i used to save all important, most up date, refined/corrected SAS data files in sasuser directory, permanently saved in 9.1 folder of My SAS Files. But, instead of deleting temporary files from each each temporary folders, I happened to delete all temporary SAS directories/folders (tmp1, tmp2, tmp3, etc) as it would be faster. That way, I lost all the original SAS files from their permanent placees.

I tried to locate those deleted files form the windows's temp folder where SAS Temporary Files are stored. But, I could retrive only 5-7 files from there were not even not even the most up to date and refined data sets where I had over 30 different refined and final datasets in SASUSER (9.1 folder) for 12-15 projects.

Is there any easy way I can retrive those flies? Or, if i should use some data recovery software, can you suggest the free yet reliable software to do the job? (I am not going to write anything in this computer for the time being so that I hope I wold lose or overwrite in thos SAS data.)

I don't think you have to use any data recovery software.. try checking your backup files from last night??? If you back up your data everyday that is...

If you are using windows than try using System Restore by going to Help and Support..

If it is something else please let us know again..

If you were using a shared drive or a drive that is in SAN than ask your admin to help you recover your data, since they are backed up everyday...

Hope this help's or I might be saying everything you knew and did already...

Cheers..

Thanks CHOR for the suggestion. it's helpful. it's not shared system, it's just my computer where i used to work and save the latest data sets. i just recovered many files, now i am checking whether what i have retirved are the latest files or not. thanks for your quick response. 

SAS Temp by definition is a temporary folder. However, notihing gets deleted till you clean it up.

Best of luck.