I've accidentally deleted a folder with large archive files of HD partitions. The folder is on a non-system volume, nothing was written to it since then, and all archive files are intact. I want to restore the original directory structure (i.e. deleted folder structure) on the same volume, so that the archive files would be visible again in Win Explorer. I have no need and extra HD space to "restore" the archive files to another or same drive, since they are intact (based on recovery packages reports). I just need to restore access to them. What software allows to do that without copying "recovered" files?

Try all the software recommended in the software section. Then if you still have no luck come back and let us know. Search this forum for a few threads - because there are some good recommendations. Its all up to you on this one.

Good Luck

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I don't think your post answers my question even remotely. I didn't ask for general recovery soft recommendations, and don't want to try any packages, since most will not restore a deleted catalog without copying files elsewhere - possibly due to fiscal incentive considerations. I asked for a program advice that someone used for that particular purpose and knows for sure it will do that.

Hence another question: what's the best & most popular independent objective web forum on data recovery, not limited to promoting a few software titles or recovery services?

DMDE

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Hi,
Dmde is great but I see the poster just wants to 'undelete' the folders/files rather than copy them to a target which would be for any professional the correct way to recover data.

I'm not a professional recovery expert (for better or worse). I've a few 40-60Gb archive files on a data drive, and accidentally deleted a folder, where they were collected. The files are intact on HD, nothing was written to it, and I don't have the need and extra space to copy such large archives to. Don't see, how recovering a deleted folder structure can possibly damage any of these files, since the drive has some free space left, and Windows usually writes data, including catalogs to free space not recently freed.

If its a professional way to copy data on a different drive, there may be a lot of reasons for this, objective and fiscal (like charging a lot more for the job not needed in the 1-st place). But not for me. Hence, if DMDE allows to restore a deleted catalog & directory structure without copying its content files elsewhere or on the same drive, someone can explain, how exactly to do it in DMDE? I don't see it specifically mentioned in DMDE Help, and they don't have a dedicated forum.

If you do write files to the source drive, you have possibly burned bridges. Preventing yourself from doing the job over again, e.g because the client found some files still were missing. A professional DR technichian can't allow him/herself to risk client's data in any ways. Cost involved for writing data to another drive is minimal. Suggesting this procedure is performed to inflate fees is insulting.

I suggest you do your own research. Googling "windows undelete files" will bring up many programs. Most will let you try before you buy.

For a client costs depends on time and volume of recovered data. In my case there is no need to re-write files (all are found by R-Studio), only to restore deleted MFT entries of these files. Hence recovered data size will be minimal, unless all files are copied to a new drive creating visibility of huge job done. I searched Google, and its impossible to decipher any good links pointing to a program that does just that. There are plenty of similar purpose recovery packages, yet none I tried will allow to recover directory only without copying files. I can't test every package out there, and it makes no sense - that what forums are for.

The shortest route to a destination is the one you know.

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You just want to recover the MFT? Not the files?!? What's the point??

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No - He wants to un-delete it in such a way that it restores the files back as they were originally.
Like after you delete something and it goes to recycle bin- then from recycle bin you can press restore and it back where it was. Just physically on the HDD it potentially moved 3 times... and fragmented some more.
And it makes sense but what program can do this? re write the MFT structure..

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There might be some utilities on Ultimate Boot CD for Windows or Hiren's Boot Disk that will allow undelete instead of recover.

Not sure, what exact algorithm NTFS Recycle Bin is based on, didn't spend much time deciphering that, but it appears that data is never moved at all, only info added to the deleted files' MFT entries that they were moved to a different folder - Recycle Bin (which is auto emptied periodically - that's the only difference from regular folders), while the file occupy the same disk sectors, and no other info can be written to them. "Restore" is limited to removing these remarks from MFT, so that data appears moved back to its original folders, while never being physically moved across disks. Hence, when Recycle Bin is emptied, these temp MFT entries are deleted, so file sectors get registered as unoccupied. If nothing was written to the disk since then, the only real task is to restore the deleted MFT entries, making sure, the very small restored entries are not written over sectors occupied by the files they refer to.

What particular utilities you refer to? "Undelete" in most means "Copy deleted files to another disk, while preserving original dir structure". What if I don't want to copy any files anywhere at all?

I would like to add that you should work from a clone instead of the original disk while you are attempting to restore files to the same disk.

i really wonder man from where ur getting those images and quote's?
heheheh

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Of course its always better to experiment on a clone, if you have a spare disk, but not everyone has or wants to buy one, depends on many things. Like, why would one need to buy a disk, just because prompted by "best practices", i.e. at times foolish DR marketing tactics? It does depend on recovery task and its history at hand, not black and white.

As to copying files in general, if you drag a file icon to a different folder on the same disk, what's being changed is its MFT entry, but the actual sectors occupied by the file on a physical disk remain the same. If you drag its icon to a different disk or partition (i.e. another file system instance), the file sectors are copied, since the source disk may later be removed, hence its not enough just to add new MFT entries to another file system.

What I don't understand, is that you could have a faster way of getting the files, undeleting them to other disk.

What's the obsession of getting the MFT? Do you really need the files? Or you are experiencing??

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These are partition archives, I don't need them right away. Yes, I want to find another solution rather then copying huge files elsewhere, when there is no objective need for that. So many words, yet no-one managed to name a single software title that can re-create a lost MFT without copying files elsewhere.

Yes, I already heard its not the best practice, DR requires huge company investment and outstanding pros who must be justly remunerated, and already received plenty of good advice options (including square wheel quiz), and managed even insult somebody (or he just wanted to look insulted), sorry and thanks for all that. Now finally the time is right to name a package, which can only re-create MFT. Sorry for being that curious instead of simply hitting the "Easy Button" - following a bitten to death route, someone warm hearted carefully built for you.