File Recovery - URGENT

Ok, I'm not going to bother explaining the ins and outs of it but heres the gist:

I spent a long while doing coursework the other weekend. My PC was being used so I had to use another one. I live booted off an Ubuntu CD to use the OpenOffice program as the PC I was using didnt have a word processing program. I saved the files to a USB Drive. I forgot to back the files up on my PC. I went to print the file; drive now "unrecognisable usb device". I blow hard into the connection and now its reconised. However, the drive is empty. Tried using multiple file recovery programs. All of them either dont detect the drive, say its not readable, say its not ready, or another error.

I can see it in explorer but its empty. If I look at the probities it says it has 0 bytes. This has happened before but I just reformatted the drive as it had no important data on it.

I NEED HELP, the coursework is due in Friday and its work 65% of my GCSE. If I dont recovery these files tonight I'm not going to be able to finish the coursework and hand it in by Friday and I will surely fail (because even with 100% on the written test thats only about a D grade).


PLEASE HELP ME! How can I recover my files???? If I reformat it, will it allow me to recover the files????


Awaiting a speedy reply,
Gavin

 

No don't reformat, you might never recover the files.

Try taking ownership of the folder(s): http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

 

Do NOT reformat

If you can get tech support at your school, then I would ask them if they have a file recovery program that could retrieve the files. Otherwise, check with your friends - broadcast to the world. But you may end up needing to purchase something. Several software comes up in google when I searched on "usb flash drive file recovery"