Computer question

[tillergirl]

I know I should not be asking a computer question on here as it is neither boaty not east coast but from some of the kind PMs I have had I know there are expert people on here.

Good news is that I am almost back up and running. Should finish up the NtM's for this week by this evening (must go to the boat today).

My problem is that once I had done the recovery process I could not see the backup directory for my User files that the recovery process should have saved them in. So I have done a 'recover my files' process which has worked well (if slowly).

My problem is that there is clearly some 200GB of something hidden on the C drive - presumably my backup directory that I should be able to see. I have done the 'show hidden files' thing but that doesn't help. I know something is there as I tried to create a new folder called 'Documents and Settings' and the thing said 'do you want to merge this with the existing folder' which I can't see.

Anyone any idea how I get to see this hidden stuff please?

 

[DipperToo]

Had a similar issue - try this;

Most personal files are located in the following location:

drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName

This folder contains the following three folders:

drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName\Cookies
drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName\Start Menu
drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName\UserData

Typically, these three folders do not contain important user data. The following three folders are also located in the "drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName" folder:
drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName\Desktop
drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName\Favorites
drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents

Might help?

Stewart

 

[ex-Gladys]

Roger,

I think (?) I sent you a PM....

 

[tillergirl]

Stewart

Thanks. But I have nothing visible. There is only something like 18GB in the Windows folder and there is no Windows.old folder showing. I am sure the stuff is there but it is just not visible.

 

[tillergirl]

Sorry Larry, PM coming back. Tide was an awkward time so I've been out all day...

 

[Jomo]

Evening Roger, you could boot to a linux distro cd (like ubuntu), your windows file system should then become fully available ( and the folders easily recognizable). Have a hunt for your 'missing' files and the copy them to a more recognizable windows folder, or potentially a usb drive. Hope this is reasonably clear, and almost useful.

Ian

 

[tillergirl]

Ian

I understand the words! It looks like I can load ubuntu alongside Windows. Does it become obvious how to switch between OS?

Is it me, or is it unreasonable to have a recovery system that hides the backup away - or perhaps its just gone wrong this time.

I shall finish this weeks NtM and then have a play. Thanks

 

[Jomo]

Hi Roger,

I'd just boot from the linux cd, you should be able to navigate your own drive(s), copy and paste as required, or if you have a usb drive, just copy the files to that. It shouldn't change your boot op sys (windows) at all, just make copies of the files you're after in a more recognisable location, also one that wont be hidden by your normal sys when you reboot - somewhere like your my docs folder.
This does make the assumption that you know the names of the files you're 'missing'.

You could load linux alongside windows, but I'd save that game until you're sure you've retrived the files you're after

HTH

Probs? Queries? PM

 

[tillergirl]

Jomo

Thanks. I shall ponder that advice. Botheras has also been helpfully PM'ing. I need just to concentrate on getting this week's NtM out and then its down to some serious sorting out.

Thanks

 

[PaulGooch]

You can download a really small Linux distro that will fit in a USB pendrive, if you have one and the PC will boot from USB.

 

[tillergirl]

Thanks Paul. I'm going to give that a go. The main machine has been downloading Windows updates all night and doesn't appear to be going anywhere! If it's not one thing.......

 

[ex-Gladys]

That'll be because you've had to "step back" to the original OS install, so Update will be downloading ALL the patches back to the date of that build...

 

[tillergirl]

Thanks Larry. I guessed that. The night before it downloaded 64! and last night 32. I have yet to take the Norton bundle off (again) and I think that's fighting with the update! There is always something. Anyway the NtM service is back in gear even if the back record conversation for the 'other side' extension 2011 has taken a knock.

I think I shall go and play boats for a while .......

 

[PaulGooch]

Slightly off topic, ditch anything Norton related and install the free version of Avast.

 

[PaulGooch]

Hold on a second, what is this recovery process you speak of ?

As you seem to be doing a gazillion windows updates, i'm suspecting that you may have used the PC manufacturers recovery disks, if that is so, recovering your user data may not be possible.

 

[DipperToo]

Stewart

Thanks. But I have nothing visible. There is only something like 18GB in the Windows folder and there is no Windows.old folder showing. I am sure the stuff is there but it is just not visible.

Have you tried typing the string(s) suggested into the path using explorer? Or the dos prompt? even if the folder(s) are not visible, trying to cd /windows.old at root may show something? I am not sure how, but last year I found that the temporary internet folders still would not show when unhiding files/folders, but typing the path name into the explorer bar allowed files to be seen. Also, there may be permissions (special) and using the attrib command can change these as well in case ownership is changed to admin only?

Regards,

Stewart

 

[PaulGooch]

Have you tried typing the string(s) suggested into the path using explorer? Or the dos prompt? even if the folder(s) are not visible, trying to cd /windows.old at root may show something? I am not sure how, but last year I found that the temporary internet folders still would not show when unhiding files/folders, but typing the path name into the explorer bar allowed files to be seen. Also, there may be permissions (special) and using the attrib command can change these as well in case ownership is changed to admin only?

Regards,

Stewart

Stewart, it's unlikely he'll have a windows.old directory. This is normally only present after performing a custom or upgrade installation of Vista or Windows 7.

 

[PaulGooch]

What we really need to know is :

What computer ?
What OS ?
What recovery method ?

 

[tillergirl]

Sorry for the delay, playing boats.

Packhard Bell, Windows 7 Home Premium, used the Manufactuer's Recovery Discs (you know the ones you make first). I did the recovery selecting the restore to original but save User files. Yes, sir said the machine. Your files will be placed into a directory call C:\backup1. There is no such directory visible although there is a Backup folder containing a few MB of data - which it won't give me permission to examine. It says there is 300GB of data on the C drive, yet only 100GB is visible (backup1 should have at least 100GB in it).

Yes Paul, hate Norton with a vengence, I use Kaspersky which is free as a customer of a certain Bank. Obviously that was wiped during the recovery and I was concentrating on getting the NtM done before reloading that.

Yes have tried tying in the string in Explorer. No luck. Tried to create a folder called Cocuments and Settings so that all the Hyperlinks on one of my other websites (which has about 10K of hyperlinks! so it kind of important) and Windows said this will be merged into your existing folder of that name! No such folder is visible! I reckon the backup is there just some fiendishly cunning MS plot is keeping me from seeing it.

 

[BAtoo]

If you haven't sorted it then Sequoia View is a program that scans and shows files on you HD in a visual representation (if you try it enable the colour scheme). It shows files by size & you should be able to spot the missing large files.You can then find the address from the icons.

Its a straightforward Windows program & no messing with Linux.

http://w3.win.tue.nl/nl/onderzoek/onderzoek_informatica/visualization/sequoiaview/