Hardware Is it possible to recover this save file?

Lodey

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Hi there,

Made a goof and accidentally deleted my save file in Dragon Quest VII. I shut the game off and need to be able to recover that save file. Are there any tools for doing this? I've attached my card to my PC in order to maybe recover the data manually, but I don't have a backup unfortunately.

Hope you all can help, even knowing if this is possible would be great--I spent 32 hours in the game so far and would prefer not to restart. :(
 
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Try scanning for lost or deleted backup save files using data recovery software like EaseUS or IsoBuster.
  • sdmc:/Nintendo 3DS/<ID0>/<ID1>/title/00040000/0018EF00/data/00000001.sav
Bad search hints.
  1. EaseUS - There's a cracked 11.9.0 floating around out there.
  2. IsoBuster - Get the portable version.
From now on, use Checkpoint or JKSM.
 

Lodey

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I tried using Recuva but didn't pick up any .sav files, would those programs work better? Do you think the data is still there if I haven't installed/changed anything else? I deleted the save file within the game itself, so I don't know if that changes values of things so that I can't access it anymore.

I'll use those moving forward, thanks for the suggestions, it's remarkable how easy it is to accidentally overwrite a save file.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

I have ISOBuster right now, how do you recommend searching for this particular game? Does Dragon Quest VII have a specific ID I can look for? Should I be looking for deleted files or modified files?

I see your path you listed, but that one doesn't exist for me.

EDIT:

I see now ID0 and ID1 is unique to me, so that I now understand, as for the last folder, is that DQVII's ID?


https://gyazo.com/14f032558d9d5dc128c0db7fad337957

I found these files in the folder you specified.

MY worry is that the save file, since it's still in the normal folder, was only modified and not deleted.
 
Last edited by Lodey,
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Look in FAT [Deleted Files and Folders] and right click one of the partitions Find missing files and folders.

The trial version of IsoBuster won't let you keep what's recovered btw.
 

Lodey

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Will do, I'd like to see if it finds anything first, and if so, I'll grab that version.

Thanks for all your help, too. Have you gone through something like this a few times?
 

Lodey

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Yeah, nothing found when I did that. I think the issue is that DQVII doesn't remove the save file, it just edits it. Ah well..
 

Lodey

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Haha, we've all been there for sure. This must be my 10th rodeo at this point. Never with my 3DS before though. I'm going to install this new file save manager JKSM, maybe this doesn't have to happen again.

Would EaseUS be able to see files that have been modified?
 
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Haha, we've all been there for sure. This must be my 10th rodeo at this point. Never with my 3DS before though. I'm going to install this new file save manager JKSM, maybe this doesn't have to happen again.

Would EaseUS be able to see files that have been modified?
If you're lucky, EaseUS might find redudant copies of the save. These can usually be named something similar to whatever files you're trying to recover:

Title ID for the USA regional version of Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is 000400000018EF00 per 3dsdb.com.

Recovered files are like this:

sdmc:/Nintendo 3DS/<ID0>/<ID1>/title/00040000/0018EF00/data/
  • #0000001.sav
  • ~0000001.sav
If you find nothing like the above, then that means that your one and only save for that game has been edited to oblivion. :(

EDIT:

I see now ID0 and ID1 is unique to me, so that I now understand, as for the last folder, is that DQVII's ID?


https://gyazo.com/14f032558d9d5dc128c0db7fad337957

I found these files in the folder you specified.

MY worry is that the save file, since it's still in the normal folder, was only modified and not deleted.

I caught your edited post late. I see a CTX file, which indicates that title was stopped in the middle of installation.

The thing about reinstalling a game CIA is that the first causality is that whatever SAV file that was in place gets rewritten with garbage values to uninitialized or clear personal data that was in place.

It's a shame that not more 3DS users know about this easy to make mistake when it comes to using FBI...
 
Last edited by TurdPooCharger,

Lodey

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So, you're saying turning off the game was a bad idea after it happened?

A couple folks have offered to play the game up to the point where I left off, would it be possible for them to share their save file with me? If so, how could I go about doing that?
 
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So, you're saying turning off the game was a bad idea after it happened?
Turning off the 3DS in the middle of deleting a save would not have made a difference. The moment you hit delete, that save was a goner. Your save would have been corrupted and rendered unusable whether you pulled out the battery or hit the power button.

A couple folks have offered to play the game up to the point where I left off, would it be possible for them to share their save file with me? If so, how could I go about doing that?
That's very kind of them. Save data is shareable with back ups made in Checkpoint or JKSM. They would play the game, dump their decrypted saves, send the copies to you, and then you add the saves in the appropriated sdmc:/3ds/Checkpoint/... or sdmc:/JKSV/... directory followed by restoring that save with whichever manager you're using.
 
Last edited by TurdPooCharger,

Lodey

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That makes sense, well, I own this game on cart, are the save files saved on the actual cart and transferrable between different 3DS units?
 
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I've had luck using "test disk" for file recovery in the past when all others have failed.

https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

It's free and open source

Edit: I didn't read the OP correctly, saw you shut down the game whilst the save was being deleted, I don't think this will help.
There are many great shareware and open source programs out there, but there are some paid software that have no comparison.

If you feel TestDisk works out for you, that greats. Sometimes it better to scan with multiple data recovery options, ie "casting wider nets."

That makes sense, well, I own this game on cart, are the save files saved on the actual cart and transferrable between different 3DS units?
WELLLL. This bit of info changes everything.

[Most] 3DS cart games make their saves within the cart itself. Searching the SD card with data recovery software has made this a fruitless endeavor.

Sorry bud, but your deleted cart save is definitely lost to the ether. :(

And yes, you can transfer saves to and fro the game cart with Checkpoint.
 
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Lodey

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There are many great shareware and open source programs out there, but there are some paid software that have no comparison.

If you feel TestDisk works out for you, that greats. Sometimes it better to scan with multiple data recovery options, ie "casting wider nets."


WELLLL. This bit of info changes everything.

[Most] 3DS cart games make their saves within the cart itself. Searching the SD card with data recovery software has made this a fruitless endeavor.

Sorry bud, but your deleted cart save is definitely lost to the ether. :(

And yes, you can transfer saves to and fro the game cart with Checkpoint.



I should clarify. I have this game on cart, but I've been playing the backup of it instead. I was just wondering if I could loan the cart to someone, have them get up to where I was, then continue off on my own 3DS with the same cart.
 
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I should clarify. I have this game on cart, but I've been playing the backup of it instead. I was just wondering if I could loan the cart to someone, have them get up to where I was, then continue off on my own 3DS with the same cart.
You can transfer the save between the cart and digital installed copy of the game with a save manager, so yes this can be done.
 

paulttt

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There are many great shareware and open source programs out there, but there are some paid software that have no comparison.

If you feel TestDisk works out for you, that greats. Sometimes it better to scan with multiple data recovery options, ie "casting wider nets."

I completely agree, hence why I said "I've had luck" , and didn't claim that "TestDisk" was superior. I can only base this on my own tests where other recovery methods have failed. :)
 
Last edited by paulttt,

Lodey

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Okay, so you guys won't believe this, I got a save file from a streamer who is only an hour or so behind where I am in the game. He's playing on Citra, how do I transfer his saves over to 3DS? Can checkpoint do it? That's my save tool on 3DS right now. JKSM was cited as a means, but I don't have that.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

I have the save files here. I have Checkpoint and JKSM, I don't know how much of these files are useful, could use some help parsing through this, there aren't very good tutorials online so I figured I'd ask here first. This could work! :o
 

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I completely agree, hence why I said "I've had luck" , and didn't claim that "TestDisk" was superior. I can only base this on my own tests where other recovery methods have failed. :)
Yo, I confused you for Lodey because of the new user ? default avatar, so I took it to mean he was skipping out on IsoBuster / EaseUS. My bad, lol.

Okay, so you guys won't believe this, I got a save file from a streamer who is only an hour or so behind where I am in the game. He's playing on Citra, how do I transfer his saves over to 3DS? Can checkpoint do it? That's my save tool on 3DS right now. JKSM was cited as a means, but I don't have that.

I have the save files here. I have Checkpoint and JKSM, I don't know how much of these files are useful, could use some help parsing through this, there aren't very good tutorials online so I figured I'd ask here first. This could work! :o

Make a dummy backup in Checkpoint or JKSM. On the SD card, look in their save folder for DQVII. Drag, drop, and replace those files. Restore the save.
  • sdmc:/3ds/Checkpoint/saves/0x018EF Dragon Quest VII/[dummy save name]/[bunch of BIN files]
  • sdmc:/JKSV/Saves/Dragon Quest VII/[dummy save name]/[bunch of BIN files]
* The name for the title folder is just an example.
 
Last edited by TurdPooCharger,

Lodey

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Okay, so I'm a little confused, I found that folder in Checkpoint and dropped in the bin files, but I don't see them in Checkpoint when I start the app.

I've also tried restoring the bin files from JKSM and it doesn't work, no save file shows up. Any idea why?
 

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