Recovering deleted photos from an XD card

Toots · 18-02-2008 9:53pm #1

Hi All,

Not sure if I should be posting this here or somewhere in Tech, anyhoo...

I've got an Olympus digital camera with and XD memory card. I loaded the photos on to my PC then deleted the photos off the memory card, it was only later that I discovered that there was some error when loading the photos and they didn't save onto the pc. Before I discovered this I took two photos on the camera. I tried a couple of those free download photo recovery programmes from the net to try and get my photos back off the XD card, but they keep bringing up the two I took after deleting the photos. Does anyone know if there's a way to get the photos back? Is there a good photo recovery programme that you can reccommend?:(

Thanks

PS if this has already been posted I apologise, I tried the search function but had no luck finding anything

hussey · 19-02-2008 5:34am

I had the exact same problem, the files should still be on the drive (unless you pressed format?)

I *think* I used this http://www.data-recovery-usb-drive.com/usb-drive/usb-drive-file-recovery.html

and it worked a treat (didn't pay anyway)
I remember trying 3 programs and only one of them worked

I did this on my home pc, so will try to dig out the name and I can confirm if it was this prog

hussey · 19-02-2008 11:46am

I've looked at what I used and I'm pretty sure this was the one that worked:
http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/file_recovery/info.htm?language=1

I also tried this
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Back-Up-and-Recovery/Pen-Drive-Data-Doctor-Recovery.shtml

duffarama · 19-02-2008 12:13pm

If you can't recover them using software Conn's cameras have a photo recovery service which may be useful...

Toots · 19-02-2008 8:34pm

Thanks guys, I'll give these a try. I didn't press 'format', i just went into the photo playback and hit 'delete all', there is also a format option in the main menu, but I didn't hit that. Is there a difference?

City-Exile · 19-02-2008 8:50pm

Toots85 wrote: »

Thanks guys, I'll give these a try. I didn't press 'format', i just went into the photo playback and hit 'delete all', there is also a format option in the main menu, but I didn't hit that. Is there a difference?

YES!
DO NOT HIT FORMAT!

Mellor · 19-02-2008 8:53pm

Delete all is a basic delete, there are still likely on the drive,
Format fully wipes the drive

Toots · 19-02-2008 8:54pm

What would happen if I hit format............?

Dades · 20-02-2008 10:22am

They would all be gone... forever!

Deleting through playback only really marks them as hidden and over-writable when space is required for new images. So only if your fill the card with new data the is the old data lost. If you half-fill the card, around half the old data should still be retrievable.

I think!

rymus · 20-02-2008 10:28am

even if you formattted the card you could probably get them back... just as long as you didnt then save more photos to that card.

rymus · 20-02-2008 12:33pm

well.. most cameras out there will only mark the space as available when a card is formatted so unless the camera does offer a secure format (i.e. secure so the data is actually destroyed) then a normal format wouldnt do any extra damage.

sunny2004 · 20-02-2008 5:08pm

rymus wrote: »

well.. most cameras out there will only mark the space as available when a card is formatted so unless the camera does offer a secure format (i.e. secure so the data is actually destroyed) then a normal format wouldnt do any extra damage.

I agree !

mcyclist · 20-02-2008 6:05pm

If you have it. I found, with an E400 camera and Oly. Master software, that old photos on the card can still be seen. They are grayed out but recoverable just by clicking on them. Before you do anything else just try to re-read from Master( If you don't have it you can dowmload a copy from Olympus web site).

martin1016 · 26-03-2008 12:06pm

Great info guys - friend home with family from the US accidently hit delete all instead of one on the ferry back from Clear Island on Monday. She hasn't taken any more pics since so I am going to downloaded some of the apps listed in this and other threads. (Yes I did search!)

I have one question - if i try and fail is there any possibility of the apps listed making the data recovery impossible by Conn's cameras?

Thanks and great info - who needs google or wikipedia when you've got boards!

Recovering deleted photos from an XD card

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