Cannot overwrite deleted emails on free space

Hi again Sabruffian.

That zipped file isn't really there - it's an entry posted by Recuva to show you that emails are available to be recovered. They don't actually already exist in that non-existent zipped folder. They exist in databases that are contained in your Thunderbird profile. When you click that entry in Recuva it activates whatever method Recuva uses to extract deleted emails from your Thunderbird profile and then places them in a real zip file for you.

This is also evidenced by the fact that when you copied your Thunderbird profile for test purposes the number of emails/ file size that was detected by Recuva doubled - yet there were no additional deleted recoverable files present in free space.

Hopefully this helps you to understand. If not consider the following:

Thunderbird is free so there's no harm in fully removing it, rebooting and doing a cleanup with Ccleaner or BleachBit.

Once Thunderbird has been removed and you've cleaned up try running the recover deleted emails option in Recuva again. This assumes that you securely deleted the zipped folder that you actually recovered the emails into in the first place. If you didn't - wipe free space once more before running Recuva.

Or even consider trying other decent data recovery software and focus on deleted files with the .zip extension.

Here's what I use as an alternative to Recuva when I feel like I need a double check.

Lazesoft Recovery Suite Free, Free Windows System Recovery, Free Data Recovery, Free Windows Password Recovery, Free Disk Clone

You can install it on Windows and run it from there. You don't actually need to create a recovery USB/ CD in order to use it.

Start the program and choose the data recovery option then in the window that opens choose the file recovery option. Select drive C and let it search for deleted files.

Use the "File Type" filter to only display deleted .zip files. You can compare the results to your Recuva scan.

Well what I'm asking is why do you think that Recuva suddenly reported that the file size doubled when all you actually did was copy your Thunderbird profile folder?

If you think about it there are two possiblities.

1). That the file doesn't really exist in free space and you could think of it as a "link" that when clicked on activates recovery of deleted emails from your Thunderbird Profile

2). There really is a deleted emails zip file that gets created by thunderbird when you delete emails.

As for it still showing up after removing Thunderbird and wiping space:

Just out of curiosity check the following stuff. Set folder options to show hidden files.



Set the options for the two highlighted items as shown and click "Apply"

Then try navigating to:

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\PROFILENAME.default

See if there's anything there that looks similar to this:



That's where your emails are stored.

Other than that have you ever made a Thunderbird backup using other software or by copying your profile folder? If so - delete the backup(s).

Also see: How Thunderbird handles deleted messages

EDIT
If all trace of Thunderbird has been fully removed, any backups deleted, old profiles or copies of them deleted, recovered email zip deleted and everything securely overwritten - Recuva should not show any results for deleted emails.

Use a file search utility to search for any files on your hard drive with .msf of .sbd extensions.

Previous screenshots - I didn't delete them and can still see them when logged into SF.

Also in that decription of Lazesoft Recovery Suite - I got it slightly wrong. What you'd be lloking for is "Lost Files" rather than filtering results by file type!

sabruffian,

I'm having a hard time understanding where you are seeing the .zip file - you keep mentioning free space and that doesn't clear it up for me.

Please post screen shots of what you see and describe what you're using to see it.
See: Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

Using Callender's image it can be as simple as
I see the file in Explorer and I have the view set to show hidden file and not hide system protected files.

If you see the file only in Recuva, please state that and post an image on Recuva.

Thanks, I still think there is some misunderstanding of the recovery. Let me try to unravel your post. I would have preferred images.

The only time you see the zip file is in Recuva - right?

No files were actually recovered - you only looked to see what could be recovered - right?

You could open the deleted eMails.... in Recuva? This is where you lose me.

It's probably a moot point since you don't want to run Recuva, but if you exclude eMail recovery then you won't see the .zip file in Recuva.

Sounds like you solved it then, glad you worked it out.

Bill
.

Okay so have a go at the following (in order to prevent any further recovery issues)

Compacting folders - MozillaZine Knowledge Base

If you're using IMAP it's easy:

Compacting folders - MozillaZine Knowledge Base

Don't set Thunderbird to move deleted messages to trash and don't synchronize your trash/ deleted emails folder on the sever with Thunderbird.

Compact all folders manually on a regular basis anyway just to be on the safe side.

Here's more screenshots:

Tools> Account Settings> Server Settings



Tools> Account Settings> Synchronization & Storage



Click the advanced tab and remove any ticks in folders named Trash, Bin, Deleted and so on. Expand each folder to be sure that you didn't miss something.

Tools> Options> Advanced (also clear the cache)



Hopefully that covers it!

Well the way I use Thunderbird it's set not to delete anything on the server. If I delete a message in Thunderbird with all settings set as shown in the screenshots then it vanishes from Thunderbird and doesn't reappear but it does remain on the server. It doesn't move to the "Bin" or "Trash" folders in Thunderbird and isn't recoverable using Recuva.

Compacting folders will remove deleted messages and reduce their size.