Recover My Files Data Recovery Software 3.40 Online Manual

A Quick Start Guide to Using Recover My Files

Following is a Quick Start Guide to using Recover My Files. For more detailed information see the section in this help file titled "The Steps to File Recovery".

Install Recover My Files or Run the Program from CD, USB etc.

The latest version of Recover My Files is available for download from www.recovermyfiles.com, or by clicking the "Update" button within the program. If possible, avoid installing Recover My Files to the drive from which you are trying to recover deleted files. For more information on installing Recover My Files, click here.

Step 1 - Select the Type of Search

When you run Recover My Files a wizard screen will open and present you with four search options;

1. 'Fast File Search'

A Fast File Search will find Recently Deleted Files and Folders. The search technology uses information stored by the computer operating system to find the deleted or lost files and thus the full file and folder names will be recovered. A Fast Search should take no longer than 60 minutes for a standard size hard drive. If you are looking to recover a specific deleted file, we suggest you try this search first.

2. 'Complete File Search'

A Complete File Search includes a "Fast Search". At the completion of the "Fast Search" Recover My Files then begins the "Complete Search" by scanning the entire drive looking to locate lost or deleted files by identifying unique file structures (eg. the header and footer of the lost or deleted file). This means that even if the Operating System records have been destroyed, the file can sill be found. A file that is found during the "Complete Search" will be returned with the name "Recovered_Filetype_1". The original file and folder name is not available.

As a Complete File Search is a full scan of the entire hard drive, the speed of the search will be dependant on the speed of your computer and the size of the drive. Also, we suggest that you search for between 1 and 10 file types at a time to maintain search speed. Multimedia files are the most resource intensive files to recover. Perform a separate search for Multimedia files.

Please note that a Complete File Search can take approximately 24 hours to run depending on your drive size and the file types selected.

3. 'Fast Format Recover'

A Fast Format Recover is used when a drive letter is no longer displayed by the computer. A Fast Format Recover should take no longer than 60 minutes.

4. 'Complete Format Recover'

A Complete Format Recover is used when:

a). A partition has been deleted: Run a Complete Format Recover of the "Physical Drive" using the default selected file types;

b). A partition has been deleted, a new partition has been created, the new partition has been formatted: Run a Complete Format Recover of the "Physical Drive" using the default selected file types.

Wizard Screen 1 - Selecting the type of search

 

Step 2 - Select the Drive To Search

The next wizard screen performs a scan to identify the devices (hard drives, digital camera, USB drive etc) that are connected to your computer. Select the device you wish to search by using your mouse to place a green tick in the box next to the device name.

Wizard Screen 2 - Selecting the device to search

 

The "Folders to Search" option allows you to add existing folders into your search. Doing this will allow you to search the 'active' files on your disk (i.e. those that are not deleted). You may wish to do this in order to search for temporary files created by programs such as Microsoft Word. To remove a folder from this list, double click on it.

Step 3 - Selecting File Types to Search

The next wizard screen asks you to select the "File Types" that you are trying to recover. Select a file type by using your mouse to place a green tick in the box next to it.

WARNING: The number of file types selected will directly impact the speed of the search. We suggest you select between 1 and 10 files. MP3 and Text files are the slowest. Conduct a separate search for these files.

In the results screen files found will be sorted by file type selections that you have made here. All other files types located will be shown in the results screen in the "other files" folder.

Wizard Screen 3 - Selecting the Specific File Types for which to Search

Step 4 - Running the Search

When the 'start' button is pressed the search is commenced. Note that a "Complete Search" and a "Format Recover" may take a number of hours as they are a scan of your entire storage media.

It is possible to preview the search results whilst the search is in progress. Move the progress box out of the way and access the search results screen behind it.

Running the Search

Step 5 - The Results Screen

The results screen consists of four windows.

1. File Type and Folder View window (top left): This window shows you the number of deleted files that have been found. Files located are grouped by the File Types you selected in Step 4 above. You can also change to "Folder View" and see in a folder structure the files that have been found. Any file types not specifically selected in Step 4 above are placed in the "other files" folder.

2. File Details Window (top right): When a File Type is selected in the left hand window, the files found are displayed in the File Details window. Sort the files in this window by double clicking on the column headings. When a file is selected in this window, by clicking on the file name, its properties and contents are displayed in the windows below.

3. File Properties Windows (bottom left): This window displays the properties, e.g. "Olympus Digital Camera" of the file that has been selected in the File Details window above.

4. Preview Window (bottom right): If a preview is available, the contents of the file are displayed. Files found are grouped by file type in the left hand column (any files that are found that do not belong to a file type that you selected are placed in the "Other Files" folder). Click on the file type in the left hand column to display the files found for that type in the right hand column. Click on an individual file in the right hand column to see its properties and a preview of its contents (if available) in the bottom windows.

The Results Screen

 Step 6 - Saving Recovered Files

Recover My Files must be registered in order to save files. A registration key can be purchased via www.recovermyfiles.com. To enter the registration key click 'Help' (in the top most menu) and then 'Register'.

Select files to be saved in the results screen (either File Type or Folder View) by placing a tick next to the file. Groups of files can be selected by clicking on the File Type (it will place a tick in the box for all the files found of that type). Also it is possible to place multiple ticks in file boxes by using a combination of mouse clicks whilst holding down the SHIFT or CTRL key, and then pressing SPACE BAR.

To save selected files click the save button. You must currently save files to a separate storage media to the one on which they were recovered. Click on the drop down arrow next to the "Save Files" button, or select "Recover" then "Save to CD/DVD" to save to CD or DVD.

Please note that if you click on the drop down arrow next to the "Save Files" button and select "Save As", you will be prompted to assign a name and save location to each file that you have selected to save. If you have selected many files this can be very time consuming. It is recommended that you only use "Save As" if you are saving a small number of files.