How can I recover files lost from folder copy operation?

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Level 1

0 points

How can I recover files lost from folder copy operation?

Hi,

I lost 100+ files from folder copy operation. Here is what I did.

I drag a folder named myFiles to a parent folder containing an existing folder with the same name, myFiles. so since an existing folder is on the computer, the system asked me if I want to copy. After I confirm, folder copied but old contents of the original folder were gone!!! I was expecting Mac OS would do content merge, but it appears that it did a remove and add operation.

How can I recover the original files? are there tools out there that can perform file recovery for this situation?

Thanks!

BJ

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)

Posted on Apr 2, 2014 11:06 PM

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Answer 1

1992ASA

Level 1

38 points

Apr 2, 2014 11:13 PM in response to bjfromca

try (command+Z) to undo the operation

or

you may use third party app

R-Studio;

Removed by virus attack or power failure;
After the partition with the files was reformatted, even for different file system;
Deleted from computer;
When the partition structure on a hard disk was changed or damaged. In this case, R-Studio for Mac can scan the hard disk trying to find previously existing partitions and recover files from found partitions.
From hard disk with bad sectors. R-Studio for Mac can first copy the entire disk or its part into an image file and then process the image file. This is especially useful when new bad sectors are constantly appearing on the hard disk, and remaining information must be immediately saved.

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Answer 2

thomas_r.

Level 7

32,031 points

Apr 3, 2014 4:42 AM in response to bjfromca

Do you have backups? If not, and if it's too late to try an "undo" (which may not work anyway), then you may not be able to get those files back. If you are in this situation, the take-away lesson is: start backing up regularly!!!

You can try file recovery, which provides no guarantees but could get some (or if you're lucky, all) of your files back. See:

http://www.thesafemac.com/recovering-deleted-files/

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