Javascript Disabled Detected

You currently have javascript disabled. Several functions may not work. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality.

Register a free account to unlock additional features at BleepingComputer.com

Welcome to BleepingComputer, a free community where people like yourself come together to discuss and learn how to use their computers. Using the site is easy and fun. As a guest, you can browse and view the various discussions in the forums, but can not create a new topic or reply to an existing one unless you are logged in. Other benefits of registering an account are subscribing to topics and forums, creating a blog, and having no ads shown anywhere on the site.

Click here to Register a free account now! or read our Welcome Guide to learn how to use this site.

Latest News: Hide and Seek Botnet Adds Infection Vector for Android Devices

Featured Deal: Get 92% off The Complete Cisco Network Certification Training Bundle

Have I lost my files?

Started by pam54 , Feb 10 2009 11:57 AM

Please log in to reply

5 replies to this topic

#1 pam54

Members
18 posts
OFFLINE

Local time:10:22 AM

Posted 10 February 2009 - 11:57 AM

I had to restore my computer back to factory settings recently with help from a support help desk. I backed up everything, or so I thought. I had to load in software again and now today I am trying to find my family history files which I made using Family Tree and Family Tree 4. They aren't there! I just don't know where to look. Have I really lost them? It is hours of work and I didn't print out more than a fraction of them. Will I have the backup anywhere? I don't understand these things very well so hope someone can put me out of my misery please. (Not sure if this is in the right forum. Apologies if it isn't.)

Back to top

BC AdBot (Login to Remove)

BleepingComputer.com
Register to remove ads

#2 dc3

Bleeping Treehugger

Members
30,690 posts
OFFLINE

Gender:Male
Location:Sierra Foothills of Northern Ca.
Local time:08:22 AM

Posted 10 February 2009 - 12:33 PM

When the computer was returned to the factory settings it overwrote the files from the previous installation, this usually will mean that any personal information that was stored on the same partition will be lost. There are forensic recovery techniques that can be applied, but they are very expensive. Once a file or parts of it are over written conventional methods can't retrieve the data.

Family and loved ones will always be a priority in my daily life. You never know when one will leave you.

Back to top

#3 pam54

Topic Starter

Members
18 posts
OFFLINE

Local time:10:22 AM

Posted 10 February 2009 - 01:23 PM

That is tragic! I shall have to start again now. Please can you tell me how I can back the files up as a I go along. They aren't stored on my documents which is about the only bit that I understand how to back up.

Back to top

#4 dc3

Bleeping Treehugger

Members
30,690 posts
OFFLINE

Gender:Male
Location:Sierra Foothills of Northern Ca.
Local time:08:22 AM

Posted 10 February 2009 - 01:31 PM

I would suggest backing them up to removable media, like CDs, DVDs, flash drive, or a second hard drive. There are application like Acronis's true Image that you can use to backup the whole hdd as well.

Family and loved ones will always be a priority in my daily life. You never know when one will leave you.

Back to top

#5 garmanma

Computer Masochist

Members
27,809 posts
OFFLINE

Gender:Male
Location:Cleveland, Ohio
Local time:11:22 AM

Posted 10 February 2009 - 02:18 PM

with help from a support help desk. I backed up everything,

Backed them up to where??

Mark

why won't my laptop work?

Having grandkids is God's way of giving you a 2nd chance because you were too busy working your butt off the 1st time around
Do not send me PMs with problems that should be posted in the forums. Keep it in the forums, so everyone benefits
Become a BleepingComputer fan: Facebook and Twitter

Back to top

#6 pam54

Topic Starter

Members
18 posts
OFFLINE

Local time:10:22 AM

Posted 11 February 2009 - 11:57 AM

Thanks for the replies. You must despair with people like me. Because I don't fully understand what I am doing I assumed all the family history stuff was going into 'my documents' part of my computer but it wasn't. The family tree programme is loaded and I access it via my desktop. When I saw something in it where does it go? How do I find it to back it up as I go along? Sorry if this is terribly basic to you but I just don't know. It's really kind of people to offer advice, I don't know anyone who could help me otherwise.

Hope to hear from you.