Ever had a PC total disaster?

[Lilac]

A couple of months ago my comp started playing up, so i decided to do a format...i even went out and bought a couple of those flash drive things, and put all my files, pics on them using the files & settings wizard...

after the format, i tried to put them back on, but even tho i carefully remembered the sequence to put the sticks in the drive, it kept saying it was the wrong one so can't get my stuff back

[Scylla]

I've never heard of that, Li, but that's not surprising. I would have known no better than to save "data" (which is what I call docs, pics, music, movies, etc) using... Save or Copy ???

scylla

[Tetsab]

Oh, (((Lilac))) that is heartbreaking.

It is bad enough when you lose things because you've just been too cavalier about keeping separate backups, which many of us have (me too, Chrissie ) but when you thought you had done the right thing and saved them all then it doesn't work that is just downright unfair.

If it included things like folders with picture files in them, can you actually get to look at them (or even open them) on the stick drives even if the pc doesn't seem to want to copy them back to their original locations?

This might be worth a try as you could establish that the actual information IS still there on the stick drives even if it isn't in the order your pc thinks it should be. If you want to give that a try and it works at all, drop me a PM as this might mean they aren't a total loss after all. I can't make any promises but if I can help I'd be happy to.

[Scylla]

Lilac, just thinking - Grumps on eBay's techie board is ever so knowledgable:

community.ebay.co.uk/forum.jspa?forumID=1004

scylla

[Lilac]

Thanks guys....i would backup Scylla, if i knew how....lol, i will ask on ebay, but i need a new hard drive first, cos it's knackered

Tetsab...i forget now what happens when i try to view anything on the flashdrives, i cant tho, its like it's copied them in some format that cant be opened or searched....

Gordon is moving in with me for a week or 2 as his friend is having problems in his marriage and will be staying at Gordon's flat so i have to have a clear out to make room for Gordi....lol, a clear out is long overdue anyway so once i've got that sorted, i'll be getting the new drive and will start a thread called 'Help me get my pics back' then

[Scylla]

Tofigh got his PC back with a folder on C-drive "Recovery". 4 programs had to be used, it's got pdf jpg and doc files in it but he can't open any of them. I offered to have the drive here but he says "the guy" is going to help him tomorrow.

There are some decent bargains around for big hard drives, Lilac - you could get a 1tb and partition it (unless you need it for a laptop, in which case maybe 640gb is "affordable"). I've been noticing cos I'd like a bigger one for my PVR.

scylla

[Lilac]

Yeh!!!! Scylla...sounds like there might be good news today then

bet he won't make that mistake again, lol

It's for my desktop, Scylla, i wouldn't need one that big tho......

do i just pick one of the same type as the old one? Sata, i think it is, if that's how you spell it any good makes to look out for?

[Scylla]

If your old one has a flat cable about an inch or less wide, that's SATA. I've never had a SATA desktop drive, mine are old IDE ones that have flat cables nearer 2 inches wide - except that I changed them to rounded cables.

Don't take my word for it - you could Google the model number of the old drive, that'll find you the specs. Well, it prolly says on it what type of drive it is.

I used to love sitting at my desktop during sleepless nights Napstering

scylla

[jerryrm]

SATA Cable



IDE Cable



IDE cables can also be round, but the connecters are the giveaway, there are many more pins on an IDE cable than on a SATA cable.