recovering deleted folders

[rarebird]

I committed the cardinal sin of not having a back up folder for around 1300 photos which I deleted in error through the file directory box when in photo mechanic.
I thought it would not be a problem and went to the recycle bin to find the folder not there.
Can you tell me why the delete from disk does not go via the recycle bin please.

[Kirk Baker]

I committed the cardinal sin of not having a back up folder for around 1300 photos which I deleted in error through the file directory box when in photo mechanic.
I thought it would not be a problem and went to the recycle bin to find the folder not there.
Can you tell me why the delete from disk does not go via the recycle bin please.

What is this "file directory box"?  If it's the one provided by the OS (a file or folder chooser dialog), then you'd have to ask Microsoft.

It is very likely that your photos and that directory still exist on your disk unless you have added a lot more files to your disk since the delete.  There are many programs freely available that will recover deleted files.  Here is one:

https://www.easeus.com/data-recovery/deleted-recovery-software/free-undelete-tool-program.htm

I have not tried this software personally.  I searched via Google, "Windows undelete utility" and this was one of many available.

-Kirk

[Hayo Baan]

If you used the contact sheet to delete your photos then it should have gone via the recycle bin. Where they perhaps on an external drive? If so make sure the drive is connected when looking in the recycle bin; the recycle bin is local to the drive (volume). This at least is the way it is supposed to work on Mac, on Windows, I'm not sure.

[mpw1950]

Sometimes if you delete a folder with a lot of data, big or many files it is too big for the Windows Recycle Bin swo does not save them there. Usually if you do it from a Win tool like File Explorer but Isuspect other applications just delete them anyway.

In the past I have used Recuva undelete files, there is a free version available if you do a search. It might take some time to find and recover them though especially if the disk is large. Find it at: https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva. If I recall I think Sandisk, and perhaps Lexar, bundle it with their memory cards as well