Where have my old files gone?

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Guest

I've just updated from W98 to Home XP. I followed the 'simple' upgrade option - did not do any advance stuff. I now can't fin any of my old file (were in 'my documents'). Please don't say that I've deleted them in the the upgrade! I don't have back-up of the files. Help....please...
 
Bill said:
I've just updated from W98 to Home XP. I followed the 'simple'
upgrade option - did not do any advance stuff. I now can't fin any of
my old file (were in 'my documents'). Please don't say that I've
deleted them in the the upgrade! I don't have back-up of the files.
Help....please...
Click to expand...

If you actually did an upgrade and not an installation where you erased the
partitions and started from scratch...
Data or Program Settings Are Missing After You Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313362

Try these articles:

Mail Folders, Address Book, and E-mail Messages Are Missing
After You Upgrade to Microsoft Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313055

Your Desktop Icons Are Missing in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330170

Also, do a hard drive search (advance options on) for your old files..
 
Hi,

They may be under an old user profile, or they may be gone. You should
never, ever upgrade without backing up first. Take a look here for them:

C:\Documents and Settings

Search under each user profile for them.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
 
Shenan, Rick,

thanks for the info - it looks as if I've lost all my old stuff.

I've looked at the XP box, folder & booklet - not a mention of backing up your files before doing an upgrade!

A painful way to learn a lesson.
 
you didn't make backups....relying only on your hard drive is
FOOLISH........everyone makes backups...guess you will from now on...
 
Hi Bill,

You may want to try a file recovery utility, though they may be overwritten
at this point. This one here works quite well for basic file recovery:
http://www.collina.us/files/REST2514.htm

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
 
you didn't make backups....relying only on your hard drive is
FOOLISH........everyone makes backups...guess you will from now on...
Click to expand...


While it's true that everyone _should_ make backups, it isn't the case
that everyone or even most people do.

srdiamond
 
Bill said:
I've just updated from W98 to Home XP. I followed the 'simple' upgrade
Click to expand...
option - did not do any advance stuff. I now can't fin any of my old file
(were in 'my documents'). Please don't say that I've deleted them in the the
upgrade! I don't have back-up of the files. Help....please...

Have you tried to do a search from within Windows Explorer for *.doc ? I am
assuming here that your documents have a doc extension.

Like you, when going from 98 to XP I couldn't find my documents after
finishing (I did have a backup though). I did a search for documents using
*.doc as the criteria and I did find them though not in a spot that I would
have expected.
 
Have to agree. Regular backups are almost mandatory nowadays. Let alone,
prior to an OS upgrade. Yet, in reality, practically no one does.
 
Rick

thanks for this - i managed to get back a couple of my important files plus lots of 'nice to have' stuff.

regards

Bil

----- Rick \"Nutcase\" Rogers wrote: ----

Hi Bill

You may want to try a file recovery utility, though they may be overwritten
at this point. This one here works quite well for basic file recovery
http://www.collina.us/files/REST2514.ht

--
Best of Luck

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zon
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzon
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.or
 
I've just updated from W98 to Home XP. I followed the 'simple' upgrade option - did not do any advance stuff. I now can't fin any of my old file (were in 'my documents'). Please don't say that I've deleted them in the the upgrade! I don't have back-up of the files. Help....please...
Click to expand...

Your documents may have been MOVED. Check in C:\Documents and Settings
for documents. Use Windows search facility for your files e.g *.DOC
for work files, *.DBX for Mail messages.

ALWAYS do a backup of data files before making major changes to your
computer!

Peter Hutchison
Windows FAQ
http://www.pcguru.plus.com/
 
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