You know the pictures were good when you took them and when you looked at them on the computer. But now they're gone. It's the frustration of hobbyists, parents and professionals -- digital photo corruption. Just because your computer isn't currently reading the files does not mean they are lost permanently. There are several programs available for free that can assist in recovering your lost images.
Instructions
1. Visit download.com and search for free image recovery software. The site screens all the programs it offers so your download will be virus free. Choose the software that fits your computer's operating system.
2. Install the downloaded software, following the "read me" and "terms of use" directions. Nearly every program has a bit of direction, and it helps to skim or read these before starting recovery.
3. Open the software and run it, using the menus to direct it at the area where the images are saved. You can run the software on your hard drive folders or partitions, media sticks or memory cards.
4. Allow the software to fully analyze the file where you have the corrupted images and photos saved. Stopping it mid-process could further damage recovery efforts. Depending on the size of the file and the storage capacity of the memory device, it could take a while.
5. Select the images you wish to recover. When the search completes, the software will show you everything it can find, whether the images are new, deleted last week or last year.
6. Save the recovered files to a new location on your computer, and clearly mark the folder. Using burning software, back up the files to a CD or DVD disc and label the contents clearly.
Tags: your computer