Caithness Map :: Links to Site Map Paying too much for broadband? Move to PlusNet broadband and save£££s. Free setup now available - terms apply. PlusNet broadband.  
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 25

Thread: Windows XP - Urgent!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Wick
    Posts
    787

    Default Windows XP - Urgent!

    Help!

    I am using Windows XP. Fairly new pc.

    I switched off last night - fine. Switched back on this morning - I've lost everything. The pc seems to have gone back to the way it was when I bought it. The desktop has changed, programs I have installed are no longer there, all of my favourites have gone in IE, my e-mail accounts have gone in OE...........all my e-mail addresses have gone.

    All of my website info has gone. I had loads of important info and it's all gone.

    Can anyone help me - I'm desperate. Is there any way I can get this info back? What on earth has happened? All I did was switch on in the normal way, then everything just disappeared.

    Is there anything I can do? Any help will be so appreciated.


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    1,350

    Default

    Try system restore:

    Start/all programs/accessories/system tools/system restore.

  3. #3

    Default

    r u up and running again

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Wick
    Posts
    787

    Default

    Hi guys

    No, not up and running yet!

    I've tried to run the system restore, but it won't allow me to do it. It only gives a restore date for this morning, when I switched the pc on.

    Can't understand this at all.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    1,460

    Default

    sounds like you may have logged into the wrong account?

    try, "Start" / "Log Off" / "Switch User" to see if there are other accounts you could try.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Wick
    Posts
    787

    Default

    Thanks Niall

    There are only 2 user accounts - I've tried them both, but still nothing.

    It looks like I really have lost everything.

    Thanks for the help anyway.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    1,350

    Default

    The data will still be on your HD, you need a program to exact this information to another storage device. Blue ivy may be able to help you with the right software for the job.

  8. #8

    Default

    hi! you can use SYSTEM RESTORE WIZARD to roll back your system to the condition it was in at a prior point time.u can rollback to any of these types of checkpoints and restoration points. is it a laptop?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    Thurso - Springparker
    Posts
    365

    Default

    I agree with Niall - If you check old document folders and see if you recognise anything

    START
    MY COMPUTER

    and then check the folders in there. Let us know how you get on.

  10. #10
    jlang Guest

    Default

    try http://www.z-a-recovery.com/info_zar32.htm

    use the free trial version

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Wick
    Posts
    787

    Default

    Thanks for the help everyone.

    I checked everywhere on the pc, but still couldn't find the e-mails or addresses etc.

    I used a program - OE-Mail REcovery and Address Book REcovery, and managed to get most of the messages back.

    Still have no idea what happened though?

    Needless to say, I have backed everything up now, and have learnt a very valuable lesson!!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Caithness
    Posts
    12,924

    Default

    Do you think you could have picked up a virus? it might explain it?

    I'd run an anti virus check, now if I were you.
    God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
    Courage to change the things I can,
    And wisdom to know the difference.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Wick
    Posts
    1,020

    Default .. glad your back up!

    Sorry I didn't get involved in this thread. Broadband died at the weekend. Anyway, this is a strange one and I've never heard of anything happening like this before. The *only* thing I could think would explain it is if you had just switched the power off on the PC without logging off. Still unlikely to explain it but it's the only thing I could think of! It does outline something I've been saying to home users for years (and most don't listen unfortunately) you need to backup ... backup ... backup! If you run a business it's even more important and could be legally required! Backups needn't be expensive. Most people have a CD Writer these days, use a simple CD which stores 650Mb+, takes 10 minutes (about) to burn and costs you what, 5p? If this is going to be your only method of backup, I'd burn two just in case one disappears, breaks or is unreadable. Take the CD's to another house (leave it with your brother, sister, mum, dad, friend) and that way should the worst happen, you've always got a backup. You can also use an external USB hard drive. They're a bit more expensive (£50+) and a lot less portable than a CD but a lot faster and the backups can be automated more easily. Thanks Pulteneytooner for remembering me ... Anyway, I've said my two pence worth. I'll be writing an article on low costs backups soon and posting it on the website.
    Last edited by blueivy; 04-Sep-06 at 12:11. Reason: What's happened to the formatting?!?!
    Kind regards,

    Paul Broadwith
    Blue Ivy Ltd, Wick - Certified Microsoft Small Business Specialist

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Orkney
    Posts
    218

    Default

    Just been reading through the technical probs on here i had a look at my user accounts & blimey there was an unknown user account as well as mine Iv'e owned this comp from new it has the very 1st xp on it, Just wondered has someone hacked into it or a virus? I hammer it regularly with avg, spybot & even bought spyware doctor as recommended on here, Oh and im on aol

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Wick
    Posts
    1,020

    Default

    Hi Sax01,

    I doubt somebody has hacked into it. If they did they woulnd' tleave an unknown user account, they'd hack into yours!

    If you've got anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall I'd say you're pretty much covered.

    I have quite a few Unknown accounts here as it's pretty common when connected to a Windows domain (the account is deleted from the server, when your PC then tries to reconcile it's profiles with accounts and can't find one it says Unknown Account).

    If you go into c:\documents and settings what folders do you have in there other than Default User and All Users? Where did you actually see the Unknown User account - was it within User Accounts or Profiles? What version of XP are you using?
    Kind regards,

    Paul Broadwith
    Blue Ivy Ltd, Wick - Certified Microsoft Small Business Specialist

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    East Kilbride
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Check the date and time settings, could be the internal battery is weak

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Wick
    Posts
    1,020

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Glebite View Post
    Check the date and time settings, could be the internal battery is weak

    Hi Glebite,

    That wouldn't have reset Windows back to the state it was when it was installed (which is what KCI thought the problem was). That would simply reset the date, time and installed devices most of which owuld have been autodetected. When your battery is changed or is not powering the CMOS to store the machines data the PC wil usually tell you in one way or another.
    Kind regards,

    Paul Broadwith
    Blue Ivy Ltd, Wick - Certified Microsoft Small Business Specialist

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Dundee
    Posts
    1,729

    Default

    You don't have faulty ROM I think it will be do you because the contents of RAM is lost anyway when your PC is switched off so maybe you lost all the contents of RAM aswell or would that mean that the whole PC wouldn't work? Can't remeber. I've never ever heard this happening to a PC before though. Did you get any error messages when your PC came back on. Try logging on to the Administrator account of your PC if it will let you and check to see if anything is there. Does everything that you saved stay there now or do you still loose it? Try clicking START and SEARCH and look to see if your files are still in the system. You didn't accidentaly format your C:/ drive did you? Non't think you can ACCIDENTALY do that but you never know.

    Infact, some of that might not be right if your whole system was the way it was when it was newly installed. When you say that it went back to what it was like when it was newly installed, was your User Account even there?

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Dunnet
    Posts
    82

    Default

    KCI

    From what you described I'd say you lost your profile but this would not normally happen on home pcs but it might of corrupted
    Go to c:\documents & settings\ in there you should see a few folders is there 2 which contain your username?

    Hoping there is anyway go into the one that is your username and not username.000 and look on desktop folder is all your old icons there?

  20. #20

    Default Windows XP - Urgent!

    Hello!
    I wonder if this p.c was made by one of the larger companies like Time/Tiny or Mesh as you said "The pc seems to have gone back to the way it was when I bought it" and this appears to provide a hint.
    Companies like these provide a Reload Disk for putting them back to factory settings as described as most errors are due to customers themselves or viruses rather than a fault with the p.c and by providing customers with these disks allows the customer to correct the errors.
    The reload disk does not contain all the information but simply executes a programme that is contained separately within the hard drive that is not normally accessed.
    It would appear that this programme has been executed resulting in the problem described. Windows may have developed a critical error resulting in this. Alternatively the hard drive or reload programme may have an error.
    If this is the case or it happens again soon I would contact the company concerned for advice if the p.c is fairly new but if Mesh I wouldn't hold my breath as it may be returned in a worse state.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •