How to recover information in a overwritten files?

Try:

(1) Start Windows Explorer.

(2) Go to the folder where the file you like to recover is located.

(3) Right Click on the file you like to recover

(4) Select Properties

(5) Select Previous Versions tab

(6) Select the version you like to restore.

(7) Click Restore.

I couldn't find that options in windows xp (there isn't previous versions tab)

I'm afraid, then, you may be out of luck. Sorry. :-)

Two final questions:

1. Does The tab don't appear because there isn't any option enabled?
2. Isn't possible recover the overwritten files using some kind of utility?

Regards

Try one of the recommended tools here.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/filerecovery/tp/free-file-recovery-programs.htm

Stop using that disk immediately and connect it as a 2nd disk to another PC.

That's correct. Make sure to download and run the undelete tools on another Windows computer, and check the external disk from your XP.

KCTS is correct, and, therefore, no third-party utility was suggested earlier.

@aadih and KCTS:

Doesn't it depend on how the files were "overwritten"?  I would agree that if we went with a strict definition of "overwritten" (that the sectors holding the old data have been written over with new data) your statement holds.  Imagine a more common scenario where someone opens a Word document, for example, modifies it heavily, then saves it back over the original name.  To a user, the file has been "overwritten".  I believe that the OS is likely to write it in a different place, though.

CompProbSolv, No way to know what has happened. Therefore one can (must) try whatever means are available to recover. The probability is quite low for recovery, however.

< Only an opinion>.

It does depend on how the data has been "overwritten", which is why I phrased it as If you have actually overwritten the files

If the sectors have actually been overwritten then as I said the normal 'recovery utilities' will not be able to do much.

Data recovery specialists though can use a range of advanced techniques including shifting the read/write heads slightly and reading 'ghost' patterns by using special disk rigs - its an expensive business however.

i suggest  that dimensionav tells us how he knows he overwrote the data.
but in general, i have seen not many successful recoveries from overwritten files with software

you can best contact a recovery service -  and if they suggest they can recover it, be prepared to spend money; so ask for their fee and policy

some links :
http://www.lowcostrecovery.com/index.html                        data recovery Company
http://www.gillware.com/                                 "           "                   "
http://www.drivesavers.com/services/estimates.html                     "           "

Guys the final situation is more less like this:

1. The System Protection (Previous versions tab) wasn´t enabled, so this solution couldn´t be an option to fix this, but I think is a good advice for future situations.

2. The recover tools couldn´t get any data back .

3. The recovery lab was an option that our customer didn´t want to take.

Finally, people in charge of this computer decided to recapture all the information.

>>  Finally, people in charge of this computer decided to recapture all the information.   <<  great - but how?

The had the printed documents from where was extracted part of the lost information.

ah ok; that is a solution for sure

dont forget to close this Q, unless you need more help?

re: System Protection disabled
I see that a lot after virus infections.  I presume that this is something they intentionally do to prevent rolling back to a previous System Restore point.

Keep in mind, though, that this would not have helped in this case.  With XP, previous versions of documents are not kept.  That started with Vista.

I do make it a practice of ensuring that System Protection is active on computers I look at.  It is unintentionally shut off far too often.