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Resolved Can overridden files be recoverable like deleted files?

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by IvanH, 2013/07/30.

  1. 2013/07/30
    IvanH

    IvanH Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Deleted files can be found at the Recycle Bin. What about overridden files?

    I have an old software designed for Windows 2000 and whenever it saves a file, it uses the same name and override the existing file with the same name.

    If I forget to rename the existing file, it will be replaced by the newly saved file. I wonder if the old file will be put somewhere I can find out / rescue?
     
    IvanH,
    #1
  2. 2013/07/30
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    You can try an app like the following:

    One of the big keys to success is to run the app within minutes of the accidental over write. The longer you wait the less chance you have at getting the file back.
     
    Steve R Jones,
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  4. 2013/07/30
    IvanH

    IvanH Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    No luck. These are UNDELETE programs all the way back to the MS-DOS. My problem is the file is overridden by a new file of the same name. I am not sure anymore if NTFS will overwrite on the first sector and onward to the existing file of the same name. In Unix, it will use a new sector whenever possible, if my memory is correct.
     
    IvanH,
    #3
  5. 2013/07/30
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    So you've tried a few of the undelete apps and weren't successful?

    How certain are you that the file is being "literally" over written and that the File Allocation Table wasn't changed to not allow access to the original file?

    If the file is literally being over written then there isn't a -> "I wonder if the old file will be put somewhere I can find out / rescue? "
     
    Steve R Jones,
    #4
  6. 2013/07/30
    IvanH

    IvanH Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I want to be cautious not to install additional programs. If Windows can manage it, I'd be glad.

    I think the situation is similar to saving a Word document with a name same as an existing document. Word will ask if you want to overwrite it. What will happen if you say "Yes "? Where can we find the overwritten Word document? (assuming no version control has been activated).
     
    IvanH,
    #5
  7. 2013/07/30
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    I just googled "Over Written Files" and the first link I came to:

    How to Restore a File That Was Overwritten
    http://www.ehow.com/how_6933066_restore-overwritten-file.html

    Instructions

    1) Download a free data-recovery program from the Internet, such as Recuva, File Recovery 4 or Uneraser. Install the program on your computer and open it.

    If the file is extremely important - you can install the app on another computer and then place your main drive in an external enclosure.
     
    Steve R Jones,
    #6
  8. 2013/07/30
    IvanH

    IvanH Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    IvanH,
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  9. 2013/07/30
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    When you overwrite a file, the new file is saved over top of the old one. In other words, the magnetic "0 "'s and "1 "'s that made up the old file on the disk are obliterated when the new file's "0 "'s and "1 "'s are written over the same location.

    Note that there are some programs that will automatically save a backup copy of the original file in a different location. Exactly how and where depends on the program.
     
    SpywareDr,
    #8
  10. 2013/08/01
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Quite easy, right-click the file, choose Properties and select the Previous Versions tab.

    See: Previous versions of files: frequently asked questions
     
    Arie,
    #9
  11. 2013/08/01
    IvanH

    IvanH Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Only when the Systems Protection is turned on and the previous versions were kept per Restore Point. So, Previous Versions is not the solution to me. Thanks anyway Arie.

    I tried and agreed with SpywareDr that the file's data is overridden at the physical location. I used the same name to override the contents of an existing file and found that there is no Previous Versions, even though Systems Protection is on.

    To workaround this, I set up a procedure to mark the existing files "Read-Only" and thus they will not be overridden unknowingly. This is the quickest, so far.
     
    IvanH,
    #10

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