Case: I have formatted a NTFS drive and reinstalled the OS (XP Home) and other 3d party software.

I noticed I'm missing some personal files, being files of an application but modified by use (they gained in size by adding more and more personal work to them, compare it to something as an inbox file).

I tried to recover those files with GetDataBack and EasyRecovery, but those apps only found the fresh installed ones. Not the old ones.

Now, if I would delete the reinstalled application and ran the retrieval apps on the disk again, would they find the old ones then ? Or would they find the ones just deleted ? I'm affraid it would be the latter, but I'm not sure since I read somewhere that you shouldn't install the same software on the same disk, if you want to recover the old files.

Now what's the correct answer ? And what other options do I have ? Is there something like an (truely working) NTFS Unformat that wipes out the current one and restores the old installation ?

Help would be much appreciated.

This article may be of some help; granted, my situation was different, but it's still worth a try.

Good luck!

Try using FinalData. it has worked when others have failed.

OK, I'll try those... Thanks already for the replies.