DiskDigger says “Excuse me while I nag you to death.”

I liked the DiskDigger un-delete program.  Out of the four un-deletion programs I recommended here, DiskDigger was my first choice.

Fast forward to now.

I stupidly deleted a temp file on a USB memory disk, and needed it back.  So I downloaded a copy of DiskDigger.

Not very happy now.

[...]

10 free PDF creators, and some split/merge tools

PDF, as a document format, I find really useful.  I find it useful because I can share a document with you, and it will be formatted as I intended it.  In other words, you’ll see the same page layout as I see.

To create PDFs, I use CutePDF Writer.  I love it so [...]

Eraser – at one time I actually liked it.

But not now.

Eraser is a program which allows you to securely delete files off hard drives and USB memory sticks.

The sole reason for my dislike of Eraser is that it’s less “in your face”.  When you erase a USB stick, instead of doing it immediately, it sends the request to the Eraser [...]

How to create a bootable Linux USB stick

I found two programs, each does the job.  I thought UNetBootIn was better than the Universal USB Installer, but this was because UNetBootIn works under 64-bit Windows.  Apart from that, either would be fine.

UNetBootin 
It looks basic, but it works.

UNetbootin - Main screen UNetbootin - Extracting files

It gives you the option to download the ISO directly from the internet.  Useful, but I’d prefer to download a copy myself, so I can re-use it later.

If I had a complaint, it is this:

(Click here to continue reading How to create a bootable Linux USB stick)

Piriform Defraggler disk defragmenter.

I like Defraggler, as it:

is free. is available as a 64-bit version. allows you to exclude specific files and folders, and has scheduling built-in.

Downsides?  None that I can see of.  Perhaps it could detect that the Windows Disk Defragmenter is running in the background, and warn you that running two [...]

Deleting those files forever.

If you followed my posts on un-deleting files, you now know that when you delete a file, you can often recover it.  A reader asked in email

“So can you delete files forever, by formatting?”

No, and let me show you why.  I’ll “Quick format” & “also “Format” a USB stick, and demonstrate that you can still recover files.  Then I’ll show you what I do to wipe a disk clean.

“Quick” & Full Formatting
Quick formatting, or even Full formatting,
Quick FormatFull formatting

it makes no difference, you can still recover files.

(Click here to continue reading Deleting those files forever.)

15 un-delete programs, a list

Only 3 that I would recommend, and 2 I didn’t test.

Found yourself in the “Oh crap, I’ve just delete some files by mistake”  moment?  I did recently, and it spurred me on to update this list I created in 2008.

Some terminology

I’d use it Yes means it found all 19 jpg files I accidently deleted.
No means it didn’t find all those files and/or the program crashed.
Free Free as in Free and/or Free, but the developer accepts donations.
Have to install? Do you have to install the program onto your computer.  No is preferred.

 

I’d use it

Program Free? Have to install? Quick Review
Recuva Yes Yes 19 Feb 2010
File Scavenger v3 No Yes 23 Feb 2010
Active@ Undelete No Yes 23 Feb 2010

(Click here to continue reading 15 un-delete programs, a list)

9 un-delete programs I wouldn’t use

And the reasons for not touching these programs would be for one of the following reasons:

  • They crashed!
  • They didn’t find any deleted photos
  • They didn’t find all the 19 deleted photos.

(you can see the un-delete programs I would use here).

(Click here to continue reading 9 un-delete programs I wouldn’t use)

3 un-delete programs I’d actually use.

Not that I’d actually WANT to, but if I had to, it’ll be one of these four three.  And truth is, I would probably use several of these programs if I’ve really need to get the data back.

How I tested. Well I deleted 19 photos from mistake from a USB stick, and [...]

The “I’ve just deleted some photos ‘Oh Crap!’” moment

So, I deleted 19 photos off my USB stick that I shouldn’t have, it was one of those “oh crap!!!” moments.  As soon as I deleted the files, waahhhhhhhhhhhh.

Seemed like a good opportunity to check out the programs I have listed in 10 free programs to recover deleted files.   I’d be interested if you have any other recommendations.  Here are the results of 3 programs I tried with Windows XP:

Restoration
Crashed on the scan of the USB stick, so I’d mark this as a fail.  Program was last updated in 2004, so no chances of any support there.
Restoration undelete program

(Click here to continue reading The “I’ve just deleted some photos ‘Oh Crap!’” moment)