If you have not done it GO AND BACK UP YOUR PHOTOS NOW!

stu_the_flat

stu_the_flat

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Stuart
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Well thats my main computer refusing to find the windows32/System file. So it wont load.

I last backed up in early May so I have lost my recent photos.

I have just gone pro on photobucket so if I take a good photo I will upload an uncompressed image in future.

Lession learned

BACK UP YOUR STUFF!

Stuart
 
I last backed up in early May so I have lost my recent photos
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Try recovery from a windows disk or

Put a spare drive in with windows on it. Piggy back your old drive and copy your photos off.

Unless your pc has a password then it's more difficult.

All mine are backed up 5 ways because I've had a drive burn out that had my photos on it.
 
You could also plug the hard drive into another PC and access the files that way. Or, use a Linux live CD and boot using that, access drive and save files that way. Don't give up.
 
Just because Windows won't load, doesn't mean you have lost your images! Don't dispair- look at what Chris has suggested. There is still hope :)
 
I backup on a backup, which is backed up onto another backup which is stored on several backups which in turn are backed up to another backup!! lol
 
lazer said:
I backup on a backup, which is backed up onto another backup which is stored on several backups which in turn are backed up to another backup!! lol
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how do you have time to take photos??? :D
 
I don't take photos!! I am too busy backing up the backups!! lol

(Still trying to decide which DSLR to get)
 
If it doesn't exist in 3 places then it doesnt exist, but as others have said you shouldn't have lost the photo in your case, doesn't should like a drive failure.
 
lazer said:
You could also plug the hard drive into another PC and access the files that way. Or, use a Linux live CD and boot using that, access drive and save files that way. Don't give up.
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I'd second this suggestion

Knoppix has saved me on a number of occasions - very easy to do as well and avoids having to dismantle your computer at all :)
 
I always backup everything a couple of times, if not more!! lol
 
Get yourself a copy of Microsnots SyncToy.

It's a free program to do your backups, although it's manually triggered it does a damn good job.

Mind I do prefer to manually trigger backups that way the machine doesn't copy over soomething I want whilst me mind is somewhere else, which it usually is :D
 
A copy of ERD Commander should sort out the system 32 error, it will replace the missing file (usually quicker than using a Windows CD too!), but as said the data should all still be on the disk.
 
swordjo said:
A copy of ERD Commander should sort out the system 32 error, it will replace the missing file (usually quicker than using a Windows CD too!), but as said the data should all still be on the disk.
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this. ERD commander is a beautiful piece of software.

OP, your data is NOT lost, do not worry - but tread carefully.

Avoid anything mentioning the word 'format' or re-installing the whole of windows or wiping the hard drive. But at the moment, your data is safe :)
 
I think everyone has covered it all here really. A missing windows file is just that...

As already suggested, a live file system DVD such as Knoppix is great for getting to data

To be honest, I've never lost a single file of data if Windows has broken on me. I back up all of my important data but there are the odd files that don't need to really be backed up. Regardless, on the few occasions, Windows has bombed out on me, I've just installed it again on the same drive without formatting and then into a different folder. Got basic access to the drive and files and then backed up all the data I need to. If there's an administrator issue, I just change the owner of containers (can be explained if necessary) and then back them up.

Please just DO NOT tell us you have formatted and re-installed OR, run a master recovery on your PC. If you've done that... well, maybe it's too late.
 
Cheers guys. The most depressing things is I thought. "I've lost 8 weeks of photos, Which ones will I miss?"

I came to the conclution of one. that I wanted to retake anyway because the light could have been better!

I will try and get a system disic and see about restorting windows and then I will try and piggy back my hard drive from a freinds computer.

But if I loos the photos (because I'm a rubbish photographer!) It dosen't matter to much!

Stuart
 
With Windows XP and Windows 7, if you install Windows to the same partition that it's already installed on (without reformatting!), it moves all your files into a folder called windows.old on the hard drive.
 
System Disc and Restoring in the same sentence rings alarm bells as it implies you're going to get a master recovery disc and restore your computer - which in most cases is destructive to data,.

Windows Disc and Install Along side the old broken version is better.

If you have one of those god awful packard bell things or similar, I'd run with the live file system option before system recovery because major manufacture branded PC's tend to install a "Tattoo" on the hard disk. If you install a regular version of windows it overwrites a hidden section of the drive and recovery thereafter is an absolute nightmare. They force you to install their recovery version with it's bloated crap in it.
 
Oh and a backup is useless unless it's verified, it's no good restoring from a backup if the backup is bobbins...

If the disk contents are essential and without them you are so far up the creek it's run dry, you should also consider offsite storage. Otherwise it all goes up in the same fire/flood/tornado...
 
lazer said:
I backup on a backup, which is backed up onto another backup which is stored on several backups which in turn are backed up to another backup!! lol
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same here, 3 external hard drives plus dvd-R discs Read only memory :thumbs:
 
The best way to deal with this kind of possible situation is to partition your HD.

I have done this for years and have NEVER lost data.

I have one partition for Windows XP (C drive) and usually 3 others - 1 for downloads, 1 for programs and 1 for data (photos etc).

In fact on this HD I re-installed Windows XP yesterday.

I say HD because I also use Hard drive caddies so I can have different Operating Systems on different Hds without the expense of buying seperate computers.

I also back up all important data to DVDs VERY REGULARLY!
 
petersmart said:
The best way to deal with this kind of possible situation is to partition your HD.

I have done this for years and have NEVER lost data.

I have one partition for Windows XP (C drive) and usually 3 others - 1 for downloads, 1 for programs and 1 for data (photos etc).

In fact on this HD I re-installed Windows XP yesterday.

................QUOTE]

That's fine until the drive goes tits up.:'(
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Based on the info in this thread, I had a wee go with ERD Commander and Ubantu.

ERD was easy and quick.

Ubantu was also easy but you do need a good book whilst you download then run it from a CD.
 
My brother in law had a similar occurance, in that his laptop failed to load, and yes his photo's were on it. In the end took his HDU out of the laptop, stuck it into an external caddy and plugged it into the USB of my computer. As it was just another external drive I could freely copy the photo's from it before correcting the Windows problem.
External caddies are cheap and available from comuter bits shops or perhaps on line.
 
Additionally "Important" data should not be backed up to DVD. DVD is not a backup just additional storage media that will fail.
 
neil_g said:
indeed. partitioning wont help you if the drive fails.
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True - but I also said I back up regularly.

And I've only once had a HD go really bad - and that was after the house was struck by lightning - and even then I was able to recover all data from it by FREEZING it!

You are also much more likely to have windows go down than the complete HD have a catastrophic failure.

In fact in the last year 4 peole I know have lost data for the same reason - total windows failure not a HD failure.
 
petersmart said:
True - but I also said I back up regularly.

And I've only once had a HD go really bad - and that was after the house was struck by lightning - and even then I was able to recover all data from it by FREEZING it!

You are also much more likely to have windows go down than the complete HD have a catastrophic failure.

In fact in the last year 4 peole I know have lost data for the same reason - total windows failure not a HD failure.
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really? we've probably had 10 hard drive failures across various devices so far this year?

generally i find windows fails mostly from corrupt files leading from dying hard drives..
 
PsiFox said:
Additionally "Important" data should not be backed up to DVD. DVD is not a backup just additional storage media that will fail.
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Well I've got DVDs from about 7 years ago still with all the data on them - in fact I have literally hundreds of DVDs with backed up films on and all my photos from 5 years ago to the present day - all intact.

I always use DataWrite DVDs and record at 1/2 rated speed - just in case - and it works.

I also keep them in DVD folders etc so they are not exposed to direct sunlight.

And it works.
 
neil_g said:
really? we've probably had 10 hard drive failures across various devices so far this year?

generally i find windows fails mostly from corrupt files leading from dying hard drives..
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Well I can only speak from my own experience.

And for me partitioning the HD is something I've done for at least 10 years.

It also means that I can do a fresh install of Windows without formatting the whole HD.

I also set SMART on my computers which warned me once of a HD problem so I was able to copy everything before it really went bad.
 
petersmart said:
Well I can only speak from my own experience.

And for me partitioning the HD is something I've done for at least 10 years.

It also means that I can do a fresh install of Windows without formatting the whole HD.

I also set SMART on my computers which warned me once of a HD problem so I was able to copy everything before it really went bad.
Click to expand...

fair enough.. in my 10 years in IT ive always avoided partitions like the plauge, plus it has always been better performance to have 2 physical drives with the swap file etc on the 2nd disk.

these days with the cost of HD it makes more sense to have an OS hard drive and a storage hard drive. then obviously backing up to external media.

agreed on your comments on DVDs, dont use budget discs and you should get less chance of "rot"..

old article but mostly revelvent:

http://www.audioholics.com/educatio.../cd-and-dvd-longevity-how-long-will-they-last
 
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