I am not able to access my personal data because of System Restore

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stephen
  • Start date Start date
S

Stephen

Hello,

Recently I used System Restore not fully understanding what it truly did,
and it ended up causing my profiles in my computer to be erased in a way.
What it did was kept all the data that were in those profiles, but cut off
the ability to reach and use those files. So now I can't use those files and
have no idea how to reach them.

Is there a way to recover the profiles to be able to reach my data again?
 
Stephen said:
Recently I used System Restore not fully understanding what it
truly did, and it ended up causing my profiles in my computer to be
erased in a way. What it did was kept all the data that were in
those profiles, but cut off the ability to reach and use those
files. So now I can't use those files and have no idea how to reach
them.

Is there a way to recover the profiles to be able to reach my data
again?
Click to expand...

What do you mean by 'reach my data again'? Are you getting some specific
message?
 
What it did was wipe out the profiles on the welcome page, but kept the data
from each profile stored away inside the computer. Data as in files like
images, written documents, etc.

Its like having a broken link, the files are still in my computer but can
not be accessed at all, or at least I have no idea how to access them. Other
then having that profile on the welcome page and signing in as usual.
 
Stephen said:
What it did was wipe out the profiles on the welcome page, but kept the
data
from each profile stored away inside the computer. Data as in files like
images, written documents, etc.

Its like having a broken link, the files are still in my computer but can
not be accessed at all, or at least I have no idea how to access them.
Other
then having that profile on the welcome page and signing in as usual.
Click to expand...
If the files are still "in my computer", then you need to specify exactly
where they are located on disk.
If these files are still on disk, which user owns them?
Does that user exist?
If the user does not exist, create an account by that name.
Then, it will be nothing more than taking ownership of the files and folders
as described in Help & Support.

While something like this has never happened to me, I see a likely cause is
that system restore did something to either the SAM hive or the NTUSER.Dat
hives.
Jim
 
Stephen said:
Recently I used System Restore not fully understanding what it
truly did, and it ended up causing my profiles in my computer to be
erased in a way. What it did was kept all the data that were in
those profiles, but cut off the ability to reach and use those
files. So now I can't use those files and have no idea how to reach
them.

Is there a way to recover the profiles to be able to reach my data
again?
Click to expand...

Shenan said:
What do you mean by 'reach my data again'? Are you getting some
specific message?
Click to expand...
What it did was wipe out the profiles on the welcome page, but kept
the data from each profile stored away inside the computer. Data as
in files like images, written documents, etc.

Its like having a broken link, the files are still in my computer
but can not be accessed at all, or at least I have no idea how to
access them. Other then having that profile on the welcome page and
signing in as usual.
Click to expand...

Blood from a turnip, I guess...

Would the specific message you are getting when you try to get to these
files be "Access Denied"? Or do you just not know to look under
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>?

If the latter - you now know where to look. If the former comes up...

How to Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

Read *carefully* - do not just skim the page and start following steps.
There is important information there dependent on the version of Windows XP.
 
There are two different System Restores that can be done with PCs, especially
with large name brand PCs. There is the standard XP System Restore which
will place the XP back to a time prior to the last configuration change. Then
there is the PC's System Restore which will erase the hard drive completely
and will place back the version of XP that was delivered with the PC.

Which one are you talking about?
 
smlunatick said:
There are two different System Restores that can be done with PCs, especially
with large name brand PCs. There is the standard XP System Restore which
will place the XP back to a time prior to the last configuration change. Then
there is the PC's System Restore which will erase the hard drive completely
and will place back the version of XP that was delivered with the PC.

Which one are you talking about?
Click to expand...
If you are talking about the Windows System Restore utility program you
can undo the last restore and get back your previous configuration. I'd
try this approach before anything else.

Bill
 
Hi again,

I'd just like to let everyone know that Shenan Stanley's advice about taking
ownership worked.

This is what i did after reading this information from: How to Take
Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

Safe Mode --> Start Button --> My Computer --> HP PAVILIAN --> USERDATA -->
Then followed the steps from "How to Take Ownership of a File or Folder in
Windows XP" which allowed me to once again gain access to the files I had
lost access to from the System Restore.

I did do a System Restore which made my computer go into a state of when it
first was started. It kept all of my programs but left a lot of them broken,
and cut off access to any of my files. (My Pictures/My Documents)

There are also Application Data, presets and other Data that i have
recovered. I was wondering if I just replace it all with the existing ones
that i was given after the System Restore, or if there was a different way to
reapply them.

Thank You
 
Stephen said:
I'd just like to let everyone know that Shenan Stanley's advice
about taking ownership worked.

This is what i did after reading this information from: How to Take
Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

Safe Mode --> Start Button --> My Computer --> HP PAVILIAN -->
USERDATA --> Then followed the steps from "How to Take Ownership of
a File or Folder in Windows XP" which allowed me to once again gain
access to the files I had lost access to from the System Restore.

I did do a System Restore which made my computer go into a state of
when it first was started. It kept all of my programs but left a
lot of them broken, and cut off access to any of my files. (My
Pictures/My Documents)

There are also Application Data, presets and other Data that i have
recovered. I was wondering if I just replace it all with the
existing ones that i was given after the System Restore, or if
there was a different way to reapply them.
Click to expand...

Thank you for letting everyoe know what worked to resolve your issue!
 
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