Windows XP forum: Lost files after a System Recovery

a non destructive recovery "should" have created a folder on the root of your hard drive labeled something along the lines of My Old Disk Structure...something like that.

Else, if you remember the name of a file you had before the non-destructive recovery, you could try searching the hard drive for that file name to help you find the folder the old stuff is in. But remember to make sure that the search function looks in hidden files and folders.

Good Luck!

I am not for suggesting someone go and spend money...

Do some exploring yourself...open My Computer, and browse your hard drive...check the Tools, Folder Options, View tab and make sure that Show Hidden Files is checked and that Hide protected operating system files is NOT checked and look on the local hard drive for your old files.

Seriously, from what I know about a non-destructive recovery, your old files should still be on your hard drive.

Percentages can be misleading in my book...

For example in computer talk, I have done a defrag scan on my hard drive and the windows provided defrag program will say my hard disk is 0% fragmented BUT list some 45 odd files that are fragmented!

So, if you had to guess how many MB of files you are missing compared to the total MB or GB of disk space...you could interpret the information wrong.

For example...your hard drive is a 160 GB size, your My Documents folder contained ... say ... 15 MB of files... that is not going to change your percentage of disk space used or disk space free.

I hate spending money for something that I can do myself and really don't want to suggest to someone that they spend money until they are completely sure they have exhausted all of the "I can find it - I can fix it myself" avenues.

Yes, that should have made a difference.

50 / 289 = 0.17031

That 0.17031 x 100 = 17%

Yes, that should have changed the percentage.

Now, I have never tried a non destructive recovery and system restore, have you tried that?

Have you tried to do a system restore to say a week back and see if your files are there again??

If you still have your shared videos...hmm...my computer has both shared videos and shared music...BUT these files came already loaded on the system...meaning if I totally erase my hard drive and do a system reload with the manufacturer provided disks (or the you have to create your own system restore disks) those files will be there.

Are the shared video files you have now created by you?? Or are they ones that were on your hard drive already??

As you can see, I am still not wanting to suggest to you to go and spend money...

Just realized something...if you did a non destructive recovery, the new operating system you just did SHOULD have used more disk space and DECREASED your free space percentage.

For example, my Windows folder is 4.31 GB size...

4.31 GB / 289 GB is 0.014913495

that equals 1.49 % so a new operating system should have decreased your hard drive percentage free space...

Post back and let me know the end result of what you did and decided to do.

I own a HP computer with Windows Media Center 2005 too and am curious as to the outcome of your problem.

Better use Windows Explorer or My Computer to start looking for all folders in Documents and Settings. That should be something like:
- All users
- Default user
- Owner
- Your new userid
- Your old userid
Look inside the last folder. You might need to take ownership as instructed by HP once you've found them.

Use the right-click Properties to find the disc space used by each folder, if necessary.

Good luck with your search.

Kees

Two or three years ago I had to do a system recovery and I cannot remember all the details of the procedure, but when everything was done and my computer booted up again, all my files were in a folder somewhere hidden within the "Documents and Settings" folder. they were in a specially created folder with a name like "recovered files" or "back-up files" or some such name. I recognized it as a folder that I had not created and there were all my files. Peruse your "Documents and Settings" folder and see if your files are not hidden there somewhere.

This is a common problem.
You don't have a backup, you are running windows, and you have your hard drive filled beyond its maintainable capacity.
First, get yourself an external usb hard drive. Next, download and burn a Knoppix DVD.
Boot the computer from your new Linux DVD. The usb drive and your internal hard drive will appear as icons on the desktop. Copy your files to the external usb drive. Verify that they are on it. Re-install windows, wiping the drive clean, or do yourself a favor and upgrade your drive to one that is big enough that you will never fill it beyond 80% of its capacity. Then copy your files back.

I recently had HD crash...I installed a new HD so that part is ok...but I am trying to recover data from the old hard drive ...I manage to see all the folders ..able to recover data from folders under C: drive but cant recover data from the "My Documents" ...where I had stored many files... Also I am unable to recover the music files which were stored under the playlists of Window media...I can see the "My Document" folder when I click on it ...I get the message that this I cant access the files in this folder ...
Any help would be much appreciated ...Thank you ..

for what I understand to do that you should already know what folder you are trying to own, which in my case I don't know what folder I'm looking for, if you know please tell me, thx =)

According to the System Volume Information's properties, it was created on saturday, august 19, 2006.

and well... the other folder wasn't hidden. So... what's the folder you are talking about? =S

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/3741/hppavilionsy9.jpg

Here is a picture of my the folders inside the C Drive

Indeed the USERDATA folder was not hidden but it is 0 bytes whereas the System Volume folder was hidden and 0 bytes as well.

so should I try both folders?