Help - important file has been lost (Windows XP)

[Chantho]

Last night I looked for a file which I thought was in "my documents" folder, but it wasn't there, in fact it wasn't on drives C, D or on a backup CD.

Tried downloading / running trial versions of various Undelete tools but the file didn't appear on the list of recoverable files.

Can anything be done ? I should say that it isn't worth spending a lot of money on a solution, I can probably re-create the file by typing the data back in (say 3-4 hours work) but would prefer not to have to.

[RichardCranium]

What application was used to create / edit the file? (It might be one that keeps a backup in a funny place like OpenOffice.org does.)

Have you tried a raw text search across all files on disks for an expression you are 100% sure exists in that file? Include hidden files in that search: there may be scraps in a temporary file.

[Chantho]

What application was used to create / edit the file? (It might be one that keeps a backup in a funny place like OpenOffice.org does.)

Have you tried a raw text search across all files on disks for an expression you are 100% sure exists in that file? Include hidden files in that search: there may be scraps in a temporary file.

Thanks for replying, the file was essentially a text file but may have been created using Word 2003.

I will try further searches as you suggest.

[pmeswani]

Thanks for replying, the file was essentially a text file but may have been created using Word 2003.

I will try further searches as you suggest.

If memory serves me correctly, Word 2003 creates temp files in the \windows\temp or <profile>\local settings\temp directory. So the file may be recoverable from there. The file normally has a ~W*.tmp theme.

[Moscow Mule]

I'm assuming you saved the doc in an app of some kind - have you looked in the recent docs of that app? Or the XP recent docs?

[pzz76077]

Download a copy of Recuva http://www.filehippo.com/download_recuva/
then recover your file.

This Microsoft article may also help http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290946

PZZ