Need Help - recovering data

[ChingChang]

My teacher's daughter's comp crapped out today. She said it crashed and it wouldn't get past the Windows screen when starting up. So she remembered someone telling her that she could restore Windows or something with the installation disk. So she puts it in, and reinstalls Windows (but apparently it said all her data wouldn't be lost, and just Windows would be reinstalled). She gets into Windows, and all her files are gone, except the installed programs like Firefox or iTunes.

The problem is, that for the past three years she's been saving papers, downloading music and has so much important data that she hasn't backed up, and now it appears to be gone. I just want to know if any of these files were possibly moved into a windows folder or something? or if it's possible to recover them at all. I think it's Windows XP, but she said it was three years old so it might be Windows ME or 2000.

 

[ChingChang]

So anyone know if it's possible that the files are on her computer somewhere? would like to know before tomorrow :|

 

[djnes]

So anyone know if it's possible that the files are on her computer somewhere? would like to know before tomorrow :|

We can't answer this....only you can. Do a search for *.mp3 and see what it finds. If not, you might need a recovery program, but to the best of my knowledge, if data was written over the files by the restore process, they are gone.

Without knowing what kind of restore it was, we can't answer that either. It might have been a parallel install, aor it might have been a total re-image. As my sig says, if you don't give us the info, we can't give you the answer.

 

[ChingChang]

I don't have the info. She has the comp and it is like 4 hours away. I'll call her and tell her to do the search though. Thanks.

 

[Zidoas]

as long as the sectors on the harddrive haven't got written over, the previous files are still there.

Like djnes said, do a search and see what comes up. If nothing, you might need to use this:
http://www.download.com/3000-2094-10294180.html

best program IMO. However, the trial version only SHOWS you what files you can recover... I know. You'll need to find an alternate way of getting the full version... like buying

 

[djnes]

as long as the sectors on the harddrive haven't got written over, the previous files are still there.

Like djnes said, do a search and see what comes up. If nothing, you might need to use this:
http://www.download.com/3000-2094-10294180.html

best program IMO. However, the trial version only SHOWS you what files you can recover... I know. You'll need to find an alternate way of getting the full version... like buying

At least by showing you the files, you'll know they can be recovered though.

 

[Arkaine23]

I have one called PCI file recovery. It's free and lets you both see and recover the data. Amazing!

 

[Zidoas]

I have one called PCI file recovery. It's free and lets you both see and recover the data. Amazing!

hey thanks for the heads up! I am going to try it out since I do lots of backups and formatting for customers and myself!

 

[oldpablo]

Its possible if the restore just reinstalled windows that all her data is still in her old profile just sitting there. Have her check the documents & settings folder and poke around in any old profiles listed there (if there are any).