I use windows 7 professional. I bought a larger hd so I created a system image of my existing disk on my western digital Harddrive (WindowsSystemImage). I restored it to the new drive using windows and delete the WindowsSytemImage off the western digitial. To my horror I discovered that the Windows System image didn't restore to my harddrive and I had already deleted the Windows Systems image. I haven't used the external drive so all data image is still there but the drive shows clear. I have used to many software restore/recover program and many find alot of data but once retrieved it is corrupt or the pictures can't be viewed or the pdf is not decoded correctly. I suspect this is because windows restores the files in a specific way, and none of the software I have used has managed to find a directory called Windows System Image. IT does however find one boot sector and many files below that but all garbage. Can anybody give me any advice how to get this data of image back. I have 20years of pictures on this image that I really don't want to lose. Come on windows 7 experts there must be someone with some idea what to do. Please help!!! I had the same experience once, try this boot your system hook up your external drive with the system image on it. Now just navigate to the system image right click the MAIN FOLDER and select take ownership. this will allow the current install to see the folder and use it after you reboot. Forgot to mention make sure you have windows set to view hidden system files or use a third party file browsing utility like total commander and set it to show hidden files. Then navigate to the folder and take ownership. Please remember to flag a post that helps you as "answer" so that it may help others with same problems.

I use windows 7 professional. I bought a larger hd so I created a system image of my existing disk on my western digital Harddrive (WindowsSystemImage). I restored it to the new drive using windows and delete the WindowsSytemImage off the western digitial. To my horror I discovered that the Windows System image didn't restore to my harddrive and I had already deleted the Windows Systems image. I haven't used the external drive so all data image is still there but the drive shows clear. I have used to many software restore/recover program and many find alot of data but once retrieved it is corrupt or the pictures can't be viewed or the pdf is not decoded correctly. I suspect this is because windows restores the files in a specific way, and none of the software I have used has managed to find a directory called Windows System Image. IT does however find one boot sector and many files below that but all garbage. Can anybody give me any advice how to get this data of image back. I have 20years of pictures on this image that I really don't want to lose. Come on windows 7 experts there must be someone with some idea what to do. Please help!!!

I have very good experience with Kroll Ontrack for system recovery. They offer both interactive, do-it-yourself and physical recovery services. I have used their EasyRecovery software with great luck. It is not free, but worth the money if you have lost something. I believe their trial software will let you see what can be recovered before you actually purchase a licence. http://www.krollontrack.com/data-recovery/recovery-software/