Previous versions of files burned on DVD-R

[FieldTrip2016]

Hi,
I hope this will fit into the troubleshooting section of the Forum.

I'm writing a long text and keeping it divided in chapters, i.e. I have created a different Word file for each chapter. I keep a copy of the whole folder on my laptop and back it up on a Kingston memory stick and on a DVD-R.

I had a shock yesterday when I found out that one of my chapters was a 0kb file and it was in fact a blank Word page. I have no idea how this happened.
I went to check my back-ups and both the Kingston memory stick and the DVD-R show the same 0kb version of the file.

I've recently changed laptop and the files I have on it were copied from the memory stick so I think there is no point in trying to find an older version of the 'empty file' on the laptop's hard drive.
I think my only hope might be the DVD-R.

And this is when you will see that, unfortunately, I am not at all an expert, so I can only describe what I was doing.
To put my files on the DVD-R I was simply dragging and dropping them in Windows 7 and then use the basic command 'Burn to disc'; I don't think I ever closed or finalised the disc as I was able to keep writing and copying files on it. The software would ask me if I wanted to replace files with the same name and I would say yes.

So, now I have a DVD-R that has the latest version of my folder with the 0kb file. However, whilst the folder on my laptop is 55Mb in size, the DVD-R, that allegedly contains the same folder, says I have used 818Mb of it.
The DVD is a DVD-R, not DVD-RW. Does this mean that the previous versions of my 'empty file' are still there in the layers of the DVD-R somewhere? If so, how do I retrieve them? Or can you actually erase a file from a DVD-R by copying one with the same name on it? If so, what are the 818Mb burned on my disc?

I'd be extremely grateful for any help, advice and explanation. I am slightly desperate to retrieve my file if there is any chance. I am now using Windows 10, btw, and I have tried the most basic things, like looking for previous versions of files etc, but I don't get any joy. My only hope lies in those 818MB...

Thank you very much for reading.

 

[1etherer]

DVD-R can only be written to "once" so after you burned it, it cannot be overwritten, you can only rewrite data on the DVD-RW..

I would try "recuva" software on the DVD/ USB, if you haven't written much to the USB since the 0kb file you noticed it may be able to recover the corrupted file (given it is corrupted and not failed in copying the data over).

 

[FieldTrip2016]

Thank you for your prompt reply and the advice.
So, I guess my DVD-R is filled with all the copies of my files I burnt on it. I would like to be able to see them though, as what I see is only the latest version of the file I burnt on the DVD. Would you know how I can do that?
Very interesting to read that you called the file 'corrupted' as I thought that might have been the case myself.
I think the DVD-R is my only hope so I am very apprehensive about doing anything with it.... I had a look at the software you suggested though and it looks like it could help me, so I might give it a go this weekend.
Thanks again.

 

[1etherer]

Thank you for your prompt reply and the advice.
So, I guess my DVD-R is filled with all the copies of my files I burnt on it. I would like to be able to see them though, as what I see is only the latest version of the file I burnt on the DVD. Would you know how I can do that?
Very interesting to read that you called the file 'corrupted' as I thought that might have been the case myself.
I think the DVD-R is my only hope so I am very apprehensive about doing anything with it.... I had a look at the software you suggested though and it looks like it could help me, so I might give it a go this weekend.
Thanks again.

I advised to use "Recuva" https://www.piriform.com/recuva - you can use this software to check the DVD and USB for older files. If they can be seen / recovered you will then need to purchase the software to recover it as its not free.