Recover Empty Trash File (Best Option)

[DavisX]

Hello Everyone,
I accentually deleted a folder, which was on my Desktop, while I was do some cleanings on my mac manually (rm -r *). Without notice I have put that folder into trash. I also emptied the trash one week ago. Unfortunately, I haven't set up time machine. "Fortunately", I had not been adding new file to the mac nor installing any new application. Today, I couldn't find it. then I realized it is gone now. understand there are many applications out there will recover the deleted, but not overwritten files, Please let me which is the best option if you have some experience in this. I am thinking running an external hard driver, tools to recover the data will be installed there. Please, please let me which is the best option if you have some experience in this. Thank you in advance!

 

[Fishrrman]

You can try data recovery software.

"DataRescue" is perhaps the most well-known.

BUT...
...after a week of usage, what you're trying to get back may be all-but un-recoverable.

The files may have been over-written by invisible processes, such as memory swap files, etc.

 

[DeltaMac]

Yes, you would be surprised by how much drive activity happens during a week of use.
The ONLY way that you have no possibility of writes to the erased area would be to shut off your Mac immediately after the trash was emptied. Even a shut down could possibly write some files to that space, as emptying the trash makes that space available right now.