Help HELP! - Cleared Data, lost photos and videos

[motoroladroidraz]

I was clearing data on my Motorola Droid Razr HD (XT926) last night to free up storage. I do not remember touching any photo/video items, but when I was done my photos/videos were gone.

My e-mails and text messages were still there, but kid's photos/videos were gone.

I have an hp laptop running Windows 8 and none of the data recovery options that I've tried recognize my phone through USB connection.

I have never used the cloud and it does not appear that they were saved to the microSD card.

Seriously, I am getting so frustrated trying these options when nothing seems to recognize my phone and I can't even search for them.

Does anyone have any ideas, please?

 

[IHateMyTreo]

Have you tried different modes for your USB connection (under Device Storage)? Your cable is probably good but many have found a difference when not using a moto cable.

 

[motoroladroidraz]

I am using a Motorola USB cable. Under USB Computer Connection, I only have two options:

1) Media Device (MTP)
2) Camera (PTP)

The Mass Storage option that is available on my HTC One is not available here. I am not sure how else to get the CPU to recognize the computer.

I have installed the Motorola Software to my CPU, but that does not help as it relates to the different data recovery options.

 

[Thom]

I'm using a Droid Maxx and Windows 7.

Choose Media device on your phone.
Connect cable.
In Windows File Explorer it should be listed in Portable devices.
Double click on it and explore the file structure.

... Thom

 

[motoroladroidraz]

My computer recognizes my phone just fine.

The problem is: I have not found a single data recovery install that recognizes my phone. As a result, the software will not scan my phone for potential recovery.

 

[Thom]

I have no idea what you did.

The photos are saved in files and could be almost anywhere on your phone (if they still exist).

A poplar place by many apps is the DCIM folder that has subfolders for various applications.

An easy way to investigate with File Explorer from your Windows machine.

You don't want to add new stuff until you have investigated. Perhaps there is some more exotic solutions available that will allow you to recover deleted files (if they are delete).

... Thom

 

[tanware]

If your carrier is Verizon and/or you have Google play as backup there may be hope there. Otherwise if you have physically deleted them I am not sure what to tell you.

 

[trscons]

When I had to change over to a replacement Droid Bionic -- the first one died after 4 years -- VZW had me remove the SIMM card and the micro SD card from the old phone. After installing only the SIMM card in the replacement phone, then starting and signing into Google, VZW had me shut off the replacement phone. After installing the micro SD card and turning on the phone, all pix and extra ring tones were there.

If you mount your micro SD card directly to the ccmputer, using a holder and not through the phone USB, Windows should see the SD card as an additional drive. The contents (if any) should show in File Explorer. HTH.

 

[bolski]

I was clearing data on my Motorola Droid Razr HD (XT926) last night to free up storage. I do not remember touching any photo/video items, but when I was done my photos/videos were gone.

My e-mails and text messages were still there, but kid's photos/videos were gone.

I have an hp laptop running Windows 8 and none of the data recovery options that I've tried recognize my phone through USB connection.

I have never used the cloud and it does not appear that they were saved to the microSD card.

Seriously, I am getting so frustrated trying these options when nothing seems to recognize my phone and I can't even search for them.

Does anyone have any ideas, please?

When you say you cleared data, did you do a factory data reset? If so, and you stored your photos on the internal SD card, then you've lost them. Unless you told your phone to backup your photos to the Google cloud, then they are gone, I'm sorry to say.

The folder to look into, as stated, is /sdcard/DCIM. Usually, there is a Camera and 100Andro folder, so look in all folders there.

Next, go to your external SD card which is at /storage/sdcard1/DCIM and look in there as well to see if the photos/videos are there.

If they are not in either one, then you most likely did a factory data reset which wipes out your internal SD card (it leaves the external alone). Otherwise, if you didn't do an FDR, then you must have accidentally deleted them when you were clearing out files. Not sure how you "cleared" your files (via adb shell or file explorer, etc).