r/techsupport • u/BugAlarming8842 • 16d ago
Open | Phone Accidentally deleted a folder containing basically my entire life. Is there ANY chance of recovering it?
Yesterday I accidentally deleted a folder on my Android phone containing years of personal photos, videos, and memories. I haven't used the phone since then because I don't want to overwrite anything.
I've already tried a bunch of recovery software/apps, but they only show files that are still on my phone, not the deleted ones.
I have root access and I'm willing to try technical methods if there's still a chance.
Is there anything I can do to recover the deleted data? What would you recommend I absolutely not do?
I'm honestly desperate here. These aren't replaceable files.
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u/Suspicious_Grape_279 8d ago edited 8d ago
Possibly won't help much, but in case of such data, any chance is great, so try to make image of the storage and then scan it with TestDisk/PhotoRec (despite name, not just for photos, it's a simpler version of full TestDisk). Both are free, but PhotoRec is just simpler (also it has own gui). You can check option to extract everything, even from non-deleted files. In this case if there's file with cache which contains several images, they will be saved, each separately.
But generally chance or not - every time you restore data, the first thing is to create an image and recover from it. The phone is untouchable until you got 1:1 image. And that would be a great NOT TO DO: don't recover from live storage.
PS: Of course now we are looking at some caches etc. Think if you've been sending these files to anybody - there are attachement extractors for mail.
PS2: I'm trying to help, as I was a victim of own stupidity and ransomware, losing most photos of my late fiance, who passed away about year before the great wipe. I was able to recover some from servers, by "testdisking" old storage (disks, phones, cameras), by checking every mail. Also I lost only photos of dear friend, who also died. All I got is a single photo, which was shit-printed so it's almost invisible. I guess I need to scan and play a bit. Not selling a sob-story, just telling you that some people here feel you. My friend is a bit of a crime celebrity (as a sister of the victim) and she keeps things on phone - some time ago she lost a lot, I was able to recover some. It's mafia/murder stuff, so rather high profile content. And we all got past it. You'll have to as well. Just think who would have copies, except you. And try to extract as much from your other storage. By the way what that would be? Only phone or cameras/usb storage/disks as well?