The partition was wiped, but it doesn’t seem that the data has been overwritten. The photos are probably at the end of the disk.
Thanks for breaking up the bordom 
If the partition is deleted or overwritten… what ever you want to call it doesn’t mean the data is overwritten. There can be the possibility of restoring the partition sometimes or recovering the data or both. Glad you aren’t bored! 
That’s what I was trying to say.
The worst part about fixing people’s computers is when I have to wait. Seconds, amounting to days, amounted to wasted time. It also sucks having to deal with bloated PCs.
I’d rather fix a computer with an archaic DE rather than windows bloat.
I always say that a clean wipe is the best solution (when applicable).
Linux or just modified windows (windows ame, tiny10 and such)
I explain that to them by telling them about bloatware.
Anyways it’s nice being the IT guy (expect when someone wastes my time with “hOw dO i InStaLl tHiS aPp?” (when it’s straightforward aka next next next install, I always read)
In particular I have a funny story.
My Dad would NEVER ready message boxes, he’d just press OK. If a dialog box saying:
Oh CRAP!
No more space? Delete Windows? (italics means grayed)
[OK] [Cancel]
He’d click OK lol.
Fast forward to a few months ago, he wanted me to complete his Google Ads (ikr) test so he could get a certificate (he sucks at English, my irl name is proof). for a sum of money which he promised
I completed it after like 2 weeks. I never got the money. So I thought to myself, “How can I get my Dad to be true to his word?” So I secretly got on to his computer, looked up “how to make a message box appear” and then I found the command. Batch file that displays the msg box 4 times, sure fire way. At login. When he gave me the money I removed it like a good Son 
To this day this method (message boxes or just Inkscaping his wallpaper or w/e) works great for reminding my Dad of something he’s been procrastinating ages for.
aka how to get someone to listen
I just don’t save anything. No bloat! 
Edit: Hopefully you rescue the files.
Thanks!
First thing you have to do is lose the attitude. Even if you are the IT guy for your area, you just know a little more than nothing (it seems). Slow down and listen to advice, or you "ll end up having zero profit from your posting here.
A lot of good advice was already given. It may not be enough, because the situation is of great disaster. Why would you expect more?
Here’s more advice:
If it is possible,
- remove the disk (to-be-rescued) from the PC and plug it in a USB external case, or other means. The goal is to work on the disk while dead, not alive.
- Use only
testdisk(or equivalent) to restore the partitions with data to rescue. Look closely and calculate START/END sectors. Here is the most important thing of the whole process. Use as much mind and time you have at hand. - Apply the partition scheme/table you have decided.
- Try to mount and read the partitions you have just recovered. If it is not possible, reboot or re-plug in external USB (rescuing disk) gracefully.
- If you can see FS and files that were lost, start copying to another media.
- You should know (I think you already do) that many files will be broken, even if they may look fine (filenames). You can’t do anything about that. Rescue whatever is possible, not whatever you have wished.
Good luck! No lectures…
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First thing you have to do is lose the attitude.
never had one it seems.
Taking apart the computer isn’t an option.
The files successfully appeared but the live env didn’t save the writes to my clients usb flash drive, So the files could be recovered.
the question was: how can I get it to ONLY recover photo’s and videos? it recovers them as well as windows crap for some reason.
I’ll probably just get my client to buy a large drive and just clone everything.
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If your uncle signs onto the forum and asks the same question you did, then we can. Otherwise, we just need to hope you’ll do the same
Why do you bother about excluding certain files types at all when restoring files? Just restore everything you can to a separate drive and later on delete the stuff you don’t want 
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Because I’m not paid (i’m just a nerdy teenager what do you expect) so I can’t buy terabytes of backup storage.
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Until you can afford afford to do data recovery, it may be best to have someone else do it. I’m sure you’re trying to help, but if their info is truly valuable to them, that’s the better option.
If they don’t care and you’re just learning and the data is actually irrelevant, then that’s awesome and good luck.
Well good news.
Turns out they had a 1TB drive that has basically nothing on it.
So I can just clone everything
That’s what I’m doing as we speak.
Phew! That was close.
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Help vampirism at it’s best.
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I’ve been slowly getting better at spotting and ignoring them.
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So you clone it now what? 
Be careful saying that around here. There’s at least one mod who gets really really pissy when you call out help vampires for being help vampires.
I did it one time that was WAY more blatent than this, and you’d have thought I DDOS’d the AUR and set fire to a dog rescue. There were moderation threads and I got a stern taking to about it… .
So, just fair warning. You can’t just be honest about help vampirism here. You gotta bottle it up and skirt around it.
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You can specify what type of files to recover in PhotoRec . But all the files of that type it can find will be recovered . You can interrupt the recovery if you run out of space or time .
Do it on a disk image
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Apparently, this doesn’t work as it also recovers unwanted “windows crap”.
C’est la vie…
Wibble…
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