenger can recover most deleted files, even on a formatted drive.

[slytherock]

filescavenger can recover most deleted files, even on a formatted drive.
And it's even most true on Word's documents
Dont know why, but everytimes I had to retrive files on an almost dead HDD, the offices documents are those I'm almost sure to find back...
Anyway, just my 2 cents...

[Sakker]

Well, tried a couple of the programs suggested, got no where. All I have currently is a shortcut with no directory. Was kind of hoping to find it so I didn't have to write it again, but so far no luck. Make no sense how something can disappear so fast and thoroughly. Oh well. Thanks for the help.

[.Maleficus.]

If you didn't try FileScavenger, you really should. It got pictures off of a memory stick that was formatted. It got pictures off of it that were deleted several months earlier. Trust me, it will find the paper.

[Sakker]

Lol, nope it didn't find the paper, that was one of the ones I tried, actually did find a couple of things that I needed back from awhile ago. But beyond that it looks like the paper just disappeared, no trace at all, kind of weird. I know I hit save like every 10 minutes throughout the day, but its just gone. And again Thanks for the help!

[jdbnsn]

I'm suprised, I retrieved photo albums and a music library from a HD that had been formatted with filescavenger. Sorry it didn't work out, but the only thing I can think of your computer must have written something over that file that is masking the file. Don't know what else to try.

[Sakker]

Ya, I was kind of surprised to, but thanks (again) for the help. I emailed a copy of the paper to myself, one of the earlier stages of the paper. So I actually have some of the paper to work from, about 4.5 pages worth, so its not too too bad, but it still stinks that after writing for an entire day I have to repeat the experience (oh well welcome to college right). And of course, when I get a chance to I will give everyone +rep for the help and the really good tips and tricks. I'm also pretty sure something managed to write over the paper, it just disappeared, but I am luck to have a copy part of it.