Accidentally saved over a file I need

[dzmfntz]

I need to retrieve a file that I saved over on accident. None of the data is the same and I need the original numbers. Can this file be saved???

 

[Tom Urtis]

One of the most misunderstood and misrepresented facets in the world of computers is the concept of "delete". Whether you delete the contents of an Excel cell, or a Word paragraph, or a file from the hard drive, or even employ a commercially sold "wipe" program to wipe your hard drive, the information never really leaves your hard drive after it's been put on.

Computer forensics can recover data that the user thought was deleted or wiped because hard drives never actually release the data that was put on them. The most that ever happens is data is covered with encrypted code (often binary zeros and ones), but the underlying original data is still there. Products like GoBack simply fool the hard drive into thinking the date and time is earlier than it really is, and the underlying data is uncovered, hence recovered as far as the user is concerned.

 

[paliman]

If you have Win2000 or XP you can try to restore your PC to a previous time, just like GoBack would do. You will find it in START - PROGRAMS - ACCESORIES - SYSTEM TOOLS

Though I've never tried it myself. I use Roxio's program.