How to Restore .SUO Files Lost During Formatting

Have files been deleted due to a user’s error or software error? Have you formatted a disk by accident and need to know how to recover the files? Read our .SUO file recovery guide for Windows, MacOS, Android and IOS in 2024.

How to Restore .SUO Files Lost During Formatting

What is a .SUO file?

User information file that stores data in a structured binary format; referenced by VSPackages created with Visual Studio; opened by the LoadUserOptions Method and modified by the WriteUserOptions and SaveUserOptions methods.

What Are Common Causes of ".SUO" Files Lost or Failure?

There are several common causes for ".SUO" files (Solution User Options) to be lost or fail:

  1. Accidental deletion: The ".SUO" file may be accidentally deleted by the user or by some cleanup software.
  2. Corruption: The ".SUO" file can become corrupted due to various reasons such as system crashes, power outages, or disk errors.
  3. Version control conflicts: If multiple developers are working on the same project and the ".SUO" file is not properly merged or updated in the version control system, it can lead to conflicts or loss of the file.
  4. Project or solution changes: If the project or solution structure is changed, renamed, or moved, it can result in the loss or failure of the ".SUO" file.
  5. IDE or software updates: When the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) or related software is updated, it may not be compatible with the existing ".SUO" file, leading to failure or loss.
  6. Disk or storage device issues: If the disk or storage device where the ".SUO" file is stored becomes corrupted, damaged, or inaccessible, it can result in the loss or failure of the file.
  7. User settings reset: If the user settings in the IDE or related software are reset or changed, it can cause the ".SUO" file to fail or be lost.

It is always recommended to regularly backup ".SUO" files and take appropriate precautions to prevent their loss or failure.

How to recover lost ".SUO" files?

Sometimes while working with a computer, laptop or other stationary or mobile devices, you may encounter various bugs, freezes, hardware or software failures, even in spite of regular updates and junk cleaning. As a result, an important ".SUO" file may be deleted.

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🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

By no means should you think that the only way to recover a ".SUO" file is always to create it once more.

Use programs for recovering ".SUO" files if a file was lost after accidental or deliberate deleting, formatting the memory card or the internal storage, cleaning the storage device, after a virus attack or a system failure.

Programs to recover ".SUO" files

Looking for a way to get files back? In cases when files were deleted and they cannot be restored by using standard operating system tools, use Hetman Partition Recovery.

Partition Recovery™ 4.9
The tool recovers data from any devices, regardless of the cause of data loss.
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Follow the directions below:

  1. Download Hetman Partition Recovery, install and start the program.

  2. The program will automatically scan the computer and display all hard disks and removable drives connected to it, as well as physical and local disks.

    File Recovery Software
  3. Double-click on the disk from which you need to recover ".SUO" files, and select analysis type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Analysis Type
  4. When the scanning is over, you will be shown the files for recovery.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Files that Can be Restored
  5. To find a file you need, use the program’s interface to open the folder it was deleted from, or go to the folder "Content-Aware Analysis" and select the required file type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Deep Scan
  6. Select the files you have been looking for and click "Recovery".

    File Recovery Software - Files List for Recovery
  7. Choose one of the methods for saving the files and recover them.

    Saving recovered files in Hetman Partition Recovery

How to open file with ".SUO" extension?

Looking for how to open a stereo visual Studio Solution User Options File image file file?

Programs that open ".SUO" files

Windows
Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 Microsoft Visual Studio 2019

Additional Information

  • File type: Visual Studio Solution User Options File

  • File extension: .SUO

  • Developer: Microsoft

  • Category: Developer Files

  • Format: Binary

  • HEX: D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1 00

  • ASCII: РП.а...б

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Comments (1)

  • Hetman Software: Data Recovery
    Hetman Software: Data Recovery 18.12.2019 11:26 #
    Leave a comment if you have any questions about Recovering lost .SUO files after deleting, cleaning or formatting!
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Vladimir Artiukh

Author: Vladimir Artiukh, Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: Oleg Afonin, Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

  • What is the purpose of a ".SUO backup" file?

    The ".SUO backup" file is a file created by Microsoft Visual Studio, a popular integrated development environment (IDE) used for software development. SUO stands for Solution User Options, and the ".SUO backup" file is a backup of the SUO file.

    The purpose of the ".SUO backup" file is to store user-specific settings and preferences related to the Visual Studio solution. It includes information such as the state of open files, breakpoints, bookmarks, window layouts, and other user-specific customizations made within the IDE.

    The SUO file and its backup are not essential for building or running the code but serve as a convenience for developers. They help maintain a consistent development environment by preserving individual preferences and configurations across sessions. If the original SUO file gets corrupted or lost, the backup file can be used to restore the settings and preferences to their previous state.

  • How can I create a ".SUO backup" file in Visual Studio?

    To create a ".SUO backup" file in Visual Studio, you can follow these steps:

    1. Open your Visual Studio project/solution.
    2. Build the project/solution to ensure that all changes are saved.
    3. Close the Visual Studio project/solution.
    4. Locate the ".SUO" file associated with your project. The ".SUO" file has the same name as your solution file but with a ".SUO" extension. For example, if your solution file is "MySolution.sln", the ".SUO" file will be "MySolution.suo".
    5. Make a copy of the ".SUO" file and rename it to create a backup. For example, you can name it "MySolution_backup.suo".

    By following these steps, you will have created a backup of the ".SUO" file in Visual Studio. It is always a good practice to create backups of important files to avoid any potential loss of data.

  • Is it necessary to include ".SUO backup" files in version control systems?

    It is generally not necessary to include ".SUO backup" files in version control systems.

    ".SUO backup" files are generated by Visual Studio and contain user-specific settings, such as window layout, breakpoints, and other personal preferences. These files are not typically essential for the functioning or building of the project, and including them in version control can lead to unnecessary conflicts and bloated repositories.

    It is recommended to add "*.suo" to the project's .gitignore or equivalent file to exclude these files from version control. This allows each developer to maintain their own personal settings without affecting the overall project.

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