recover data after reformat and os install?

I was trying to format and fresh install an os on a new hard drive and somehow the format took place on my actual data hard drive. It partitioned a 620 gb hd to 100gb, and did a normal format instead of a quick format. Is there any possibility of recovering this? Ive heard yes and no from local hardware companies so I thought Id check the experts here.
if its possible, please point in right direction or reputable recovery center. Thanks.

 

If you mean can you undo all the changes so the drive is just as it was, then no. That's out of the question. If you wonder if you can recover any lost data off of that drive, then the answer is a "definite maybe"! If the disk has never been used to save data since the format, some of the data may be recoverable because even with a full format, previous data is not deleted if the format process does not need to touch those bits. Depending on the value of that data to you, you may want to seek professional services - but note the costs can be into the $1000s.

There are programs available, and most let you run the program for free to show you what you can recover - then you have to pay to actually recover them.

http://www.uneraser.com/quest12.htm
http://www.z-a-recovery.com/unformat-tutorial.htm

 

Hopefully you did not do anything else to the drive post reformat. Take the drive out of that computer and hook it into another computer as a slave drive. Run Recuva on that drive and hopefully, you'll be able to recover important data and media files that way.

 

Recuva - while good, is not for unformatting. Recova is used to undelete files.

 

Exactly --- so are the programs you've recommended, the drive cannot be reformatted into it's original state but one can recover important files and media with these programs.

 

No they are not, PapaDuke. You obviously did not follow the links - both clearly are about unformatting a drive.

Reformatted? That is not the topic. The topic is unformatting - which, under ideal conditions, can take a drive back to it's previous state.

If they were deleted. Formatting is a different process. This topic, until the OP comes back and clarifies, is about unformatting a drive.

 

Hello all, sorry for the delay. I am trying to recover files on a HDD that was not only formatted, but had winxp os installed over it. I tried an online recovery service that took almost a week to find and save files. Many are corrupted, but there are some that were in tact. My daunting task now is to sort each file and see if its corrupted and then save in a folder structure that was lost on reformat.
Moral of this nightmare is to get an online backup system in place.

 

@dellvostro - this is webhead1's thread. Please start your own thread with your own problem.

 

Thank you for all the info. I did find an older backup I had on an external drive with alot of much needed files. Ill just have to accept losing a few months of recent work and live with it.
Online backup sounds like a very good idea!. Thanks again.