Recover deleted files- win 7 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

takeaim · 2010-03-23, 12:56 PM

i converted some .wtv files to dvr-ms for editing and accidently deleted the .wtv files in the process and the conversion didn't go correctly. so now i'm missing my files. does anyone know of a way to recover to .wtv files? they were large hdtv files, so straight deleted, never went to recycle bin (just in case that makes a difference)

thanks

hugh · 2010-03-23, 01:04 PM

Do you backup your PC? If so, you can recover the file from you backup. Failing that try a file recovery program (but do it quick before the sectors get overwritten)

takeaim · 2010-03-23, 01:52 PM

does backup bring back files? i thought it just recovered system settings. i haven't manually backed it up, so i'm not sure if win7 does any auto backup.

if i need to use a file recovery program, does anyone recommend a free one that will recover .wtv files?
thanks

hugh · 2010-03-23, 01:54 PM

Windows 7 does not do auto backups.

The type of file doesn't really matter as a file recovery program should handle it. Google File recovery to find a suitable program.

JugglingReferee · 2010-03-23, 04:10 PM

Recuva.com

congo · 2010-03-23, 05:22 PM

I've used the program "PC Inspector" with great success as have friends of mine. Bonus is that it's free!

Just read the instructions and it says be sure to install on a drive that you are not searching. Hopefully you have more than physical drive on your system. I don't think this was a requirement in the past.

Edit: Reading Francois's post below, I guess it makes sense to install on a different HD.

http://www.pcinspector.de/default.htm?language=1

Congo

Francois Caron · 2010-03-23, 06:13 PM

Definitely Recuva. But the action of installing the software might overwrite the files you're trying to recover.

recneps77 · 2010-03-23, 07:18 PM

Don't install anything new on your computer and try to avoid lots of browsing
If you have another computer, load up a file recovery program onto a USB drive and then go to the computer and run it on the computer that had the wtv files.

As long as the file system entry is still readable, you should be able to recover whatever of the file is left.
If even one tiny file (even a few bytes..) has been written to where the header for the file was stored, it's pretty much impossible to get it back, that's why you want to be sure to use the computer as little as possible when you want to recover files from it

takeaim · 2010-03-24, 06:20 AM

i have 2 drives, so the drive i'm looking on is my 'storage' drive and then my operating system is on the other. so i can install on that.

i tried recova- found one file, unfortunately not one of the ones that didn't convert properly. regardless, after recovering the file, it wouldn't play correctly even though recova said the file was in 'excellent' shape

pc inspector found lots of stuff, but it seems that it finds things by sector, not by file, so if i have a big hdtv file that is 18-20 gb, that's broken up into many smaller pieces....not very useful

tried a 3rd program- recover my files- it found 5 files, however this is a pay program that shows you what it found, but won't let you recover them without a license, which is $70!

so, anyone know of another good free program? at this point there could be stuff there knowing the 5 files are there, but i don't know if those are indeed the ones i'm looking for as you can't preview video files.
thanks

recneps77 · 2010-03-24, 11:44 AM

A program I've used with success is PhotoRec, but I don't believe it recognizes the wtv format, thus why I didn't recommend it

barcham · 2010-03-24, 07:47 PM

While the free programs can sometimes recover what you need, they are no replacement for higher quality programs such as Ontrack or Get Data Back. These are the programs that the data recovery companies use and no free program can compare with them. Both companies have demo versions you can download and run to see if they can find your missing data before you spend the money to purchase the program. I use both of these products and have had great success with both of them.

http://www.runtime.org/data-recovery-software.htm

http://www.ontrackdatarecovery.com/f...very-software/

takeaim · 2010-03-25, 09:37 AM

do these programs actually allow you to preview video files? i might be willing to pay for a program if i know forsure it found the files i want.

the files i'm actually looking for are a couple of the canadian olympic hockey games that didn't convert properly. i haven't been able to find them on the net anywhere (norway, usa prelims and slovakia in the semis) are the 3 i'm missing. hoping for the ctv broadcasts.

barcham · 2010-03-25, 06:46 PM

I really can't give you an answer for that. I do know from experience using the programs that they will show you the names of the files found but beyond that, I don't know. I guess the best thing to do would be to look at the product web sites or send an email to the companies and ask them.

2010-03-23, 12:56 PM	#1
takeaim Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 363	Recover deleted files- win 7 i converted some .wtv files to dvr-ms for editing and accidently deleted the .wtv files in the process and the conversion didn't go correctly. so now i'm missing my files. does anyone know of a way to recover to .wtv files? they were large hdtv files, so straight deleted, never went to recycle bin (just in case that makes a difference) thanks

2010-03-23, 01:04 PM	#2
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,492	Do you backup your PC? If so, you can recover the file from you backup. Failing that try a file recovery program (but do it quick before the sectors get overwritten) __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

2010-03-23, 01:54 PM	#4
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,492	Windows 7 does not do auto backups. The type of file doesn't really matter as a file recovery program should handle it. Google File recovery to find a suitable program. __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

2010-03-23, 05:22 PM	#6
congo Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 804	I've used the program "PC Inspector" with great success as have friends of mine. Bonus is that it's free! Just read the instructions and it says be sure to install on a drive that you are not searching. Hopefully you have more than physical drive on your system. I don't think this was a requirement in the past. Edit: Reading Francois's post below, I guess it makes sense to install on a different HD. http://www.pcinspector.de/default.htm?language=1 Congo __________________ Panny TC-P60GT50, Bell 9242, Yamaha RX-V730, Paradigm Cinema 70, Harmony One, HTPC

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

2010-03-23, 01:52 PM	#3
takeaim Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 363	does backup bring back files? i thought it just recovered system settings. i haven't manually backed it up, so i'm not sure if win7 does any auto backup. if i need to use a file recovery program, does anyone recommend a free one that will recover .wtv files? thanks

2010-03-23, 04:10 PM	#5
JugglingReferee Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 142	Recuva.com

2010-03-23, 06:13 PM	#7
Francois Caron Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,367	Definitely Recuva. But the action of installing the software might overwrite the files you're trying to recover.

2010-03-23, 07:18 PM	#8
recneps77 Veteran Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Whitby Posts: 2,815	Don't install anything new on your computer and try to avoid lots of browsing If you have another computer, load up a file recovery program onto a USB drive and then go to the computer and run it on the computer that had the wtv files. As long as the file system entry is still readable, you should be able to recover whatever of the file is left. If even one tiny file (even a few bytes..) has been written to where the header for the file was stored, it's pretty much impossible to get it back, that's why you want to be sure to use the computer as little as possible when you want to recover files from it

2010-03-24, 06:20 AM	#9
takeaim Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 363	i have 2 drives, so the drive i'm looking on is my 'storage' drive and then my operating system is on the other. so i can install on that. i tried recova- found one file, unfortunately not one of the ones that didn't convert properly. regardless, after recovering the file, it wouldn't play correctly even though recova said the file was in 'excellent' shape pc inspector found lots of stuff, but it seems that it finds things by sector, not by file, so if i have a big hdtv file that is 18-20 gb, that's broken up into many smaller pieces....not very useful tried a 3rd program- recover my files- it found 5 files, however this is a pay program that shows you what it found, but won't let you recover them without a license, which is $70! so, anyone know of another good free program? at this point there could be stuff there knowing the 5 files are there, but i don't know if those are indeed the ones i'm looking for as you can't preview video files. thanks

2010-03-24, 11:44 AM	#10
recneps77 Veteran Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Whitby Posts: 2,815	A program I've used with success is PhotoRec, but I don't believe it recognizes the wtv format, thus why I didn't recommend it

2010-03-24, 07:47 PM	#11
barcham Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Ville Emard, Montreal, Qc Posts: 214	While the free programs can sometimes recover what you need, they are no replacement for higher quality programs such as Ontrack or Get Data Back. These are the programs that the data recovery companies use and no free program can compare with them. Both companies have demo versions you can download and run to see if they can find your missing data before you spend the money to purchase the program. I use both of these products and have had great success with both of them. http://www.runtime.org/data-recovery-software.htm http://www.ontrackdatarecovery.com/f...very-software/

2010-03-25, 09:37 AM	#12
takeaim Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 363	do these programs actually allow you to preview video files? i might be willing to pay for a program if i know forsure it found the files i want. the files i'm actually looking for are a couple of the canadian olympic hockey games that didn't convert properly. i haven't been able to find them on the net anywhere (norway, usa prelims and slovakia in the semis) are the 3 i'm missing. hoping for the ctv broadcasts.

2010-03-25, 06:46 PM	#13
barcham Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Ville Emard, Montreal, Qc Posts: 214	I really can't give you an answer for that. I do know from experience using the programs that they will show you the names of the files found but beyond that, I don't know. I guess the best thing to do would be to look at the product web sites or send an email to the companies and ask them.