[GDH]

At the start of your drive there is an index (much like a book) to every file on your drive. It is called the Master File Table (MFT).

Every file on your PC has an entry in the MFT. This records includes information about where on the disk the data for the file is located.

When you defrag your computer, you are playing with the MFT. You are telling the computer to re-organize the files so that they each file occupies conseutive storage locations and the file data is moved to the start of the drive. This is all done so it take the computer less time to reach and read the file - i.e. an increase in speed/performance.

In your situation, Recover My Files is finding the MFT - which is why it is getting the full file and folder structure. However, when Recover My Files follows the MFT record pointers out to the data locations, it is finding random data.

This is common with your type of problem - the MFT has screwed up and now no longer points to the correct location on the drive for the file data.

You have two options;

1. You can try running a Complete Format Recover on the physical drive for the default selected file types, and let this search run all the way to the end. You may find that in addition locating the corrupt file system, that you also find a second one that contains valid records.

2. Run a Complete File Search on the physical drive for specific file types. You will probably not get the original file and folder name, but you will find the specific file types which are recognized by their header and footer. These files will be called "Recovered_FileType_x".