hard drive... - Computers -PCs, laptops, hardware, software - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

justalicious6989 · 06-11-2009, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roselvr

You need to explain a little better on what exactly you want.
Did you wipe the drive and some of her files that weren't backed up?
Why do you need the old windows install? You can't recover it.

I actually wonder if you used an upgrade CD and think you need the old files to do the upgrade?
No, you should not.
Pop the Vista CD in, it will start installing. At some point it will ask for the old windows key, type it in.

Otherwise, throw the recovery CD in and put her version of windows back on it.

as i explained before...
vista was in the middle of installing when her battery went out (she didnt have it plugged in all the way) anyways i had to start a fresh install with that being said... the windows.old folder is not there because the first vista installation failed thus having to start a second one.
NOW....
prior to this happening she was running xp... i know that the pictures etc are on the drive like i said vista business is rougly a 9 gig install when i do it. clearly im using over 20 gigs as we speak... thats with nothing intalled so like i said they are there the question is how to get them...

Roselvr · 06-12-2009, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justalicious6989

the windows.old folder is not there ..

Why do you need the windows.old files? That's what we are asking.
You don't need them.

justalicious6989 · 06-12-2009, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roselvr

Why do you need the windows.old files? That's what we are asking.
You don't need them.

uhmm yes i do thats were the pictures and documents are... i dont care about any other files just those

NHDave · 06-12-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justalicious6989

uhmm yes i do thats were the pictures and documents are... i dont care about any other files just those

If the windows.old is missing entirely, your going to need recovery software to get your data back, there's no other way around it.

Roselvr · 06-12-2009, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justalicious6989

uhmm yes i do thats were the pictures and documents are... i dont care about any other files just those

Tip 1 - DO NOT use the computer until you find the free recovery software you want to use. Someone at Maximum PC's forum suggested 2 different free products that worked great.

I get what you did (I think) - you installed Vista without backing up her files. I don't think you're looking for windows old when you do get the recovery software you are going to be looking for .jpg.

Vista wrote over the drive, like a reformat.

The more the computer is used until recovery, the less chance you will have to recover those files.

google search - tip 2 - free recovery software is only going to do so much. From what I've read, paying for a version is easier and quicker because it will search the whole drive (as in batch) verses free you have to recover single files.

Superchip is the person that suggested the software.
post 1

post 2

post 3

Zero Assumption Recovery - The free trial does 4 folders at once. The full version can do it in one sweep. He suggested it in 2006 - may be something better these days.

Another thing to think of is possibly cloning the current install onto another drive for her to use while you recover the one that's screwed up.

justalicious6989 · 06-20-2009, 08:27 AM

i will let you know how it goes, were just waiting on me not being lazy to go get a connector for the hard drive