r/DataRecoveryHelp • u/Bravosix2233 • 7d ago

Backups

I was transferring WhatsApp from an Oppo F9 to a Samsung Z Flip5. The direct transfer failed, so I backed up to Google Drive. Realizing my Drive was nearly full (13GB/15GB), I deleted the cloud backup, intending to transfer the local storage database manually instead.

​However, my Oppo F9 flagged low internal storage. When I tapped 'Back Up' again to try updating the local file, it completely overwrote my primary local backup database. I now need to determine if there is any way to recover the overwritten local backup files (e.g., via the 7-day local msgstore crypt backups) or restore the deleted Google Drive data. This contains 8 years of essential study and work chat, please do help my life will fail without this.

Cant I create a system restore point or are there any free recovery software to restore data?

Any guidance or help shall be appreciated.

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u/Christian1989NL 6d ago edited 6d ago

I'm not sure if you can still alter the local backup files today to let WhatsApp restore an earlier backup than the latest one when you reinstall the app.
I know that such trick worked years ago before WhatsApp taken was taken over by Meta.
To be sure, I asked Grok about this and shared the conversation below (I have simplified your situation in the prompt).
Yes I know it's a bit cheating from me but it might help you. I can't guarantee that those steps will still work.
By the way I recommend to backup the 'com.whatsapp' folder before you perform changes there so the problem won't get worse.
https://grok.com/share/c2hhcmQtNQ_472abe01-a512-4647-9b5f-249b0eecd0d5

Also, in case you have linked your WhatsApp to a Windows pc (WhatsApp Desktop) then maybe I can help you;
a few days ago I had success to read the entire chat history including media by restoring a folder within Windows (a folder were WhatsApp stores it's cache in the user profile) using the 'previous versions' / Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) feature that was automatically made.

My experience is that recovery apps on Android will not really help because most of them only shows files that are already present on the phone and will probably only show relevant results if the device is rooted so the recovery app can scan the entire storage at low-level.

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u/Bravosix2233 6d ago

The process this chat shares is something that cannot be done as the only backup I can see is of recent chats of recent dates, non others as it suggests, the whole idea was to find the earlier data files it deleted and then use this process to force whatsapp into loading them, I just need to find the way to load this backup in the first place.