Recovering word docs from a USB memory stick

[kaphc]

Today I have the happy task of trying to recover 42 reports from a memory stick that a headteacher accidentally deleted yesterday.

 

I got her to run Recuva and iCare Data Recovery over the phone yesterday but they came up with none of the files she needs. Any recommendations for other file recovery software to try will be gratefully received!

[RichCowell]

I've used PC Inspector's File Recovery several times over the years and it's worked well most of the time:

PC Inspector - kostenlose Software fr die Datenrettung von CONVAR - Die Datenretter.

[Arthur]

PhotoRec would be worth trying.

[dezt]

I've used EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard in the past. Always worked well in the past for me.

[Tesla]

was deep scan enabled for Recuva?

[kaphc]

Yeah I tried Recuva with and without the deep scan. Active Undelete has just spotted the folder containing the files I'm after, but as the teacher deleted the whole folder, it's not showing as recoverable ... I'll keep trying with some of the other suggestions.

[mac_shinobi]

Test Disk by cg security ?

 

Curious if you goto the properties of the c drive and goto previous versions and look through the different previous versions locations ( more specifically the auto save locations for word documents )

 

Are those documents there

 

Long shot but does the memory stick have previous versions tab on the properties of said mem stick

[kaphc]

Have managed to recover the documents using EaseUS Data Recovery. I have also discovered that most of the teachers seem to be saving their reports as *.doc files, when we've been on Office 2010 for 2 years and they should all be using the *.docx format.

 

Now I have what looks like a list of the documents I need, but when I try and open them in Word, I am asked to file convert them. Even Word 2003 viewer can't open them. Have tried Notepad as well as a long shot! Trying to figure out if they have corrupted during the recovery process or whether I can coax them back. It's so frustrating when I can see them all but not do anything with them.

[mac_shinobi]

Have managed to recover the documents using EaseUS Data Recovery. I have also discovered that most of the teachers seem to be saving their reports as *.doc files, when we've been on Office 2010 for 2 years and they should all be using the *.docx format.

 

Now I have what looks like a list of the documents I need, but when I try and open them in Word, I am asked to file convert them. Even Word 2003 viewer can't open them. Have tried Notepad as well as a long shot! Trying to figure out if they have corrupted during the recovery process or whether I can coax them back. It's so frustrating when I can see them all but not do anything with them.

 

Change file ext to docx or change to htm or html and see if that shows any of the data ?

[kaphc]

That was a neat idea but unfortunately the same thing still happens. I've tried Word's option to Open and Repair and also the File Type option "Recover Text from any file *.*"

 

Not looking good for these docs

[mac_shinobi]

That was a neat idea but unfortunately the same thing still happens. I've tried Word's option to Open and Repair and also the File Type option "Recover Text from any file *.*"

 

Not looking good for these docs

 

What about renaming / changing to a zip or 7z to see whats contained within those files ?

[soveryapt]

I've used NTFS UnDelete in the past (NTFSUndelete.com | Recover and Restore Deleted Files Quickly and Easily | PCs, Cameras, Phones & More) and it does a nice job .. might be worth giving that a go to recover files and see if it gives any different response for the files you get ..

[kaphc]

I'll give that a go later and see, thanks. At the moment the teacher has started rewriting the bits of the reports that were lost now, so anything I can do will be a bonus.

[Arthur]

Test Disk by cg security?

TestDisk is mainly used for recovering deleted/corrupted partitions.

 

 

@kaphc. Did you have any luck with PhotoRec?

 

 

^ Under "File Options" you can tell the program to only look for Microsoft Office files.

[mac_shinobi]

TestDisk is mainly used for recovering deleted/corrupted partitions.

 

 

@kaphc. Did you have any luck with PhotoRec?

 

 

^ Under "File Options" you can tell the program to only look for Microsoft Office files.

 

I keep calling it test disk but yes photo rec as cg security make them both. I should start calling the relevant products by there correct names, my bad !!

 

Sorry !!

Edited July 2, 2014 by mac_shinobi

[kaphc]

I tried PhotoRec but didn't really get my head round the DOS based interface and moved onto EaseUS. I might give PhotoRec another shot tonight.

 

I'm a fool I know, but I am doing all this after work, at home as it's a teacher from a school I only visit once a week.

 

Having said that I hate being "beaten" by an IT problem so there are good odds I'll be having another look at this tonight.

[LincolnE]

If you have a google account, try uploading it to google drive. This itself has fixed many corrupt files for me in the past.

[woody]

+1 for photorec. Great for those memory sticks where the directory gets corrupted and Windows wants you to format. Yes the CLI is not as clear but if you take your time you will work it out!

[mac_shinobi]

If you have a google account, try uploading it to google drive. This itself has fixed many corrupt files for me in the past.

 

That reminds me - what about installing Open Office and trying to use open office to recover the docs ?

 

Photo Rec step by step from the CG Security site : http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec_Step_By_Step

 

Not sure how much use this is but found it via google search :

 

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/9-ways-to-recover-a-corrupt-microsoft-office-file-712429

Edited July 2, 2014 by mac_shinobi

[kaphc]

Thanks for the updates and info - PhotoRec is running now and I am going to see what it brings back. I have it doing a whole scan so it may take a couple of hours. but it's already bringing back Word docs in a readable format (albeit not the ones I want) so fingers crossed ....

[mac_shinobi]

Thanks to @Arthur for correcting me !

[kaphc]

Only about halfway through the recovery process but some of the reports are coming back!

[Arthur]

some of the reports are coming back

That's good to hear!

[mac_shinobi]

That's good to hear!

 

^^^^^ exactly this

[kaphc]

Well I got 9 reports back in full in the end, plus a set of headteachers comments that were needed.

 

Some more files were recovered that looked like they might be more reports, but they came back in *.wps format and Word reported them as corrupt. I tried installing the Microsoft Works converter but to no avail.

 

Still, I have some partial success thanks to the efforts of this forum, and especially @Arthur and @mac_shinobi. *grateful wave*

Edited July 3, 2014 by kaphc
my own typo that annoyed me