Emergency · source card and destination drive
Files missing after Move: check both source and destination
Where are files that disappeared after I moved them?
Short answer
Usually in neither place completely: a move copies first and deletes the source entries afterwards, so an interrupted copy can leave both sides incomplete. Stop using the card and the destination drive, search the destination for partial copies and, if originals are missing, create an image of the card and recover from that.
The situation
A move operation appeared to finish, but files are absent from the destination and no longer visible on the card.
A move is two operations wearing one name: a copy, then a deletion of the originals. If the copy was cut short, the second half can still have run, which is how a move ends with an incomplete destination and a source that no longer lists the files.
01 / Diagnose
Work out what actually disappeared
Between a card and another volume the operating system cannot simply rename a file, so it copies every byte and then clears the source entries. A cable pull, a full destination, a sleep event or a cancelled dialog interrupts that sequence. The result is partial files on the target and released directory entries on the card.
Move can copy first and delete the source entries afterward; an interrupted destination write can therefore leave neither normal path complete.
Check the last known path, trash and backups without writing to the original device.
02 / Protect the source
Preserve the best recovery chance
- 1
Freeze both sides at once: eject the card and stop writing anything further to the destination drive, including new imports.
- 2
Search the destination for partial copies, sorting by size and by date, and note which files are there but too small.
- 3
Make an uncompressed sector image of the card, then scan that image read-only rather than the card itself.
- 4
Export recovered originals into a third folder, compare them with the partial copies and keep whichever version opens completely.
Do not repeat the move in the hope that it finishes this time, and do not delete the half-written files on the destination to make room. Retrying writes across the very free space on both volumes that still holds the original data.
03 / Choose the method
Match the tool to the source
For stable, readable exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 or uncompressed IMG, DD, RAW and BIN images.
Unconfirmed exports are marked .UNVERIFIED.
A file that was only half copied is half a file, and no scan restores the missing part. File Recovery Hero reads exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 volumes and uncompressed IMG, DD, RAW and BIN images; an APFS or ext4 destination has to be examined with other means.
04 / Verify
Check the recovered content, not just its name
Compare file counts and byte sizes between what the card held and what you now have. A recovered file must match the original size, not merely carry the right name, and each one should open to its last page, pixel or frame before the card is cleared.
Keep the source until two verified copies exist. One working preview is not enough.
Sources and technical references
FAQ
Questions about this recovery case
Can source card and destination drive be recovered in this situation?+
A move is two operations wearing one name: a copy, then a deletion of the originals. If the copy was cut short, the second half can still have run, which is how a move ends with an incomplete destination and a source that no longer lists the files. The result still depends on what remains readable on the source.
What should I avoid before scanning?+
Do not repeat the move in the hope that it finishes this time, and do not delete the half-written files on the destination to make room.
Does scanning write to my memory card?+
Your memory card is only read. Nothing is saved to it.
How do I know whether the result is complete?+
Compare file counts and byte sizes between what the card held and what you now have.