Data Recovery Issue.

[Ccomp5950]

FORMATTING a drive is NEVER the correct approach for data recovery. In fact, this is the first time I've ever heard such a thing mentioned.

Funny story....1993 first packard bell computer is unpacked in our family room and I'm 12 or so.

Look at other floppies "Format before use", see our new pinball game had floppies. Before install I formatted them.

First computer lesson ever learned: formatting removes data

 

[webcam]

i use stellar phoenix windows data recovery professional v5.0

 

[layoric]

This one is very simple.
Image the drive raw first, sector to sector. Now try easus' tool - unformat. Failing that, try disc doctor pgm. It'll attempt a fix of the drive structure/partition tables.

If all THAT fails, restore files from recovery pgm from the partition images.

This wasn't a tutorial, just some things I've used for a similar issue.

 

[jfm]

do I format the drive so that I may recover the data?

First thing I'm asking myself is why are you trying to recover data, is that your expertise ?

Because if it's not you are putting his data at high risk...

Not trying to be mean here, just realist.


On another note, the first thing you should do is image the drive.

I use DDRescue through Linux, wich is the closest to professionnal software used in data recovery labs.