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Restore files from Trash bin

A

armani

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 20, 2007
130
0
Yesterday I ran into a problem I did not know existed. I am quite new to mac..... I went to check "Last Week" in search side bar, in finder. I thought it was just history, so I deleted it all. It went into trash. Then I realized it acctually moved all the apps I used, files, prefs and so on into trash. I thought I could just restore items to its original locations. Peace of cake in windows, just click "restore". I found out I could not do it on my Mac. Yes, I know I could drag them back, but I did not know where most of the files originally came from. I searched the internet - found nothing, only that it is impossible to do. Is it true? I can not restore files I moved to trash? I tried time machine - did not work. The only way I could use - to restore the system using time machine when booted from Leopard disk. Is this the only way to restore something I moved to the trash???? There gotta be something I missing:(
 
C

cmiphone

macrumors newbie
Sep 5, 2007
3
0
My girlfriend once saved some of her important files for nursing school in the trash, and me, unknowingly emptied the trash. Of course it was my fault lol, long story short, get your hands on a copy of Prosoft's Data Rescue II! With this I was able to recover all the files I had accidentally deleted. Hope that helps and good luck!
 
xUKHCx

xUKHCx

Administrator emeritus
Jan 15, 2006
12,583
9
The Kop
cmiphone said:
My girlfriend once saved some of her important files for nursing school in the trash, and me, unknowingly emptied the trash. Of course it was my fault lol, long story short, get your hands on a copy of Prosoft's Data Rescue II! With this I was able to recover all the files I had accidentally deleted. Hope that helps and good luck!
Click to expand...

I don't think the OP emptied the trash.

This is a major shortfall with OS X if you ask me, it really needs the restore button ala windows.

I think you are going to have to manually replace the files by dragging (them out of the trash) and dropping them into their right places which will be a major headache depending on how many files you have.

If you aren't sure where to put them post the file name and type up on here and hopefully people can point you in the right direction.
 
A

armani

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 20, 2007
130
0
xUKHCx said:
I don't think the OP emptied the trash.

This is a major shortfall with OS X if you ask me, it really needs the restore button ala windows.

I think you are going to have to manually replace the files by dragging (them out of the trash) and dropping them into their right places which will be a major headache depending on how many files you have.

If you aren't sure where to put them post the file name and type up on here and hopefully people can point you in the right direction.
Click to expand...

No, the point is - I did not empty the trash. It should be easy as a breeze. I don't get it, really, if it is impossible to do. Windows guys would just laugh their heads off if it is true.

There were 1000+ files, as I said I thought it was just history, so I moved it into trash. I had no idea where most of the files originally were. I did restore the system, thanks to TM, now it is fine. It is just I can not believe you can not restore the files which are in the trash.
 
yellow

yellow

Moderator emeritus
Oct 21, 2003
16,018
6
Portland, OR
The Finder doesn't support magic untrashing more than "undoing" the last task.
Edit -> Undo. But only works on the last task.
 
A

armani

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 20, 2007
130
0
Mac OS X Ocelot said:
Yep, it's embarassing for mac users. I've been requesting this from Apple since I switched. You can help too:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html
Click to expand...

I did send a feedback. It is just ridiculous!:eek:

One thing I have to say, Apple should remove its pathetic tv add where they are making fun of pc's and shall look at themselves. Clean your own crap before you make fun of others. Apple is no better and customer service is awful.
 
H

heatmiser

macrumors 68020
Dec 6, 2007
2,431
0
Yeah, this thread deserves a bump. If a fanboy out there can explain why OS X doesn't need a "restore" feature, I'd like to hear it. Because something like this seems blindingly simple for Apple to code. I can't imagine why a modern OS would come without the ability to restore things from the trash bin...
 
yellow

yellow

Moderator emeritus
Oct 21, 2003
16,018
6
Portland, OR
It's got nothing to do with "fanboyism" and everything to do with philosophy.

Microsoft's philosophy is to protect their users from their trash blunders.

Apple's philosophy is to punish users for their trash blunders.


Microsoft's philosophy has worked as well for them and their users, as has Apple's philosophy. I think problems arise when one switches philosophies. And let's face it.. there sure seems to be a lot more people switching to Apple than the other way around.

Having been an Apple lifer (Mac OS since 1990), there have been only a handful of times when I wish I had that deleted file back. Of course, this is what I have backups for. And I think Apple is addressing this philosophy somewhat with Time Machine.

Is that explanation enough?
 
xUKHCx

xUKHCx

Administrator emeritus
Jan 15, 2006
12,583
9
The Kop
yellow said:
It's got nothing to do with "fanboyism" and everything to do with philosophy.

Microsoft's philosophy is to protect their users from their trash blunders.

Apple's philosophy is to punish users for their trash blunders.


Microsoft's philosophy has worked as well for them and their users, as has Apple's philosophy. I think problems arise when one switches philosophies. And let's face it.. there sure seems to be a lot more people switching to Apple than the other way around.

Having been an Apple lifer (Mac OS since 1990), there have been only a handful of times when I wish I had that deleted file back. Of course, this is what I have backups for. And I think Apple is addressing this philosophy somewhat with Time Machine.

Is that explanation enough?
Click to expand...


I think this issue is getting confused with the term Restore. The restore button in Windows is while the items are still in the Trash. It will restore the file back to its original location on the disk.
 
T

TheStu

macrumors 65816
Aug 20, 2006
1,243
0
Carlisle, PA
yellow said:
Agreed. I contributed to that confusion.
Click to expand...

Banana! (contributing to the confusion)

I would at times like to see a restore button. There have been times where i have just blanket deleted a folder before realizing "Oh crap!, that movie that my computer spent 4 hours ripping was in there, and i just lost my physical copy!"

It would be nice to have a button that just immediately (before emptying the trash that is) put the file back where it was, no mess, no fuss.
 
HLdan

HLdan

macrumors 603
Aug 22, 2007
6,383
0
TheStu said:
Banana! (contributing to the confusion)

I would at times like to see a restore button. There have been times where i have just blanket deleted a folder before realizing "Oh crap!, that movie that my computer spent 4 hours ripping was in there, and i just lost my physical copy!"

It would be nice to have a button that just immediately (before emptying the trash that is) put the file back where it was, no mess, no fuss.
Click to expand...

You are sorta contradicting your first paragraph with the second one. You first say hypothetically that it's devastating to "lose" an important movie you spend hours ripping, (which in this case would pertain to actually emptying the Trash). If you meant otherwise you can just bring it back by drag and drop.

Then your second statement you mentioned that it would be nice to retrieve it before emptying the Trash.
Don't get my wrong, I do see some benefits to having a Restore button but your first statement won't make a difference if you have the restore button, that would actually be a Time Machine need.
 
F

feyn-man

macrumors regular
Oct 24, 2007
234
0
I think the reason that APPLE didn't add this feature is they are too self-confidence. They just thought some people never need the restore button.

I can understand APPLE's idea. Look, if you really don't have any idea about where these file used to be. And you just want to restore them. Then, you will never know where the OS has restore them to. So you are pretty possible to do the delete again. What a stupid hassle? Haha. :D
 
clevin

clevin

macrumors G3
Aug 6, 2006
9,095
1
lousy logic, lol

this is one of the things OSX falls short. no excuse needed.
 
T

TheStu

macrumors 65816
Aug 20, 2006
1,243
0
Carlisle, PA
HLdan said:
You are sorta contradicting your first paragraph with the second one. You first say hypothetically that it's devastating to "lose" an important movie you spend hours ripping, (which in this case would pertain to actually emptying the Trash). If you meant otherwise you can just bring it back by drag and drop.

Then your second statement you mentioned that it would be nice to retrieve it before emptying the Trash.
Don't get my wrong, I do see some benefits to having a Restore button but your first statement won't make a difference if you have the restore button, that would actually be a Time Machine need.
Click to expand...

I can see what you mean... it was a pretty crappy example... it would be nice if it had a restore button still... but maybe not totally necessary now that i think about it.
 
::Lisa::

::Lisa::

macrumors 6502a
Oct 28, 2007
550
1
Nottingham, UK
I'd like to see this feature also, although never really been in that situation. I have time machine to back me up though if I did... hopefully.
 
A

armani

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 20, 2007
130
0
::Lisa:: said:
I'd like to see this feature also, although never really been in that situation. I have time machine to back me up though if I did... hopefully.
Click to expand...

Yes, time machine really saved me. BUT, things happen, children can delete a folder, or files, whatever and when there are lots of files, dragging them back and dropping takes a lot of time, when in windows it takes a second. I agree with others - no excuses. Apple should really look at this, but I doubt anything is going to change.
 
N

nelliemay

macrumors newbie
Dec 27, 2007
1
0
restore files from trash bin

I have just upgraded from Tiger to Leopard. The 'my pictures' search file was packed with multiples (7 or 8 each) of the same image & there were thousands of them. In my ignorance I deleted most to save storeage space & now find my machine is non functional on many applications. I wish I had never heard of leopard. The search part of Finder is a bear trap. Ugh!!
Help - I have 10,000 files in trash which I daren't empty.
 
S

stupidregister

macrumors member
Sep 29, 2007
52
0
Simple solution: don't put important stuff in the trash. I find it hilarious that cmiphone's girlfriend even saved stuff in the trash. You don't do it in real life, so why do it on the computer? I even use rm from the command line, which deletes stuff right away, and I don't run into the problem of accidently losing stuff.
 
M

Mixa

macrumors newbie
May 7, 2008
3
0
Help!!

armani said:
No, the point is - I did not empty the trash. It should be easy as a breeze. I don't get it, really, if it is impossible to do. Windows guys would just laugh their heads off if it is true.

There were 1000+ files, as I said I thought it was just history, so I moved it into trash. I had no idea where most of the files originally were. I did restore the system, thanks to TM, now it is fine. It is just I can not believe you can not restore the files which are in the trash.
Click to expand...

I think i have the same problem as the OP! I am a new Mac user and thought that the All Documents Section was just history since i had 4000+ files in it. So then I... (you guessed it)... moved them to my trash! I could move 72 files back using CMND + Z but i still have over 4000 files in the Trash including some files with really long names (look very important!:eek:)

I havent touched my Macbook but please tell me how you fixed it. I have barely any personal files on it, but i dont want to mess up any System Files!

Thanks
 
R

RobertAtlanta

macrumors newbie
Aug 30, 2008
2
0
Atlanta
Dragging from Trash to Desktop to iTunes worked to restore deleted files

Unable to drag deleted iTunes files back into iTunes, I successfully dragged the files to desktop and then to iTunes. Cumbersome, but worked. There must be a simpler way.
 
T

The Hamburger

macrumors member
Aug 21, 2004
31
0
Sunny Bangkok
I've just accidentally deleted the whole contents of my iTunes.

Its seems completely idiotic not to have a restore from trash.

What's the point to having a trash at all??????????

This is just one accidental key stroke that will potentially cost me hours to get back.

If I just copy from the trash folder (Can I just add to library directly from trash?) to another folder in finder and then add then add to library from there will I get everything back?

Cheers
 
2

26139

Suspended
Dec 27, 2003
4,315
377
Yes

yellow said:
It's got nothing to do with "fanboyism" and everything to do with philosophy.

Microsoft's philosophy is to protect their users from their trash blunders.

Apple's philosophy is to punish users for their trash blunders.


Microsoft's philosophy has worked as well for them and their users, as has Apple's philosophy. I think problems arise when one switches philosophies. And let's face it.. there sure seems to be a lot more people switching to Apple than the other way around.

Having been an Apple lifer (Mac OS since 1990), there have been only a handful of times when I wish I had that deleted file back. Of course, this is what I have backups for. And I think Apple is addressing this philosophy somewhat with Time Machine.

Is that explanation enough?
Click to expand...

I concur. While I agree that a Restore button would be useful, WHY ARE ALL OF YOU THROWING AWAY DOCUMENTS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO?

You have plenty of space, there's no reason to throw away files anymore, really. The Finders Smart Folders make complete sense to me, not sure why you'd toss anything over there.
 
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