I’m having a problem with a PSD file that I created on a Windows XP with Photoshop CS4.  I made a silly accident by turning off the electricity before the PC closed down (not a laptop). As I turned on the PC again it had lost the profile settlings, but I could find all my programs and all my files. Everything worked fine except for that one PSD file.  When I open a PSD file in PS CS4 I can see a little preview of the PSD file before opening it and I can see the preview of this one file, but the program says I can’t open it with the version I have. It is very strange since I used that same program to make the file. I’ve tried an newer version, but I didn’t work. My wish is to at least open and print it. I hope someone will help me: Is it lost or can it be saved?

PSD File Corruption

It sounds as though the interrupted shutdown "corrupted" the PSD file. When a computer shuts down unexpectedly, this can cause problems with files of all types including system files, Microsoft Word document files, digital photos, PSD files, and so on. It generally affects files that were open at the time of the unexpected shutdown.

Recover PSD Files Option 1

You can try a couple of different options in an attempt to recover your damaged PSD file. The first one involves seeing if a "temporary" copy is available. If so, you can open the temporary copy and then save it as a new PSD file. To do this, go into Windows Explorer (right-click Start and choose Explore) and search for a Photoshop Temporary folder. If you find such a folder, open it and look for a temporary PSD file with the same name as the file you lost. Double click to open it and then save it as a new PSD with a new name.

Recover PSD Files Option 2

If the first option doesn't work or a temporary file matching your original is not longer available, the next option is to use a PSD recovery tool. Many such programs exist. For example, go to CNET Downloads and enter "PSD recovery" into its search tool and you should be able to find several options, some of which may be free. In addition, if the file is 100 MB or less in size, there's a free online PSD recovery tool available over at OfficeRecovery.com. However, you might want to read the terms and conditions to make sure that you'll be able to access the repaired file without charge.

Check Your Backup Software for Prior Versions

A final option, which may or may not be an option, is to check your backup for an earlier version of the file. If you have an online backup service such as Carbonite, you may have a working copy of the damaged PSD file that you can use. Some backup programs backup new and changed files in nearly real time, so if you have such a service, it's worth checking to see if you have a good backup copy available.

Damaged SDHC Cards

Sounds like you learned a hard lesson about removing media from a computer without properly closing it out. While removing a memory card without first going through the motions of closing it doesn't always result in corruption, it often does. This doesn't mean that the entire contents of the card are damaged. Your card may not be recognizable because its master boot record or file allocation table is damaged. Fortunately, it sounds as though the underlying files, or at least some of them, are still intact. The challenge here is getting to those underlying files.

Data Recovery Software

Data recovery software is designed to bypass typical routes to a storage device's contents and go directly to the data. It doesn't need a "table of contents" so to speak in order to see files. That's why data recovery software is so effective at recover deleted files and files from reformatted drives. After all, the files are not instantly erased when deleted or when the drive has been reformatted; rather, the master indexes referencing those files is altered.

ParetoLogic Data Recovery Trial Software

ParetoLogic Software has a data recovery program, aptly named Data Recovery, that it makes available as a free trial. The trial version won't recover your files, but it should be able to tell you if it sees them. If it does, then you can upgrade to the fully functional commercial version with confidence. The program recognizes portable storage devices that can be read as drive letters and can recover all types of files including video files. Try the trial version and scan your card. If the trial version lists your video files, consider buying the product and recovering the videos once and for all. Note that a "pro" version is also available. For your needs, the standard version will do the trick.

Fortunately for you, recovering Yahoo email that has been deleted from the trash folder is now easier than ever before. However, there are no guarantees and the faster you move (within 24 hours), the more reliable the following strategy is.

What Yahoo Has to Say about Deleted Yahoo Mail

The bottom line is that recovery of your deleted Yahoo mail is not guaranteed. While Yahoo will make an effort to restore your messages, no promises are made to do so. Of course, the request for deleted emails to be recovered must be made within 24 hours of receiving the email or Yahoo cannot restore it for you.

How to Undelete Yahoo Trash

If your deleted email was received less than 24 hours ago, you can complete a Yahoo form to request its retrieval. The form is available on Yahoo's Help section. Select the appropriate form for the version of Yahoo that you are using (Yahoo! Mail Classic or All New Yahoo! Mail), and fill it in. Yahoo conducts a recovery mission that retrieves all emails that had been sent to you during the time period given. Yahoo may or may not be able to resend the emails.

Recover Yahoo Mail Using Data Recovery Application

If the Yahoo emails that you want to recover were opened on your personal computer, you can obtain a data recovery application such as Data Recovery Pro to see if your messages can be retrieved. I suggest running the free scan first as Yahoo is a web-based email application and the data recovery software might not be able to access the information that you are seeking.

Recover Yahoo Mail Downloaded to Computer

If you forward your Yahoo emails to a different email account via POP3 channels, then you might be able to recover a copy of the email from your computers hard drive. First check the trash folder. Next, check your trash bin for the computer. Finally, run a scan to try and "find" the missing emails. Alternatively, you can try a data recovery application in an attempt to locate the missing emails.

The Purpose for Recovery Discs

Recovery discs are often provided by computer manufacturers as a means of resetting your computer to its factory condition. They often contain tools for partial recoveries as well as full recoveries. When using the recovery discs, it's crucial to pay attention to all prompts and understand the consequences of each action.

When using the recovery disc to reset the computer to its factory condition, all of the data and programs as well as all system updates and personal settings currently on your computer will be removed. In their place will be all the original operating system and any preinstalled programs that came with the computer. Your computer will look just as it did when you originally purchased it. However, if you've since changed out any hardware, your new hardware may not be recognized as the drivers for the new equipment is not pre-loaded on the recovery disc.

After Using Recovery Discs

When a recovery goes well, there's still a lot of work to be done. For example, the operating system will need to be updated with the latest updates, security software installed, network configured, email configured, programs installed, data restored from backups (if any), recently added hardware reinstalled with the appropriate drivers, and so on. When a recovery goes bad as yours did, there's even more work involved.

It sounds as though perhaps the hard disc was reformatted which could have been one of the options presented by the recovery disc. However, if you're using a different video card or monitor than the computer originally came with, it's possible that the recovery went well but you can't see that because nothing is appearing on your screen. When you can't see what's on screen, it's hard to troubleshoot or even install the appropriate drivers. If you think that the video card or monitor may be the issue, try inserting the disc for the new hardware and then rebooting the computer. Upon reboot, the computer may search for drivers for the "new hardware discovered" and may find the drivers if the disc is installed.

If you don't think the video card or monitor is to blame and you believe that the disc has been wiped completely clean, you may be able to use the recovery disc to at least install the operating system and original programs. Place the disc in the drive and reboot. You should be prompted with choices for recovering the system to its original state.

Recovering Data

If your computer has been restored to factory condition, your data will no longer be accessible - unless you use data recovery software. Even with data recovery software, some data may have been overwritten. However, for about $50 or so, you can use a data recovery product such as ParetoLogic's Data Recovery to get most of it back. This program has a free scanner that will tell you what data is available for recovery. If you decide recovering that lost data is worthwhile, you'll need to purchase the full version in order to recover it.  

I have been there. It is so devastating when you think that you have lost your files forever. Fortunately, this does not need to be the case. Whether you have lost your data on a USB stick, CD, the hard drive, or an electronic device, you can get it back again.

How to Recover Formatted Video File: the Basics

Fortunately for many of us, certain applications have been created that can help us to retrieve files that we have inadvertently deleted or have lost due to formatting issues. Video recovery is accomplished in much the same way that you would recover other data that has been lost- with a data recovery application.

How Is It Possible to Recover Files After Formatting?

When a disk or drive is formatted, the file is not erased. It is the reference to the file that has been removed. You can no longer see the file when you search for it. However, the file is still there unless it is written over with new data. It is possible to use data recovery software to retrieve the missing file. The software can see the file even though you cannot. The software bypasses the allocation tables and goes directly to the location where files have been stored. It retrieves the files and allows you to select which files you wish to restore.

How to Recover Formatted Video File: Using Data Recovery Pro

One program that I can recommend is Data Recovery Pro. This powerful application can retrieve data from most handy cams in many cases. As long as you haven't written over the file already, you should be able to use Data Recovery Pro to retrieve it. Simply purchase, download, and install the application onto your computer. Attach your handy cam. The software should detect the handy cam.

Data Recovery Pro provides a handy series of steps that you follow in order to retrieve the lost files. You can follow these prompts to recover your data even though it has been formatted.

Using Data Recovery Pro to Retrieve Handy Cam Files

For the best results, make sure that you hook your handy cam up to the computer before launching the software. Additionally, the software needs to be able to access the handy cam as though it is a removable hard drive so make sure that is how it is labeled. It will probably be listed as "E" drive or something similar.

Web-Based or Computer Based Emails?

While it is possible to recover some deleted email messages, even if the Trash folder has been emptied, the first task is to identify whether the email is stored in a Web-based account such as Yahoo Mail or Gmail or locally on your personal computer. If you use an email client such as Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, or Windows Live Mail to download the messages to your computer, you have far more email recovery options than if you simply access your Web-based email messages online.   

Recovering Web-Based Emails

For cases when a message has not yet been emptied out of the Trash folder, recovery is a simple matter of opening the Trash folder, finding the message, and moving it back to the Inbox.

Unfortunately, if you are using a Web-based email account such as Yahoo Mail or Gmail and the Trash folder has been emptied, then the message is gone for good. According to Yahoo Mail's help files, "When messages are emptied from the trash folder, they are permanently deleted from the Yahoo! Mail server and cannot be recovered."

Similarly, Google has this to say about recovering trashed email messages, "If you've deleted a message permanently, by clicking Delete Forever in your Spam or Trash, it isn't possible to recover the message."

Recovering Computer Based Email Messages

If you are using an email client that downloads emails to your computer, email recovery may be possible. Like Web-based emails, if the messages are in the Trash or Deleted Items folder, recovery is a matter of dragging and dropping the messages back into the Inbox. However, this isn't the case so you will need to invest in a software product designed for recovering email messages in order to recover your emails.

Before you run out and buy a data recovery program, it's important to understand how data recovery works. When a file or email message is deleted and then "permanently deleted" by emptying the Recycle Bin or Trash folder, it's not instantly deleted. In fact, the file or message remains intact until a new file is created and occupies the original space on the hard drive. You can no longer view the deleted file because Windows has hidden it and marked the location as "free space." Until new files overwrite the data, deleted files and messages can be recovered with data recovery tools.

Email data recovery is slightly more complex than standard data recovery because email clients like Outlook store email messages in "PST" files. Standard data recovery programs may not be compatible with your email client, so make sure to select a data recovery program that is designed for your email client.

For example, we often recommend ParetoLogic's Data Recovery Pro version because it can recover Outlook and Outlook Express messages. In fact, the demo version will even show you if the emails are recoverable or not. You can download the Data Recovery Pro scanner before you buy the full featured version and find out if the messages are recoverable or not.

Deleted Emails

Yes! There's a good possibility that you can recover your emails, especially if you use an email client such as Outlook or Windows Live Mail rather than a Web-based email program. This is because email clients store the messages locally on your computer's hard drive where you may be able to perform a data recovery. If you are using a Web-based email program, recovering deleted emails is limited to checking the Deleted Items or Trash folders.

Recover Deleted Emails

Let's start with the basics for recovery deleted emails. When you delete an email message from within the email program, the message is sent to the Deleted Items folder where it will remain until you (or the email program) empty that folder. Depending on the email program's settings, the Deleted Items folder may be set to empty itself every time you close the program. If so, you may not be able to find your deleted emails here. It's worth checking though, so click on the Deleted Items folder and see if you can find the messages that you want to restore. Once found, simply drag the messages into the Inbox.

Data Recovery Software

If it's too late and your Deleted Items folder has been emptied, another option exists: data recovery software. Data recovery software can recover files that have been deleted or even wiped clean from formatting because when a file is deleted or the drive formatted, the file hasn't really been deleted and the formatting doesn't actually erase data. Instead, deletions and formatting cause changes to the master file system index. When a file is deleted, the index is modified so that the file no longer is displayed. The space that the file occupies is then marked as "free space" which can later be overwritten. Formatting makes similar changes though on a much larger scale.

Data recovery software ignores the index and looks for the actual file. If found, you can easily recover it. Not that not just any data recovery utility will do. Email files are complex with different recovery processes than standard files. Use a product specifically designed to recover email files. We recommend Data Recovery Pro which is capable of recovering Outlook and Outlook Express files. Try the free download first to see if the emails are good candidates for recovery. If so, you will need to purchase the full version in order to extract the messages.

Searching for Lost Photos

My first question is about the overwritten photos. I assume you mean that the photos on the PC are no longer there and were replaced by a new set of photos? Or do you mean the photos in the camera were overwritten when you took newer photos? The first thing I would do is double check the photo folder on your computer to be sure that they aren't really there. For example, did you know that you can sort your images by date rather than name? Since you know the photos were taken a few days ago, it should be fairly easy to sort the photo folder by date and then scan through the list to see if they appear. Here's how:

• Right-click the Start button and choose Explore
• Navigate to the photo storage folder, typically labeled My Pictures or Pictures (if you store your photos elsewhere, navigate to that folder)
• Click the dropdown arrow next to View and select the view that you prefer. For example, if you want to see a small preview of the image, select medium icon.
• Now, click the Date Taken box, this will sort all images in the file based on date. Clicking it again toggles it from ascending to descending order. If you know the exact date, click the dropdown box next to Date Taken and select the date on the calendar. This will filter the images to only those that were taken on the selected date.

Any luck?  

Recovering Photos

Once you confirm that the photos are not there, the next step is to check your digital camera. Many photo transfer programs delete the photos from the camera once downloaded, so they may be deleted. Not to worry! It is possible to recover your earlier photos with data recovery software. Data recovery software works on hard drives as well as peripheral devices such as digital cameras so long as you can connect the camera or its memory card to your computer and view its contents as a drive letter such as the E:\ drive.

Data recovery software typically costs about $30-$40, so you'll need to weigh the value of the photos against the cost of the software. We recommend ParetoLogic Data Recovery software. In this case, you do not need the "Pro" version as the standard version does a fine job of recovering photos. What's neat about this software is that you can download a free scanner version to find out if your photos are recoverable from either your digital camera or your hard drive. If the scanner finds the photos, you will then need to purchase the full version to recover them. On the other hand, if the photos are not recoverable, you will not have spent any money on a fruitless search.

The software is easy to use. I would start with scanning the digital camera. If the photos aren't found there, then try the hard drive. Data recovery works on a basic principle: when data is deleted, it isn't deleted until new data occupies its address on the disk or media; only the entry to the file and graphical pointers to it are removed. It's like tearing out the table of contents of a book. Just because the table of contents page is gone, the chapters remain.

If undo doesn't work then we recommend Data Recovery Pro (direct download .exe file extension ) from ParetoLogic Software which has built-in email recovery features. In fact, this tool has a free scanner so that you can see if your Facebook emails are recoverable before you invest any money in the product.

Recovering Facebook Emails

When Facebook sends emails to you, it sends them to the email address that you have on file with Facebook and according to the settings you have specified. Recovering the Facebook emails will depend on how you received them in the first place. For example, do your Facebook email messages arrive in Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express or Windows Live Mail or do you check your email account online such as via Gmail?

Email Recovery Steps

The first step for both email software and Web-based email is to check your Deleted Messages or Deleted Items folder. If you deleted the messages but have not yet emptied your Deleted Messages folder, the messages will be waiting for you. Simply click the folder and browse through the list in search of the missing Facebook emails. Another option is to use your email program's search box to search all folders for messages from Facebook.

Email Recovery Software

Now, what if you emptied the Deleted Messages folder? If you emptied a Web-based folder, then you are out of luck unless you downloaded the messages to your computer. On the other hand, if you opened the messages from either Outlook, Outlook Express, or Windows Live Mail, you do have options! Email recovery software exists for recovering deleted messages. You need to be careful to select a data recovery program that has specific capabilities for recovering email messages for your specific email application. 

Recover Deleted Facebook Messages

Here's another situation: What if you deleted a message on Facebook and want to recover it? If you have the original email notification that Facebook sent you, open that notification and scroll down to the section that says, "To reply to this message, follow the link below" and then click the link. Since the message has been deleted, you won't see it; however, a new link will be provided labeled, "Show deleted thread." Click the link and view the deleted message.

I'm not sure if you are talking about Outlook or Outlook Express though I suspect you mean Outlook Express as that version of Microsoft's e-mail client came preinstalled with Windows whereas Microsoft Outlook is part of the Microsoft Office suite and is usually installed after the fact. With that in mind, let's examine how you can start sending and receiving emails once again.

Need to Recover Lost MS Outlook Data? Download this scanner and find out what's recoverable

Outlook Express Program Deleted or Just its Shortcut?

First, let's make sure that the actual program has been deleted and not its shortcut. For example, if the icon that you normally use to launch Outlook Express is missing, the actual program may still be hanging out on your computer wondering why you haven't launched it lately.

Go to the Start button and right-click it. Choose Explore. Depending on your operating system, the Outlook Express file may be in one of several locations. Navigate to:

• C:\Windows\Application Data\Outlook Express\{unique long number}

• C:\Documents and Settings\<User>\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{unique long number}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

• C:\Program Files\Outlook Express

You are searching for a file called msimn.exe which is the application file that launches Outlook Express. Alternately, you could click on the hard drive's root directory (usually C) and then enter msimn.exe into the Search bar.

If you find msimn.exe, right-click it and then choose Create Shortcut. Once the shortcut has been created, drag it to the desktop. Double click the new shortcut, and Outlook Express should launch.

Reinstalling Outlook Express

Microsoft no longer offers Outlook Express downloads as it has since been replaced by Windows Live Mail. In the past, you could simply reinstall Internet Explorer which included Outlook Express, but the newer versions of Internet Explorer no longer come with this mail program. Therefore, you'd need to download an older version of Internet Explorer such as Internet Explorer 6. The preceding link takes you to a download page where you can do this.

Download Windows Live Mail

If you'd rather not download an old browser simply to get Outlook Express back, why not instead make the leap to Outlook Express's successor, Windows Live Mail? It's similar to Outlook Express so there's not a big learning curve. It also has a lot of neat new features including an integrated calendar, support for multiple Web mail accounts, and an RSS feed reader. You can download Windows Live Mail here as long as you have Windows XP Service Pack 2 (32-bit version) or Windows Vista.

Recovering Old Emails

If your old emails are lost too, a product such as ParetoLogic's Data Recovery Pro can recover deleted Outlook Express 6 messages. It also recovers Microsoft Outlook 2003 and 2007 messages. You would need the Pro version rather than the free scanner or standard version in order to recover deleted messages. Depending on how valuable they are to you, the Pro version may be a real value. Try the free scan first to make sure that the files are indeed recoverable.  

Hopefully all you need is a new shortcut and all of these additional steps will be unnecessary.