# Please Help, I'm in a pinch! - "This File Could Not Be Found"



## LR Dummy (Oct 16, 2018)

*My worst nightmare* - FIRST time I've charged for photography (wopping $40) and I accidents delete the photos. I HAVE to find a way to recover these! I tried to download the "scripts zip" file...that didn't work because it's not showing on my toolbar like it is on the YouTube person's toolbar...

I can see the images...but once I click develop on the photos I need, it is showing "The file could not be found". *HOW DO I RESTORE THE PHOTOS?* I'm in a huge pinch. Does anyone know what to do? Any help, guidance, etc. would be so so appreciated! 

Before anyone asks - 1. I'm dumb and deleted all the images off the SD Disk. 2. I think this has happened because I didn't "Remove" I "Deleted from Disk" - my first mistake. I did that because I thought it was downloaded to LR, turns out it's now. Lesson learned.

PLEASE help me! Thank you thank you thank you!


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## Zenon (Oct 17, 2018)

Where do you see them? Where are they located? Do you still have them on the card?


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## BarrySchwartz (Oct 17, 2018)

Unless you've already over-written the files, they may still be accessible on the card (s) and on the hard drives.  A little background: formatting or erasing cards and hard drives does not usually  delete them off the drive, it simply tells the camera or the computer that space is available to write more data.  So, the thing to do is to immediately stop using the card or drive where the image files were because of the danger of over-writing the data, and use a data delivery software to recover the files.  Be aware that it can take a long time, sometimes hours (but not usually), and that you'll recover everything that's on a card or drive, including things you thought you'd deleted a long time ago.  It's worth the wait!  Following are some apps, both Mac and PC, that are worth using.  The ones I use are Data Rescue and Stellar Data Recovery; both I believe will work on either a card or a drive.  Good luck!  
 Active File Recovery – PC - Erased file recovery tool - [email protected] File Recovery - for deleted files and damaged disks
 Data Backup - Automatic Backup Software - Data Backup - For Mac & PC
 Picture Rescue and Data Rescue - Prosoft - Data Recovery Software and Services - Prosoft Engineering, Inc.
 Rescue Pro – Sandisk - Mac and PC - Data Recovery | LC Technology Int'l | Recovery Software & Services
 Softambulance - SoftAmbulance: Recover lost Disks, Photos, Partitions, Emails, Video and Databases
 Stellar Data Recovery – Mac and PC - Data Recovery Software, Tools & Services – Stellar Data Recovery


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## Replytoken (Oct 17, 2018)

Did you import the images to your drive or did you add them to LR from your SD card?  If you did the former, they may be somewhere on your drive.  If the latter, than you should follow BarrySchwartz's advice above.

--Ken


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## Zenon (Oct 17, 2018)

They have to be otherwise the OP  would never see them.


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## Replytoken (Oct 17, 2018)

Zenon said:


> They have to be otherwise the OP  would never see them.


The OP may be seeing LR previews.

--Ken


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## Philippe Coudé du Foresto (Oct 17, 2018)

If you did import the photos on your HD and then click "Delete from disk" in LR, Lr effectively removed the files from disk but put them on the recycle bin.
In his case, you can restore your photos from the recycle bin, and then reimport them in LR (but you won't restore any settings you might have done on the photos)


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## LR Dummy (Oct 17, 2018)

Philippe Coudé du Foresto said:


> If you did import the photos on your HD and then click "Delete from disk" in LR, Lr effectively removed the files from disk but put them on the recycle bin.
> In his case, you can restore your photos from the recycle bin, and then reimport them in LR (but you won't restore any settings you might have done on the photos)


What if I'm an idiot and empty my recycle bin? Am I lost without words there again...? Oh goodness.


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## LR Dummy (Oct 17, 2018)

Zenon said:


> Where do you see them? Where are they located? Do you still have them on the card?


I see the photos ONLY in Lightroom under the folder I first uploaded. I have emptied my recyling bin since...so chances there they might be gone? But I can SEE the photos I took, I just can't find them.


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## LR Dummy (Oct 17, 2018)

BarrySchwartz said:


> Unless you've already over-written the files, they may still be accessible on the card (s) and on the hard drives.  A little background: formatting or erasing cards and hard drives does not usually  delete them off the drive, it simply tells the camera or the computer that space is available to write more data.  So, the thing to do is to immediately stop using the card or drive where the image files were because of the danger of over-writing the data, and use a data delivery software to recover the files.  Be aware that it can take a long time, sometimes hours (but not usually), and that you'll recover everything that's on a card or drive, including things you thought you'd deleted a long time ago.  It's worth the wait!  Following are some apps, both Mac and PC, that are worth using.  The ones I use are Data Rescue and Stellar Data Recovery; both I believe will work on either a card or a drive.  Good luck!
> Active File Recovery – PC - Erased file recovery tool - [email protected] File Recovery - for deleted files and damaged disks
> Data Backup - Automatic Backup Software - Data Backup - For Mac & PC
> Picture Rescue and Data Rescue - Prosoft - Data Recovery Software and Services - Prosoft Engineering, Inc.
> ...


Barry, thank you so much for all your advice. I have one question though...I have taken these photos back in June. My friends are JUST now wanting these photos. I have deleted them from the SD card awhile back...and as far as a "drive". I don't have an external hard drive. I just simply import the photos from the camera to a folder saved on my desktop. I have since then THOUGHT I save the folder else where and I can't find the photos now. Would it still be somewhere on my computer ??


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## Hal P Anderson (Oct 17, 2018)

If you can see your images in Lightroom, then you didn't delete them from Lightroom. The question we need answered, is where does LR think the images are? Right click on the photo in LR and choose "Show Photo in Finder". You'll get a message box that says that the image can't be found and then it will list where the image was imported to. Please tell us what that is. An exact copy of the text would be great.

If LR lists your SD card as the location of the missing file, you'll have to use a recovery program to pull the deleted files off of your SD card.
If it lists some folder on your hard drive, then you might have other options.


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## Replytoken (Oct 18, 2018)

Have you been using Time Machine or any other program to back up your files?

--Ken


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## LR Dummy (Oct 24, 2018)

Replytoken said:


> Have you been using Time Machine or any other program to back up your files?
> 
> --Ken


No I have not...


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## Roelof Moorlag (Oct 24, 2018)

Ok, you can see the images in Lightroom. Does there apear an questionmark on the folder where they are imported to? Or any exlamation marks on the pictures?


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## LR Dummy (Oct 24, 2018)

Roelof Moorlag said:


> Ok, you can see the images in Lightroom. Does there apear an questionmark on the folder where they are imported to? Or any exlamation marks on the pictures?


No there is not an exclamation mark on the photo no is there a question mark on the folder. The only thing I can see are the photos in the folder.


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## Roelof Moorlag (Oct 24, 2018)

Hal P Anderson said:


> If you can see your images in Lightroom, then you didn't delete them from Lightroom. The question we need answered, is where does LR think the images are? Right click on the photo in LR and choose "Show Photo in Finder". You'll get a message box that says that the image can't be found and then it will list where the image was imported to. Please tell us what that is. An exact copy of the text would be great.


Do what Hal suggested (and make some screenshots).


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## LR Dummy (Oct 24, 2018)

LR Dummy said:


> No there is not an exclamation mark on the photo no is there a question mark on the folder. The only thing I can see are the photos in the folder.


Yes there is exclamation marks!!


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## LR Dummy (Oct 24, 2018)

Roelof Moorlag said:


> Do what Hal suggested and make some screenshots


There is nothing when I click locate! :(


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## Roelof Moorlag (Oct 24, 2018)

LR Dummy said:


> Yes there is exclamation marks!!


That means the originals are not where Lightroom does expect them.
I think your best chance is to recover the photo's from the SD card (if there are no backups at all)


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## LR Dummy (Oct 24, 2018)

Roelof Moorlag said:


> That means the originals are not where Lightroom does expect them.
> I think your best chance is to recover the photo's from the SD card (if there are no backups at all)


Okay and by removing them I would need to purchase a program for that?


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## Roelof Moorlag (Oct 24, 2018)

LR Dummy said:


> I would need to purchase a program for that?


I think there is software out there you can use for free but there are also commercial programs available like the one Barry mentioned.
With my Sandisk cards there was 'RescuePro DeLuxe' included.


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## Roelof Moorlag (Oct 24, 2018)

Because the images once were on your computer another option is to do a rescue on your hard drive also.


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