Lost all files when Best Buy tech deleted owner identity

[Guest]

My 2 yr old pressed some keys on our laptop making it impossible to open up to the desktop setting; all that would show up upon turning the computer on was the desktop photo and nothing else. I took it to Best Buy where it was warranteed and the tech opened it in safe mode by pressing F8 while the computer was starting up. He suggested that he remove the old identity and create another. He then told me my computer could use a tune-up so I obliged him but when I got it back all my folders in My Documents were gone as were lots of valuable photos that were filed there. He was called at home about the problem and suggested that I use system restore to a prior date which I did but none of the folders in "my documents" showed up. Is there any way I can retrieve the photos? I also noticed that all my saved emails are missing and my OE address book is empty. This is a major setback. Is there any way to restore these files, emails and addresses

Jeff

 

[Steve C. Ray]

Probably not. You can do a search for *.jpg (most pictures use this suffix),
or search for *.dbx, your emails. The big problem is that the Best Buy
"Tech" was probably flipping hamburgers last month. System restore won't
restore your photos or emails.

--
Steve C. Ray

My 2 yr old pressed some keys on our laptop making it impossible to open

up to the desktop setting; all that would show up upon turning the computer
on was the desktop photo and nothing else. I took it to Best Buy where it
was warranteed and the tech opened it in safe mode by pressing F8 while the
computer was starting up. He suggested that he remove the old identity and
create another. He then told me my computer could use a tune-up so I obliged
him but when I got it back all my folders in My Documents were gone as were
lots of valuable photos that were filed there. He was called at home about
the problem and suggested that I use system restore to a prior date which I
did but none of the folders in "my documents" showed up. Is there any way I
can retrieve the photos? I also noticed that all my saved emails are missing
and my OE address book is empty. This is a major setback. Is there any way
to restore these files, emails and addresses?

 

[Pavel]

If the tech had any brains he would leave the old user profile on the hard
disk since it contains all of My Documents plus few other things. In order
to find out if he did, make sure that you have all the Folder View settings
set to allow you to see hidden, system and protected files and folders. Once
that is done, open C:\Documents and Settings. There you will see few folders
such as 'All Users', 'Default User', 'LocalService' and maybe few more. One
of them will have the name of your current profile and providing the tech
did the right thing, there will be another folder with the old user name
that he removed. If you see this folder, then you are saved.
Inside you will find My Documents that will contain all your data files. As
far as the OE data files, it should be there too.

--
Pavel

My 2 yr old pressed some keys on our laptop making it impossible to open

up to the desktop setting; all that would show up upon turning the computer
on was the desktop photo and nothing else. I took it to Best Buy where it
was warranteed and the tech opened it in safe mode by pressing F8 while the
computer was starting up. He suggested that he remove the old identity and
create another. He then told me my computer could use a tune-up so I obliged
him but when I got it back all my folders in My Documents were gone as were
lots of valuable photos that were filed there. He was called at home about
the problem and suggested that I use system restore to a prior date which I
did but none of the folders in "my documents" showed up. Is there any way I
can retrieve the photos? I also noticed that all my saved emails are missing
and my OE address book is empty. This is a major setback. Is there any way
to restore these files, emails and addresses?

 

[Guest]

It sounds like you are in a different user profile
Each user profile has its own independent "My Documents" and desktop

You can review all profiles by taking your Windows Explorer to C:\Documents and Settings
There you will see a folder for each of the user profiles. Each one has a My Documents and such
If they are not in any of those, check the Recycle bin. If they are not there, check with your local attorney
PS. Backups are a real good idea.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Jeff;
If the tech deleted the profile, the data went with it.
System Restore is not designed to bring back deleted personal files
and the tech should have known that.
Contact Best buy again to see what they may be able to do for you
because retrieving the data if possible may be expensive.
Search for the data by name.
If you find one piece, you may find more.

See this for data recovery options:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/datrec.htm

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

My 2 yr old pressed some keys on our laptop making it impossible to

open up to the desktop setting; all that would show up upon turning
the computer on was the desktop photo and nothing else. I took it to
Best Buy where it was warranteed and the tech opened it in safe mode
by pressing F8 while the computer was starting up. He suggested that
he remove the old identity and create another. He then told me my
computer could use a tune-up so I obliged him but when I got it back
all my folders in My Documents were gone as were lots of valuable
photos that were filed there. He was called at home about the problem
and suggested that I use system restore to a prior date which I did
but none of the folders in "my documents" showed up. Is there any way
I can retrieve the photos? I also noticed that all my saved emails are
missing and my OE address book is empty. This is a major setback. Is
there any way to restore these files, emails and addresses?

 

[Guest]

My riginal user profile does not exist in the system restored settings of Jan. 30th that I am using now and it is not in the recycle bin. Is there no easy way to restore a deleted user profile if it has be emptied from the recycle bin?

 

[Pavel]

There is a program called WinHEX that could help some but it is intended for
people with good skills with operating systems.

--
Pavel

My riginal user profile does not exist in the system restored settings of

Jan. 30th that I am using now and it is not in the recycle bin. Is there no
easy way to restore a deleted user profile if it has be emptied from the
recycle bin?

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

As far as I know there is no easy way.
You need a 3rd party application.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

My riginal user profile does not exist in the system restored

settings of Jan. 30th that I am using now and it is not in the recycle
bin. Is there no easy way to restore a deleted user profile if it has
be emptied from the recycle bin?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

No, there isn't, I'm afraid. Once a user account and its profile
is deleted, the files it contained are usually irretrievably deleted.
They are not stored in the recycle bin. A professional data recovery
service might be able to recover some of the files, if you send them
the hard drive and a couple thousand dollars.

Deleting a User Profile Removes the My Documents Folder and Its
Contents
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;264735

And FYI, System Restore Points _never_ contain any data files,
just system settings.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



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having both at once. -- RAH

My riginal user profile does not exist in the system restored

settings of Jan. 30th that I am using now and it is not in the recycle
bin. Is there no easy way to restore a deleted user profile if it has
be emptied from the recycle bin?