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Question

Unable To Access Recovered Files - HELP

Jun 28, 2015 4:16AM PDT

Hello!
Recently a few thousand of my photos were deleted from my external hard drive. I have used several free recovery programs (including Recuva) and most of them have allowed me to see the list of files that I want in their various folders. However, when I try to open them the computer won't let me. The message that pops up is: "Windows photo viewer can't open this picture because either photo viewer doesn't support this file format or you don't have the latest updates to photo viewer".
All of the files are .jpg.
I've been going round and round in circles for the past month searching the internet for answers, and I just can't crack it.
Can anyone help me get my photos back?

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
do they have file endings on them?
Jun 29, 2015 2:58AM PDT

If not, have you put a file ending on one of them and then tried it?

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Yes
Jun 29, 2015 1:16PM PDT

Yeah they have file endings on them. Still made no difference Sad

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Answer
Sorry. Only can try other apps.
Jun 28, 2015 6:49AM PDT

If the recovered files are damaged not much can be done but try another viewer app.

Others will share what they use but I found IRFANVIEW to be pretty good at viewing damaged pictures.

And again, if the files are damaged and there is no backup, no one cracks that. It's why you read so much about have backup copies.

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Try photo recovery tool !
Jun 29, 2015 1:46AM PDT

Have you tried opening the photos with help of another photo viewer app? Does it output the same? I would suggest you to try Stellar photo recovery. You can download it from: http://download.cnet.com/Stellar-Phoenix-Photo-Recovery/3000-12511_4-10398932.html

The software let you view the list of recoverable items, besides that you can click any item from the list and view it in the preview pane. If any item isn’t listed on the preview list, it will not be recoverable at all.

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Re: recovery
Jun 29, 2015 3:29AM PDT

I doubt if that still works if they already are recovered on that external disk by another program. But it's worth a try if the original external disk is unchanged and the (unreadable) recovered files are on another disk.
However, if the program shows the files in trial mode, it might be worth to pay the price for the full version.

Kees

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Hmm...
Jun 29, 2015 1:25PM PDT

Well, the external hard drive was written over one time after my files were deleted (not by me...). I didn't realise what had happened until recently. Does that make a difference? Some of my files have come back, but most of them are unaccessible/unrecoverable.
Thanks for any help you can provide!

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Ifranview
Jun 29, 2015 1:32PM PDT

Hey,
I used Ifranview as a suggestion from the user above. It didn't make a difference. I also tried 2 others that I can't remember the name of now but that didn't work either.
Appreciate the help, although I feel it's a lost cause!

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Didn't work
Jun 29, 2015 1:16PM PDT

Yeah I tried IFRANVIEW like you said, and it didn't work. I think they are lost Sad
Thanks anyway.

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Answer
considering all posts before, I think....
Jun 29, 2015 4:45PM PDT

...you might be the victim of "ransomware" attack. Get any notice to pay a price to recapture your images?