Help! Accidentally Erased Data in Time Capsule!

To retrieve files, that have been deleted and also been emptied from the Trash, you can use

Data Rescue 3 (trial lets you scan the HDD and see, if data is recoverable, but to actually recover files, you need to buy the full version for 99 USD) or
FileSalvage (trial lets you scan the HDD and see, if data is recoverable, but to actually recover files, you need to buy the full version for 89.95 USD).
DiskDrill - lets you recover data from HFS/HFS+, FAT, NTFS & other file systems right on your Mac.​

Also know, that you should immediately stop any writing processes to the actual HDD. If it is the same HDD as the one your operating system (OS) resides on, it is better to use an external HDD with Mac OS X on to boot from and install Data Rescue or FileSalvage onto to scan the HDD from which the data has been accidentally deleted.

 

Can't you select the TC as source to scan?

 

OilyW wrote:
""I doubt if it will work with a network mounted drive. They'll probably need to crack open the case and directly mount the drive using USB or FireWire.

And MagP replied:
"Oh no, does that mean there's no way to even try to recover?"

Can you afford to spend $20-25 or so?

If so, get one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=usb+sata+dock&x=0&y=0
(many items shown, they all work the same, just pick one you like that's cheap)

Next, open the Time Capsule and take the actual drive out.

Connect the USA/SATA dock to the Mac, put the "bare drive" (the one you took out of the TC) into the dock, and turn the dock on.

Does the drive "mount up" on the desktop?

If it does, you are ready to "attack it" with file-recovery software.

Because the Photo Folder you referred to WAS NOT part of the TM backup, it should be in "plain old finder format", right?

If that's the case, you _may_ be able to recover it with data recovery software. Here are some names that come to mind:
- DataRescue3
- Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery
- Disk Drill
- Nice To Recover

All are free downloads, but you have to understand how these work:
- All should do a "free scan" of the problem drive and present you with the option to recover -one- file only
- IF the scan and "sample file recovery" works, then you can pay the registration fee, get a code, enter it, and the app will "go to work" on the drive to get whatever else it can.

IMPORTANT:
You are going to need ANOTHER drive -- a "scratch" drive -- to which the files can be recovered. That's how these apps work. So that's something else you may need to buy. There _might be_ room on your internal drive to hold the recovered files, but if you need more room, the best bet is ANOTHER drive.

File recovery can be done, but it will take time, learning effort, and it will COST YOU SOME MONEY, so be prepared to spend some (see above). "Professional data recovery" costs a LOT more.

By the way, in the future, I recommend AGAINST using both a Time Capsule and Time Machine. Instead, just get a "bare hard drive" for use with the dock and the FREE "CarbonCopyCloner" software. You can use the two of them to create "Bootable backups" of your main drive. Instantly accessible, bootable, plain old finder format, and FAR SUPERIOR to Time Machine....

 

copy to TC and merging?

Hi,

i had 2 folders with same name and wanted to merge the info. but it just replaced the info from the newer one. and now I lost a lot of info from my older folder. I thought it will merge the information. What can I do to recover my info?? please help!