Erm...don't snap any more pictures. Computers are built to be lazy. I'm serious.

What's the first level of delete that a computer does?

You know. When you use that 'delete' function on the PC or the camera.

Here's what level 1 does. It goes into the directory and changes the very first character into a special ASCII code. When the directory looks for file information, it doesn't post files with this ASCII code in it. THAT IS IT!!! All the data that makes up the picture? Still there. The directory information on how to put things back together? Still there.

So...HOW do you hack the code out of your 'deleted' files? Well. I thought Windows had kept the 'Undelete' command somewhere in the shadows of their OS. But, that might have vanished past Win 95. Instead, there's software out there that can do the job. Just a couple seconds of searching and I already found one. ( http://www.cardrecoverypro.com/?cat.....endix=pictures ) But, then, finding the non-free software is easier then the free ones. :/

Erm...that is right. You said 'format'. Well, even format is a complex form of lazy. The computing may be doing a bit more. But, the data is still there.

format = erasing everything including the card!! AUUGGHHH!!!

Statement == FALSE.

Son, you can FORMAT that card all day long and the FBI can still see what you photographed.

Get a program that's more powerful then just your standard file browser. What's terrible is that MS Dos could do this without needing a third party program. I'm still half convinced that there must be some deeply hidden native program. One of those little tricks like that one that turns all lower case INTO CAPITAL CASE. I...just don't know it.

formatting just rewrites the disk headers. everything else is still there, until, you save something else, which then does write over the top of it. but it starts doing this from the beginning, creating its new index as it goes. anything far enough in not to have yet been written over is still all there, just no indexing as to where it begins and ends.

knowing this has never been particularly useful to me. but again, as with individual files, there are recovery programs.

NOTHING is in cam ZERO!!

What are you using to determine this? The camera's standard interface? Windows 'My Computer' browser? Those won't do diddly squat to recover your files.

"Data: 'Hey McFly, you bojo, those boards don't work on water!'

Whitey: 'Unless you've got POWER!'

[laughs]"

Going to need some real power to work with, IF YOU REALLY DO WANT THOSE PHOTOS BACK. Try hunting down some 'undelete' software in your favorite search engine. Preferably the free variety. (Because that link I had posted above was asking $50.)

Because, if a standard interface is going to stand in the way of your lost photos, then I really do guess that if the interface is asking for a password to proceed, it's the bestest protection scheme that God can possibly make. Pure impenetrability.

Yea, right. And, IF INPUT(X) == Data(Password) THEN PROCEED. ELSE 'fail'.

-= Hackers 101 puzzle... =-

how? its GONE!!!
ALL pix on card is empty!!!
I in another 8mb card & it has same number of pix not taken too!!!
So BOTH cards is empty!!!
ZERO!!

That's why you need the program. So they are not gone. Like magic, they re-appear.

Your standard stuff that comes with camera and Windows will lie to you and tell you they are not there and the card is blank.

"Don't believe it. It's lying."

I wish it was still as easy as instructing to go to DOS Prompt and use 'UNDELETE' command. But, that's like 20 years out of date. Now, it's more like 'seek out the software across the vast web.' And, I used to trust download.com. But, their insistant downloading app installs trojans like WhiteSmoke and such. SO DON'T WANT.