Recovering deleted memory on a imac?

hello12 · Nov 16, 2012, 11:50 PM

So there was an issue with our imac, and my GF brought it to the apple store. Long story short, the genius bar guy deleted a really large file called "old users" because the full memory was the issue...
Fast forward to tonight - My mother goes on the computer and notices ALL of our pictures in iphoto are gone...
Is there any possible way to recover files once they have been deleted from the trash? We are going back to the apple store tomorrow... I never ran into a problem like this before so I have no idea what to do.

simsaladimbamba · Nov 16, 2012, 11:56 PM

To retrieve files, that have been deleted and also been emptied from the Trash or are on unrecognisable partitions or HDDs, you can use

Data Rescue 3 - trial lets you scan for free, but recovery needs a purchase (99 USD)

Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery - trial lets you scan for free, but recovery needs a purchase (99 USD)

FileSalvage - trial lets you scan for free, but recovery needs a purchase (99 USD)

DiskDrill - trial lets you scan for free, but recovery needs a purchase (79 USD)

Nice To Recover - trial lets you scan for free, but recovery needs a purchase (69.95 USD)

Btw, "memory" is not the same as "hard drive / storage capacity":

It is recommended, to have 10 to 20 % of the SSD/HDD's capacity unused.
The above links also apply to SSDs.

hello12 · Nov 17, 2012, 12:03 AM

Thank you! So there is still hope!? Is it necessary for me to go back to the apple store?... I mean its their fault this happened. Thank you for the suggestions. I obviously am not very tech-savy.
Which of the programs you suggested are the best or are they all pretty good?

simsaladimbamba · Nov 17, 2012, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hello12

Thank you! So there is still hope!? Is it necessary for me to go back to the apple store?... I mean its their fault this happened. Thank you for the suggestions. I obviously am not very tech-savy.
Which of the programs you suggested are the best or are they all pretty good?

I used DataRescue 3 before with success with two HDDs and as for going to the Apple Store, I do not know how liable they are for such mistakes, if you did not explicitly told them to delete old user folders. They probably thought, it has been deleted by you, but that you did not complete the deletion successfully, thus helped completing it.
What was that user folder doing there anyway?

hello12 · Nov 17, 2012, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simsaladimbamba

I used DataRescue 3 before with success with two HDDs and as for going to the Apple Store, I do not know how liable they are for such mistakes, if you did not explicitly told them to delete old user folders. They probably thought, it has been deleted by you, but that you did not complete the deletion successfully, thus helped completing it.
What was that user folder doing there anyway?

When this all happened today, my GF asked the guy as he deleted it: "Wait I think there is important stuff in that file", and he said no, a file like that dosen't make sense (or something along those lines).

Here is the reason that file was there --- My brother deleted one of the system folders ages ago (don't ask me why), so we brought it to the apple store and it took them a really long time to recover the data, but they did, and put it in a folder "Old User Data" (This was a few months ago)... And apparently in that folder was all of our videos/pictures. Really, the videos/pictures are all we need recovered.

flynz4 · Nov 17, 2012, 04:02 AM

I agree that you should try a data recovery program.

By chance have you been backing up your machine? That is the best way to get your data back.

/Jim

Sjhonny · Nov 17, 2012, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hello12

... I mean its their fault this happened.

It's not really there fault. You're supposed to always have a back-up of your files before bringing in the device.

EPiCDiNGO · Nov 17, 2012, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sjhonny

It's not really there fault. You're supposed to always have a back-up of your files before bringing in the device.

How can u say it's not there fault when they was told "wait there is important information in there" and they still delete the folder?

snberk103 · Nov 17, 2012, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EPiCDiNGO

How can u say it's not there fault when they was told "wait there is important information in there" and they still delete the folder?

Because any service centre can not guarantee the integrity of your data, and tell you that you should have backup. More centres should refuse to do any work unless you tell them you have a backup, but they'd probably lose 80% of their clients.

bobr1952 · Nov 17, 2012, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EPiCDiNGO

How can u say it's not there fault when they was told "wait there is important information in there" and they still delete the folder?

Well he did make a bit of an assumption there but in reality, the user should have known what was in that folder and at the very least renamed it at some point so it wouldn't get accidentally deleted. And of course having no backup strategy is never anyone's fault but the user.

bflowers · Nov 17, 2012, 11:43 AM

I agree that the tech should have looked in the folder before deleting it, just to be sure, but it really is on the User to back up important data. Family photos and videos should be backed up regularly. Whom would you blame if the hard drive simply failed? Ultimately, it is your fault. I have photos backed up to two external drives, and once or twice a year, burn DVDs and leave them at my parent's house. Can't replace pictures of the kids growing up, better to have them stored as many places as you can.

tears2040 · Nov 17, 2012, 12:34 PM

To many websites where you can backup all of your photos for free.... Even a backup drive which you need to have anyways.....

Finally it is not apples fault as within their policy it is stated if they operate on your computer there is a possibility that you may lose whatever files are on it.

Lesson learned.

ThirteenXIII · Nov 17, 2012, 03:44 PM

it was a two situation, definitely should of had a back-up and the technician shouldnt have been such a douche when it was said Oh wait i think theres important stuff there.
before deleting anything it should be reviewed. which he didnt do and pretentiously said "oh no it doesnt make sense its fine delete".

highly recommend DataRescue 3, and invest in a back-up drive.

joe-h2o · Nov 17, 2012, 05:23 PM

My motto is:

"There are two types of computer files; those that are backed up and those that are lost."

*Always* have a backup solution in place. An external hard drive is as cheap as chips and Time Machine is pretty good at just being something you can set up and forget until you need it.

hello12 · Nov 18, 2012, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bflowers

I agree that the tech should have looked in the folder before deleting it, just to be sure, but it really is on the User to back up important data. Family photos and videos should be backed up regularly. Whom would you blame if the hard drive simply failed? Ultimately, it is your fault. I have photos backed up to two external drives, and once or twice a year, burn DVDs and leave them at my parent's house. Can't replace pictures of the kids growing up, better to have them stored as many places as you can.

Apple, for free, agreed to try to try to get the files back that he deleted. And no, it wasn't my fault the "genius" should have checked to see what was in there first - sorry. (I asked if it was an important file, he said no)

W4Win · Nov 19, 2012, 02:45 AM

Just try to recover the file with Leawo Data Recovery for Mac.($69.99)
Good luck, man.

Nov 16, 2012, 11:50 PM	#1
hello12 macrumors member Join Date: Sep 2012	Recovering deleted memory on a imac? So there was an issue with our imac, and my GF brought it to the apple store. Long story short, the genius bar guy deleted a really large file called "old users" because the full memory was the issue... Fast forward to tonight - My mother goes on the computer and notices ALL of our pictures in iphoto are gone... Is there any possible way to recover files once they have been deleted from the trash? We are going back to the apple store tomorrow... I never ran into a problem like this before so I have no idea what to do.
	0

Nov 16, 2012, 11:56 PM	#2
simsaladimbamba macrumors Core Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: right in back of you	To retrieve files, that have been deleted and also been emptied from the Trash or are on unrecognisable partitions or HDDs, you can use Data Rescue 3 - trial lets you scan for free, but recovery needs a purchase (99 USD) Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery - trial lets you scan for free, but recovery needs a purchase (99 USD) FileSalvage - trial lets you scan for free, but recovery needs a purchase (99 USD) DiskDrill - trial lets you scan for free, but recovery needs a purchase (79 USD) Nice To Recover - trial lets you scan for free, but recovery needs a purchase (69.95 USD) Btw, "memory" is not the same as "hard drive / storage capacity": Computer Storage: Ram vs. Hard Drive Space RAM vs. Hard Disk It is recommended, to have 10 to 20 % of the SSD/HDD's capacity unused. The above links also apply to SSDs. __________________ This is not
	0

Nov 17, 2012, 12:34 PM	#12
tears2040 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2010	To many websites where you can backup all of your photos for free.... Even a backup drive which you need to have anyways..... Finally it is not apples fault as within their policy it is stated if they operate on your computer there is a possibility that you may lose whatever files are on it. Lesson learned. __________________ 21.5" -- 2.5GHz iMac i5 -- 12gb Ram
	0

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Nov 17, 2012, 12:03 AM	#3
hello12 Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Sep 2012	Thank you! So there is still hope!? Is it necessary for me to go back to the apple store?... I mean its their fault this happened. Thank you for the suggestions. I obviously am not very tech-savy. Which of the programs you suggested are the best or are they all pretty good?
	0

Nov 17, 2012, 04:02 AM	#6
flynz4 macrumors 68020 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Portland, OR	I agree that you should try a data recovery program. By chance have you been backing up your machine? That is the best way to get your data back. /Jim
	0

Nov 17, 2012, 11:43 AM	#11
bflowers macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jul 2006	I agree that the tech should have looked in the folder before deleting it, just to be sure, but it really is on the User to back up important data. Family photos and videos should be backed up regularly. Whom would you blame if the hard drive simply failed? Ultimately, it is your fault. I have photos backed up to two external drives, and once or twice a year, burn DVDs and leave them at my parent's house. Can't replace pictures of the kids growing up, better to have them stored as many places as you can.
	0

Nov 17, 2012, 03:44 PM	#13
ThirteenXIII macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2008	it was a two situation, definitely should of had a back-up and the technician shouldnt have been such a douche when it was said Oh wait i think theres important stuff there. before deleting anything it should be reviewed. which he didnt do and pretentiously said "oh no it doesnt make sense its fine delete". highly recommend DataRescue 3, and invest in a back-up drive.
	0

Nov 17, 2012, 05:23 PM	#14
joe-h2o macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2012	My motto is: "There are two types of computer files; those that are backed up and those that are lost." Always have a backup solution in place. An external hard drive is as cheap as chips and Time Machine is pretty good at just being something you can set up and forget until you need it.
	0

Nov 19, 2012, 02:45 AM	#16
W4Win macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2012	Just try to recover the file with Leawo Data Recovery for Mac.($69.99) Good luck, man.
	0