Used HP System Recovery - HD recovery help

[darkon]

Had to use HP's system recovery from the partition. Wouldn't load or read anything. Couldn't get into safe mode or l.sst known config. Couldn't get into system restore either.
Didn't use the full destruction thought it would just replace the missing pieces I needed. I was wrong, big time. Didn't back up anyhting before hand, dumb I know.

Is there anything I can to toget my files nad settings back to the way they were? I bought an external HD to save anything I can find. I have already got a program that found some, not all, of my music and video. Is there anything else I can use to try and get it back to the way it was.

 

[Triple6]

You'll never get it all back. The Recovery would have overwritten parts of drive, and the data in those locations would now be overwritten with new files.

You could try various file recovery programs like Recuva or PC Inspector, both free and see what they can still recover. Professional recovery services could do better but still I doubt you'd get all of your stuff back.

I think the name Destructive Recovery should have alerted you as to what was going to happen, the warnings were there on the screens leading up to it. Sometimes the hard lessons stick the best, backing up important data is critical because it can be lost very easily.

 

[darkon]

I used the NON destructive choice. It said that it would just reload windows and not delete any data files. Some of my programs are still on the desktop and in files, but the majority of everything was gone....

So any suggestions on what to to use to get as much as I can back?

 

[Triple6]

OK, well try doing a search for the missing files, they may be in a different location or a different user account profile. You could also try other data recovery software to see if they can retrieve any deleted files.