once trash emptied is it completely gone?

[jonmichael23]

NOOOO!!! I just accidently trashed something really important! Is there any way to retrieve this back, i havent restarted or logged out i just did it on accident it was a very important file that was 250 mb! Any way possible im gonna be able to get this back?

 

[cybergoober]

Assuming you've actually emptied the Trash, as the title suggests… sorry to say, but more than likely you're S.O.L.

When working with "really important" files a good, reliable and frequent backup is worth the trouble…

Again, sorry.

 

[JeffCGD]

NOOOO!!! I just accidently trashed something really important! Is there any way to retrieve this back, i havent restarted or logged out i just did it on accident it was a very important file that was 250 mb! Any way possible im gonna be able to get this back?

If you used the basic Empty Trash command (and not the Secure Empty Trash - in which cash you're FUBAR'ed), then your file is still there. Basic deletion only tells the computer that it can now write over the space where the file is. It's doesn't destroy the data. HOWEVER, you would want to recover the file AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, with software like Norton Utilities Undelete, or a similar tool. The longer you leave it, the more likely that some other file will get written over the location of this deleted file. And then it really WILL be gone for good.

 

[adambyte]

And, also, the more you use your computer, the more likely the file will be written over, and then, really and truly unrecoverable. Turn it off now! NOW! Then order some recovery software such as Norton Utilities, or, TechTool (I think).