Restoring/Retrieving lost or missing data after changing user profiles

[JoyN]

Hello everyone,

I was hoping someone can assist me with my problem. Hopefully my question is posted in the correct forum. I am in A COMPLETE MESS! I've ran out of tears so I thought I'd try all you computer gurus out there. If anyone can help me with my problem I would very much appreciate it.

My situation: I've lost all my data. Everything in My documents are gone. EVERYTHING…documents, pictures, folders, files, etc. Who knows what else is missing.

What I was doing last before this happened: I was setting up passwords for different users on my computer. Originally there was no need to type in a user name and password. I was attempting to set up different users. Or at least activate passwords for what was already there…which were Administrator, Guest and User.

B]What happened: [/B]For some reason, Windows 2000 somehow reformatted itself with basic settings and carried this for all users. Now I can't get my original settings back. I am clueless to how I would even attempt to do this or which account had the original settings since I did not have a username logon to begin with. I have logged on to all the accounts I have but can't find my original settings. All 3 accounts are empty and have no data! Does anyone even know what could've happened? Did I completely lose everything? Or is it just hidden somewhere in my computer? And how do I retrieve it back?

I currently have 16.3 GB of free space from a capacity of 18.6 GB. (I sure hope that is not bad news).
I would really appreciate it if anyone can shed some light into this darkness. My whole life was on this computer …please someone say it's not too late for me and I can still retrieve/restore all my data. I would greatly appreciate a response if you have come across this situation before and it would be greatly appreciated if you can kindly be patient enough to explain the solution in layman's terms.

Thanks much for your time.

Joy

System Info
Microsoft Windows 2000
5.00.2195
Service Pack 4

Computer Info
x86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 6
AT/AT Compatible
130,544 KB RAM

 

[ncotton]

Do you have any backups? Have you a virus scan. I remember my friend and I wrote a small program that hid all configurations (well most checked ones), moved folder dirrections, and masked disk contents. (don't worry, it wasn't viral, and we didn't spread it..it was just a test). I've not heard of this virus i have described, but I bet one exists, and it would be a good place to start to rule it out at least.

ADVICE
MAKE REGULAR BACKUPS
Even if it's just data dumped onto a couple of DVDs every week manually. Worst comes to the worst, you loose you programs and a few days work.

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant

 

[JoyN]

Hello Neil,

Unfortunately I don't have a backup on disk. I now know to keep one!

I had Windows 98 in my other PC and I was able to restore a backup using a specific date. Do you know of any backup like this with Windows 2000?

I do have Symantec Anti Virus. I just don't know how everything could have been wiped out. I've been crying for days!



Thanks for your reply.

 

[ncotton]

do a search (normal windows for a file you knew exists that isn't anymore) search all the hard disk. As I said, if is possible to "mask" disk contents and make it appear like there is nothing there and mess around with the WMI for reporting the disk space free. I assume you have rebooted. It is possible that my above virus may have hit you, but is also just as possible, that you've had a virus that really has deleted all your stuff. I dont really know much about data recovery. There are some programs, but dont know if they could restore, realistically all that.

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant

 

[Spirit]

Don't panic.

1. IF YOU'RE LUCKY:
If you were creating new accounts that means you were probably using the default administrative account to work, when you added the new ones you then had to log in.

When you added the users then you lost your settings as they are new users (thats why your short cuts are gone, printers missing favourites VAMOOSHED).

All you need to do is log in as an administrative users goto c:\Docs&Settings\Administrator\AdministratorsDocs

And HOPEFULLY all your old data is in there.

To find out the account, Right Click My Computer - Manage - Local Users - Users in here you should see Newuser1, Newuser2 & Newuser3 along with Administrator right click it and "Set Password" and set the password to something.

Then log back in as the Administrator, you may have to change the way you log on. But we'll come to that if need be.

2. IF IT JUST AIN'T YOUR DAY
If you REALLY have formated the drive and reinstalled windows all is still not lost a utility like

http://www.recovermyfiles.com/

Run from a 2nd computer against the other one might recover the files even if the drive has been formatted.

Good Luck,
Iain

 

[pgaliardo]

I'm trying to keep it positive and agree with Iain. From what you describe you were doing at the time, it sounds like you are logging on with a new user profile.
Under C:\Documents and Settings see what profiles are there. You were probably originally using the default user or something similar. Good Luck.

 

[JoyN]

Thanks Neil, Iain and pgaliardo for replying.

Well Neil, I certainly hope this wasn't your doing If it was your fault...UNDO it please!!!

"When you added the users then you lost your settings as they are new users (thats why your short cuts are gone, printers missing favourites VAMOOSHED)."--->This is exactly what happened Iain!!! I had to set up the printer every time I logged on. Also, I did not create these user profiles...they were already there. I was just setting up passwords for them and switching back and forth to the different user profiles. Also in the midst of trying to find my files, I have been changing the user profiles and have been assigning them different workgroups. I probably messed it more up

I've tried what you have instructed and I uncovered a default user folder in the hidden files. However it contains the same documents as the others. My files are not there.

Iain, I've also downloaded that recovery utility that you suggested. Thank You for that. The good thing about this utility is it lets you view all files that were lost or deleted before you purchase it. After 17 hrs of the program running I stopped it. My files are there! It's still in my computer...I just don't know how to retrieve it.

I'm wondering if there is a way to get all my files back without having to purchase this recovery utility? And how can I prevent this from ever happening again? I now know to keep a backup but I hope this doesn't happen everytime I change user profiles especially when I have to be logged on as administrator for some reason.

Also, I have been redoing some of my work that I lost. I hope this doesn't somehow overwrite the system and I lose everything (that's already lost but hidden somewhere) before I can even recover it.

Thank You all again for your insights.

Joy

 

[Spirit]

YES IT WILL.

If you intend to use the utility then run it from a different PC just in case a new file over writes one of the others.

Unfortunately thats the only Utility that I've found to do this sort of work well I am sure there are other but I stick with what works for me, and yes you have to pay for it. Even I paid for it!!!!!!!!!!

I know its a pain but put this down to experience. BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP.

Good luck
Iain

 

[ncotton]

It wont happen every time you create a new profile, there is something a miss somewhere. Recovery utilities are never free.

and no, this wasn't my doing. My "tool" was a mask, about 7 years ago in VB! , and not viral.

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant