Personal files gone BYE BYE after Vista upgrade!
Marauder121
research. I opened C:\ right away and i was like. "wow they cleared a lot of
disk space" only to avail, I lost all my movies, all my mp3s, all my
photos... resume's, etc. Yes, I've done PLENTY of research and digging
through my harddrive and the internet. There is NO "Windows.Old" file. No
trace of "mp3" ANYwHERE!
Tried Data Recovery, etc. Tried everything. I've got nothin. I lost a lot of
personal stuff with this, family photos of those who arent with me anymore,
pictures from Iraq. Everything. Any suggestions?
![PA Bear [MS MVP]'s profile photo](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a-/ALV-UjXsf05hH-R8XChS3fXPPzfoO8FYYxAKhT86KfPnIELr3QJ9tQ=s40-c)
PA Bear [MS MVP]
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
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Malke
> Forwarded to appropriate newsgroup via crosspost: Vista General.
Marauder121 wrote:
> I upgraded to Vista Home Premium from Windows XP Media, and yes I've
done my
> research. I opened C:\ right away and i was like. "wow they cleared a
lot of
> disk space" only to avail, I lost all my movies, all my mp3s, all my
> photos... resume's, etc. Yes, I've done PLENTY of research and digging
> through my harddrive and the internet. There is NO "Windows.Old" file. No
> trace of "mp3" ANYwHERE!
>
> Tried Data Recovery, etc. Tried everything. I've got nothin. I lost a
lot of
> personal stuff with this, family photos of those who arent with me
anymore,
> pictures from Iraq. Everything. Any suggestions?
Marauder121 - You upgraded your operating system without first backing
up? As you have now discovered, this was unwise. If there is no
Windows.old and you have searched for your files, then you have lost
them. Stop using the computer immediately. Using the machine only
decreases the possibility of recovering any of the data.
Since you weren't specific about what data recovery products you used,
here are some links to data recovery software in case you want to try
some others. I use EasyRecovery Pro, but it is expensive. Depending on
your skills and situation, it might be better for you to take the
machine to a computer professional who does data retrieval.
http://www3.telus.net/mikebike/RESTORATION.html
PCInspector File Recovery -
http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/welcome.htm
Executive Software “Undelete” -
http://www.execsoft.com/undelete/undelete.asp
R-Studio - http://www.r-tt.com/
File Scavenger - http://www.quetek.com/prod02.htm
Ontrack's EasyRecovery - http://www.ontrack.com/software/
If you have already tried consumer-level data recovery procedures, then
the only path left is to send the hard drive to a professional data
recovery company like Drive Savers (my preference) or Seagate Data
Recovery. General prices run from $500USD on up. Drive Savers recovered
all the data on a failed laptop drive for one of my clients and it cost
$2,700. He thought it was worth the money; only you know what your data
is worth. I understand that some insurance companies are now covering
data recovery charges so check with yours.
Drive Savers - http://www.drivesavers.com
Seagate Data Recovery Services - https://www.seagatedatarecovery.com/
When this is over, create and implement a backup strategy so this sort
of thing doesn't happen to you again.
Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
ato...@hotmail.com
On 12-Jan-2008, Malke <notr...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> Marauder121 - You upgraded your operating system without first backing
> up? As you have now discovered, this was unwise. If there is no
> Windows.old and you have searched for your files, then you have lost
> them.
Surely this is the sign of a crap OS.
No warning that upgrading will wipe your drive.
Why would anyone with any common sense
touch non-OS files as part of an upgrade?
Typical of shiddy incompetent programmers.
Frank
>
>
> ...Surely this is the sign of a crap OS...
Sorry, but Vista does not wipe the drive clean when it upgrades from one
OS to Vista.
Frank
PA Bear [MS MVP]
Uh-huh. Tell me something: When you buy a new car, is all the accumulated
crap in the glove box of the old car found in the glove box of the new one?
Hobo
I have never had an 'upgrade' to an OS wipe the drive. In
the interest of helping others prevent the same thing from
happening to them it would help if Marauder121 would post
exactly what steps he performed while carrying out the
upgrade. I suspect that somewhere along the way that the
drive was inadvertently formatted somehow. This kind of
thing makes a case for having a separate partition, or
preferably a second drive, for your personal data. Also
makes a case for having and using an external backup.
I'm sorry to say that his data is probably lost unless he's
willing to pay big bucks to have it recovered by a company
that specializes in data recovery.
Hobo
the wharf rat
PA Bear [MS MVP] <moc.liamg@PVMraeBAP> wrote:
>
>Uh-huh. Tell me something: When you buy a new car, is all the accumulated
>crap in the glove box of the old car found in the glove box of the new one?
>
That's a false analogy. Buying a new car would correspond more
closely to buying a new computer, and no, I wouldn't expect old data to
magically be preserved. But a software update is like taking your car
to the garage for a brake job and when you get it back your glove box and
trunk are empty.
Damn straight I expect an OS upgrade to preserve user data. Or
at least warn me if it can't.
PA Bear [MS MVP]
<snip>
> Damn straight I expect an OS upgrade to preserve user data. Or
> at least warn me if it can't.
Well, you gotta do it right, for one. And if you value your personal data,
it'd be foolish not to have made a backup (and maintain incremental backups
all along) before making changes as drastic as upgrading the OS.
Dave
Perhaps the OP made a mistake and did a clean install instead of an upgrade.
Or perhaps there is some confusion over the word "upgrade".
In any case, it shouldn't matter, because if you want to keep your data, you
will back it up.
--
http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview
<ato...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4788f16e$0$21088$da0f...@news.zen.co.uk...
Marauder121
should back up your files. What a conundrum? And the only thing that pisses
me off is Vista kept all the worthless **** like "Diablo 1" but deleted
folders named "my pictures, mp3s, resumes, homework, etc". Yeah that makes
sense. And in all my years I've never had an OS delete personal files. Clean
install yes, but I clearly bought "Windows Vista Home Premium Upgrade" for
that reason. But whatever. In the end, it's microsoft that sucks, yet again.
Not to mention the ONE video game i play on my laptop (World of Warcraft) now
runs like crap, averaging around 15 fps. yes, i've tweaked all that is
tweakable, upgraded every driver known to mankind.
In this case, Microsoft fails, deleting personal files without informing the
user first.
Kerry Brown
> Damn straight I expect an OS upgrade to preserve user data. Or
> at least warn me if it can't.
>
>
So you would recommend a person switch to a new distro in Linux without
backing up their data?
--
Kerry Brown
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
http://www.vistahelp.ca/phpBB2/
Shenan Stanley
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/browse_frm/thread/600f080a0c69480d/5ec6ac00989e3733?lnk=st&q=#5ec6ac00989e3733
<responses inline>
Before you read and likely go ballistic - have you tried an application
called "Undelete"? Get the trial - see if it finds any of your files.
I also assume you have done all the searches - making sure you can see and
search all files and folders on the system...
Marauder121 wrote:
> So. "Frank" says upgrading doesn't clear files, other people are
> arguing you should back up your files. What a conundrum?
If you were going to do ANYTHING as major as a change of the core operating
system - a wise person would suggest backing up your files first. I suggest
it whenever I am explaining to someone how to install Service Pack 2 for
Windows XP. Things may be designed so that they do not interfere with your
personal files - but sometimes - things don't work as designed for various
reasons. There are millions upon millions of possible hardware and software
configurations out there - including some differing only because one system
is infected/infested with something and another is not.
It would be unwise (stupid, if you will) to not backup your files before
doing something major to your computer. After all - think of all the
situations in life that would be made less intimidating/daunting if you
could make a backup and revert to that backup before proceeding. This is
one situation where you have the option and not taking it - you assume all
the risk.
> And the only thing that pisses me off is Vista kept all the worthless
> **** like "Diablo 1" but deleted folders named "my pictures, mp3s,
> resumes, homework, etc". Yeah that makes sense. And in all my years
> I've never had an OS delete personal files.
- Ever been in a car accident? Still wear your seatbelt when driving/riding
in a car?
- Ever been struck by a car while walking down the road at night? You don't
walk down the road at night and/or wear brighter clothing when you do?
- Ever had your house burglarized? Still lock your doors when you won't be
home for a while and/or at night?
I know you are frustrated - but some of the blame does fall to you for not
following the best procedure you could. If you do any 'just in case'
actions for anything else in life - I do not know why you would not have
done any here. One of the biggest things pushed by everyone who knows
anything about computing is BACKUP. Not *just* before you are about to make
major changes - but on a regular periodic schedule.
> Clean install yes, but I clearly bought "Windows Vista Home
> Premium Upgrade" for that reason. But whatever. In the end,
> it's Microsoft that sucks, yet again. Not to mention the ONE
> video game I play on my laptop (World of Warcraft) now runs
> like crap, averaging around 15 fps. yes, I've
> tweaked all that is tweakable, upgraded every driver known to
> mankind.
So - you didn't research before you upgraded. Almost every posting out
there about Windows Vista is a horror story about how much slower the
upgraded system runs after upgrading from XP to Vista. (There are
exceptions.) Windows Vista is not a small upgrade. It's a huge one with
lots of added overhead. Sure - there is some improvements in certain
areas - but that is where researching before you buy comes in. Will you
benefit from those improvements - do you need them?
> In this case, Microsoft fails, deleting personal files without
> informing the user first.
Some of the failure would be in not having backups. I am not just speaking
of wisely doing a full backup of stuff important to you before a major
upgrade like this one - I am speaking of doing it just to make sure nothing
gets lost. Computers are unique in that you can do this. You can - at all
times - keep duplicate copies of your data on some sort of external media so
that if something happens to the original - not all is lost.
I feel your frustration. It sucks. I cannot even fathom it, really. I
shouldn't ever have to - I replicate my important stuff almost obsessively.
Also - I do not know how it happened in your case. It's almost like you did
perform a clean install of some sort. I have not seen it happen before -
but of course - it's like any other major act on a computer - I would have
suggested/done the same thing - backup first. Now that I have seen it (just
on these newsgroups - not personally - I may never see it personally) 0 I
will use it as a horror story to demonstrate (once again) the importance of
backups.
I am sorry for your loss.
I hope you learn from it and perhaps someone can help you search for/recover
some of the lost files with something like "Undelete". Good application for
searching for/undeleting files.
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
Dave
you are upgrading your OS or not.
--
http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview
"Marauder121" <Marau...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:60B4B7A4-A1B2-4A92...@microsoft.com...
Frank
hahaha...sorry bozo...it appears that you just didn't pay attention when
doing the upgrade. Vista or any MS OS does not delete personal files
when doing an in place upgrade.
Grow up...you goofed!
Frank
paceset...@yahoo.com
That is a stupid analagy that has NO bearing on this. Generic
answers, especially from an MS MVP, help no one and are usually the
type of answer that everyone wishes not to recieve.
Please tell me this: Since back up of all your files as well as
system files is SO important, why does windows vista basic and premium
NOT have the option of backing up personal files? You must upgrade to
business or ultimate to have this option!
This to me is just another of the horrific blunders of microsoft and
the vista developement team.
Shenan Stanley
<snip>
> Please tell me this: Since back up of all your files as well as
> system files is SO important, why does windows vista basic and
> premium NOT have the option of backing up personal files? You must
> upgrade to business or ultimate to have this option!
Where did you get that you could not backup files in those versions of the
OS?
How to use Backup to protect data and restore files and folders on your
computer in Windows XP and Windows Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309340
Note:
APPLIES TO
.Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
.Microsoft Windows XP Professional
.Windows Vista Business
.Windows Vista Enterprise
.Windows Vista Home Premium
.Windows Vista Home Basic
.Windows Vista Ultimate
.Windows Vista Business 64-bit Edition
.Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit Edition
.Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition
.Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit Edition
.Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit Edition
.Windows Vista Starter
and:
Last Review:December 21, 2007
and:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/features/details/backup.mspx
Marauder121
over 2 hours away. So that's why I was asking if there were any other
suggestions. So all in all, I dont know how everyone lecturing about
"backups" answers the question why Microsoft deletes personal files not
included in system folders. Thanks and good bye.
Shenan Stanley
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/browse_frm/thread/600f080a0c69480d/5ec6ac00989e3733?lnk=st&q=#5ec6ac00989e3733
Before you read further - have you tried an application
called "Undelete"? Get the trial - see if it finds any of your files.
I also assume you have done all the searches - making sure you can see and
search all files and folders on the system...
Marauder121 wrote:
> I do have "backups", which are going to be about a year old. But
> those are over 2 hours away. So that's why I was asking if there
> were any other suggestions. So all in all, I dont know how everyone
> lecturing about "backups" answers the question why Microsoft
> deletes personal files not included in system folders. Thanks and
> good bye.
Microsoft (albeit that is just the name of the entity that sells the
operating system that you installed that may have led to the deletion of the
files you lost...) *does not* normally delete personal files not included in
system folders. *If* it has happened to you - it is likely something to do
with your specific configuration and/or an existing issue and/or something
that you missed.
As far as the 'lecturing about backups' - the truth is that you wouldn't be
in this situation *if* you had followed some basic common sense procedures
and protected your self in case of the worst case scenario. Blaming
Microsoft may be your critch right now - I grant you that - but the mere
fact that you say you *do* have backups that are about a year old over 2
hours away tells me that at some point in your life you made the conscience
decision to protect your data - then decided it was not worth your time...
You not having current backups is *not* Microsoft's fault. CD writers, USB
external drives, DVD writers and even using online storage of some sort to
protect what is important to you must certainly seem more valuable to you
now than it obviously did in the past.
No one can answer your *question* (accusation, not really a query) - because
they may never experience it - it may be entirely unique to you, your
computer, your data, how it was stored, what you saw/did/didn't see/didn't
do.
You have been given the facts. With current backups, you would be less
likely to be in a situation where you lost all of your data. With common
sense and preperation, you would be less likely to be in a situation where
you lost all of your data. It's not what you want to hear - but it's all
true.
There is no 'magic answer' to your situation. Once you fire the bullet -
without proper preparation - there is no going back. Your story is archived
(see the link at the beginning of this response) for all to see and search
for a indefinitel amount of time. Hopefully someone contemplating doing
what you did will research first and come across this and learn from your
mistakes.
Dave
SyncToy.
And drag & drop capability.
You don't need a complicated backup program to have copies of all your data.
--
http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview
<paceset...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9c06edc1-369a-4199...@k39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
Hobo
Marauder121 wrote:
Well, based on the above I think you screwed up. What
happened to the 'old' file folder that every Vista 'upgrade'
creates? Did you delete it not realizing what was in it?
***How about explaining exactly what steps you carried out
while doing this 'upgrade'.*** Hope you learned a lesson
about making back-ups of important data. What do you think
would happen if your hard drive completely stopped working
all of a sudden?
While I can sympathize with your plight I also know that one
has to be ready to admit their mistakes and not blame others
for it. Screwing up once in a while, and realizing that it
was you that did it, helps build character and learning
experience.
Hobo
the wharf rat
Kerry Brown <kerry@kdbNOSPAMsys-tems.c*a*m> wrote:
>>
>So you would recommend a person switch to a new distro in Linux without
>backing up their data?
>
Every linux install I've ever seen will by default preserve data.
You have to explicitly format (or delete) existing partitions.
Try one yourself.
Anyway, we weren't talking about replacing FreeBSD with Suse 10,
were we? We're talking about upgrades, and "yum upgrade" or
"apt-get -u upgrade" will most certainly preserve user data. I'd
completely expect a Windows upgrade to behave the same way. Which it does,
AFAIK.
paceset...@yahoo.com
I don't know why but your link worked for me. I had clicked a link in
windows help to back up my computer and it brought up a window that
would let me back up windows files but actually said windows home
basic and premium did not have this feature. To back up my personal
files I would have to upgrade to windows vista business or ultimate.
I was here earlier to research some of the problems I have been having
with vista and IE, one of which was lack of back-up, when I came to
this thread.
Thanks for the links.
On Jan 13, 1:22 pm, "Shenan Stanley" <newshel...@gmail.com> wrote:
> pacesetter86...@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> <snip>> Please tell me this: Since back up of all your files as well as
> > system files is SO important, why does windows vista basic and
> > premium NOT have the option of backing up personal files? You must
> > upgrade to business or ultimate to have this option!
>
> <snip>
>
> Where did you get that you could not backup files in those versions of the
> OS?
>
> How to use Backup to protect data and restore files and folders on your
> computer in Windows XP and Windows Vistahttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/309340
>
> Note:
> APPLIES TO
> .Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
> .Microsoft Windows XP Professional
> .Windows Vista Business
> .Windows Vista Enterprise
> .Windows Vista Home Premium
> .Windows Vista Home Basic
> .Windows Vista Ultimate
> .Windows Vista Business 64-bit Edition
> .Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit Edition
> .Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition
> .Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit Edition
> .Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit Edition
> .Windows Vista Starter
>
> and:
> Last Review:December 21, 2007
>
> and:http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/features/detai...
paceset...@yahoo.com
I found this download while looking for answers to my problems today.
Supposed to be a utility to restore back-ups made on XP when you
upgrade to vista or longhorn.
Maybe it will help you.
Good Luck !
missmuffet
a supposed computer person come to my house to upgrade me from vista home
basic to vista ultimate or something along that line, i can't remember
exactly the name, it was vista something better than i had. At no stage did
he let me know that I had to back up my file nor did he give me an
opportunity to, when i asked him do i need to back up he said to late its
gone already. he said he didn't delete it and I cant find it but when i do a
scan of my computer it scans through "windows old" and all my music and
photos in my account. like "windowsold/windows/tash/music". does that mean it
is still in there somewhere and can i retreive it? neddless to say i did not
pay this fool a cent and have been in legal procedings to have him pay to
retrieve the lost files if possible to be retrieved.
DL
when your disk dies so does your data.
If the files are in windows old then they are moveable to wherever needed,
this can be done via Explorer, though you may need to view hidden files and
take ownership of files/folders. See Vista Help
"missmuffet" <missm...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3A50887C-7C73-4359...@microsoft.com...