Recovering deleted iPad files?

[coolio2654]

Hey guys, it's been a while since I've been here (over a year I think), so I guess that must mean I'm better at using my mac now , but now I have an urgent iPad question. I recently deleted a lot of important pictures from my iPad that would be hard to find again. No, I didn't sync wth iTunes or iCloud beforehand (now I will in the future). I've recovered lost files on my mac before with stellar phoenix, but is there an app I can download to do the same? or a similar windows recovery tool thats compatible with iPad 1 (must be windows since I'm far away from any macs). Please help me out guys, I know I can't use my iPad at all until the fles are recovered lest the os overwrite them. Forwarding my most genuine thanks to those who who help me.

[DeltaMac]

I've not found an app that will help you out. The apps available appear to help out only with retrieving files from your synced backup - and you say that you don't have one...
There seems to be other apps that are mentioned on some sites promising direct recovery from iOS devices - that are just promised "Coming soon!"
If your data is really important, you could contact Drivesavers to find out what they charge for that.
Maybe someone else may add good info, but I don't see anything promising for your situation.

[coolio2654]

I think I've found a solution. Will Stellar Phoenix Mac Recovery for Windows work? I just got the free trial but when I pick the iPod option, and "iPod" shows up under the volume directory, I can't select it (and my windows recognizes my conneced ipad so I know there's a working connection). Any one know what's going on with that? Another option I think I have, my ipad last synced (very long ago) with my mac, so it should be HFS formatted, right? So can any regular windows HFS recovery tool work? Please help me out guys, I still really need your help. And please post links to good programs.

[DeltaMac]

Stellar Phoenix won't let you select an iPod, because you don't have an iPod - you have an iPad. iPods may be formatted with HFS, or fat32, depending on what system they have been synced to.
iPads, OTOH, are iOS. There's no direct access to the iOS file system, either on Windows, or from OS X.
http://developer.apple.com/library/m...mOverview.html
has some good info.
The basics are: Because of sandboxing, apps are not allowed to interact with files that are not part of that app.
— from the OS X Developer Library:

iOS apps are limited by their sandbox such that an app can generally only access files created by that app. (Apps can access certain other files such as address book data and photos, but only through APIs specifically designed for that purpose.)

From what I read, that also means that coding an app from another operating system to look for deleted files within all that sandboxing, must be formidable, and no one appears to have an app yet that will do that, at least one that is available to the general public.

Perhaps someone else will post here, and can show where I am wrong...

[coolio2654]

I'm starting to feel there isn't any "easy" option for me to consider. Deltamac, I'm looking into some option now that can mount traditionally my ipad, and that I think would do the trick. I installed now Phone Disk to see if that can help. Should this help?

[DeltaMac]

Yes, that's correct. There seems to be no way to "traditionally mount" your iPad.

[coolio2654]

Might I ask if there is any untraditional way to mount your ipad? And also, I found this http://msftguy.blogspot.com/2010/07/...n-windows.html
I'm not into the jailbreaking community and am not completely sure what the post is about, but what do you think?

[DeltaMac]

If that post means something to you (not to me!), then, by all means, give it a try.
I don't know why you asked about that post, as it makes no sense to me, either, and doesn't appear to be related to file recovery in any way. But, if it makes you feel good to try random things, I suppose that's as good as any other random thing
More on point, there's probably some software available for forensics (for official investigations, law enforcement, etc), but that can only be sold to authorized agencies.
That's why I mentioned Drivesavers a few posts back. They can likely help you - for a price.

Did you try the Phone Disk? That is supposed to 'mount' your iPad. I couldn't tell you if even that will help you retrieve any deleted files.