How do I a get deleted world save back?

[Laycee]

I have a BungeeCord (Waterfall) server network. Well, that's besides the point. One of my friends built a bunch of stuff on a world. Later, I was cleaning up old backups. I thought I was deleting an old backup when I deleted the latest one. I have tried getting that region's MCA file back using recovery software (DMDE). I found a lot of different versions of the same file from different times. I went through each one and none of them were the right one. BUT, I heard chunks might be saved client side here: https://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/46954/on-minecraft-multiplayer-do-all-the-members-in-the-server-save-a-local-copy-of . Is this true? Is there any way I might be able to get my save back?

[Marcee]

This is why backup, Backup, and BACKUP!!!!

AND ALSO DON'T DELETE YOUR BACKUPS

Unfortunately, unless you have a backup, you can't get your files back. I also did the same thing by opening a 1.18+ world in 1.17.

You can restore it simply by either dragging world from your backup into the main directory, or selectively copy-pasting chunks using tools like https://github.com/Querz/mcaselector .

If at all, you should be https://superuser.com/questions/671773/how-to-recover-deleted-files-on-windows , though since you're running an active server, it is likely that those would've already been overwritten by another write operation elsewhere.

Anyway, since you have a frankestein of different chunks at various times, I guess it's time to get a scalpel ( https://github.com/Querz/mcaselector or https://www.amuletmc.com/ ) and start selectively trying to restore chunk by chunk from your recovered files.

Do all the members in the server save a local copy...?

Yes, until they log off or move out of the area. Otherwise, no.

There are mods https://github.com/Pokechu22/WorldDownloader because a server only sends you chunks you can see (why we have a view-distance setting in server.propeties).

However, since it's unlikely your friends are downloading their worlds, you're pretty much out of luck.

It also doesn't make sense for a server to send you the entire world as (for an extreme example), imagine downloading 2TB of data every time you joined 2b2t (2b2t.org).

Imagine taking a week to log into 2b2t (assuming 3MB/s and 2TB), when the queue (even at its worst) only takes 2 days. Also, do you even have 2TB of space left on your main drive, or is it even big enough?