Help! I can't access my own files!

Help!!

Yesterday my (Vista 32) system crashed so hard that it took some system
files with it, necessitating a complete re-install with all the
headaches and thoughtless wreckage it does to one's file system.

I'm desperately in need of many of my old "My Documents" files, etc.
and have searched around for them, to no avail. I've been trying to
access the old Users/Account folder I used in my previous installation
(where I presume most of these files are located). I need to grand
admin permissions to do this, and I do, but then a new window opens up
and it's literally nothing but a *black* (not blank) empty space. I
get no further explanation or access.

a) Where are my old files? Have they been deleted??
How do I access this folder? I've seen in other forums things that
tell me this users/account folder may just be a sort of 'pointer' used
for legacy purposes. What's going on?




--
B-Guy

 

"B-Guy" <B-Guy.51d49d3@vistabanter.com> wrote in message
news:B-Guy.51d49d3@vistabanter.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
>
> Help!!
>
> Yesterday my (Vista 32) system crashed so hard that it took some system
> files with it, necessitating a complete re-install with all the
> headaches and thoughtless wreckage it does to one's file system.
>
> I'm desperately in need of many of my old "My Documents" files, etc.
> and have searched around for them, to no avail. I've been trying to
> access the old Users/Account folder I used in my previous installation
> (where I presume most of these files are located). I need to grand
> admin permissions to do this, and I do, but then a new window opens up
> and it's literally nothing but a *black* (not blank) empty space. I
> get no further explanation or access.
>
> a) Where are my old files? Have they been deleted??
> How do I access this folder? I've seen in other forums things that
> tell me this users/account folder may just be a sort of 'pointer' used
> for legacy purposes. What's going on?
><!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

How did you do the re-install? Was it from a Vendor-supplied Recovery DVD?

 

B-Guy;1169142 Wrote: <!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> Help!!
>
> Yesterday my (Vista 32) system crashed so hard that it took some system
> files with it, necessitating a complete re-install with all the
> headaches and thoughtless wreckage it does to one's file system.
>
> I'm desperately in need of many of my old "My Documents" files, etc.
> and have searched around for them, to no avail. I've been trying to
> access the old Users/Account folder I used in my previous installation
> (where I presume most of these files are located). I need to grand
> admin permissions to do this, and I do, but then a new window opens up
> and it's literally nothing but a *black* (not blank) empty space. I
> get no further explanation or access.
>
> a) Where are my old files? Have they been deleted??
> How do I access this folder? I've seen in other forums things that
> tell me this users/account folder may just be a sort of 'pointer' used
> for legacy purposes. What's going on?
>
>
>
>
> --
> B-Guy<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

When you reinstall, you get a brand new system. It does not know
anything of what you had previously. If you did not backup your files on
a regular basis, then they are gone.


--
whs

 

Try Iolo's Search and Recover:

B-Guy wrote:<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> Help!!
>
> Yesterday my (Vista 32) system crashed so hard that it took some system
> files with it, necessitating a complete re-install with all the
> headaches and thoughtless wreckage it does to one's file system.
>
> I'm desperately in need of many of my old "My Documents" files, etc.
> and have searched around for them, to no avail. I've been trying to
> access the old Users/Account folder I used in my previous installation
> (where I presume most of these files are located). I need to grand
> admin permissions to do this, and I do, but then a new window opens up
> and it's literally nothing but a *black* (not blank) empty space. I
> get no further explanation or access.
>
> a) Where are my old files? Have they been deleted??
> How do I access this folder? I've seen in other forums things that
> tell me this users/account folder may just be a sort of 'pointer' used
> for legacy purposes. What's going on?
>
>
>
> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

 

Leroy;1169210 Wrote: <!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> Try Iolo's Search and Recover: 'Search and Recoverâ„¢ - Data
> Recovery Software' ()
>
> B-Guy wrote:> > > <!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro--><!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
> > > Help!!
> > >
> > > Yesterday my (Vista 32) system crashed so hard that it took some<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
> > system<!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
> > > files with it, necessitating a complete re-install with all the
> > > headaches and thoughtless wreckage it does to one's file system.
> > >
> > > I'm desperately in need of many of my old "My Documents" files, etc.
> > > and have searched around for them, to no avail. I've been trying to
> > > access the old Users/Account folder I used in my previous<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
> > installation<!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
> > > (where I presume most of these files are located). I need to grand
> > > admin permissions to do this, and I do, but then a new window opens<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
> > up<!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
> > > and it's literally nothing but a *black* (not blank) empty space. I
> > > get no further explanation or access.
> > >
> > > a) Where are my old files? Have they been deleted??
> > > How do I access this folder? I've seen in other forums things that
> > > tell me this users/account folder may just be a sort of 'pointer'<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
> > used<!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
> > > for legacy purposes. What's going on?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > > > <!--colorc--><!--/colorc--><!--colorc--><!--/colorc--><!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->


After a complete reinstall this is a tough call. But it does not hurt
to try. Another recovery program along the same line is Recuva ( 'Recuva
- Undelete, Unerase, File and Disk Recovery - Free Download'
() ). It would help if you downloaded
those programs from another system and stored them on a USB stick or SD
card. Then run them on the damaged system from there. That way you do
not make more damage on the system where you want to recover.


--
whs

 

B-Guy wrote:
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> What's going on?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

I'm afraid I can tell you. I learned it hard way, that due to
MicroSoft's policies the OEM who sells you your Vista machine does not
include a "real" recovery or install DVD with "regular" OS image (one
has to buy it boxed for ~$200 directly from the chair-thrower or his
retail shills), but rather some gimmicky "reinstall" one, which wipes
_all_ the data on the hard drive. "Real" recovery DVD would have allowed
you to reinstall the OS without killing your private data.

I, for obvious legal and ethical reasons, do not suggest anybody to
download and use counterfeit copies of "real" Vista DVDs, when such a
situation happens.

 

"Vadim Igorev" <jhRcME@SMkdCb.edu> wrote in message
news:hb8ehv$rj9$1@aioe.org...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
>
> I, for obvious legal and ethical reasons, do not suggest anybody to
> download and use counterfeit copies of "real" Vista DVDs, when such a
> situation happens.<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

Doesn't matter legally if the DVD is pirated - it's the Product Key that is
the proof of licence. Now about whether a pirated DVD is full of malware and
spyware, that's a different matter....

 

On Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:08:42 +0100, Gordon wrote:
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> "Vadim Igorev" <jhRcME@SMkdCb.edu> wrote in message
> news:hb8ehv$rj9$1@aioe.org...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
>>
>> I, for obvious legal and ethical reasons, do not suggest anybody to
>> download and use counterfeit copies of "real" Vista DVDs, when such a
>> situation happens.<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>
> Doesn't matter legally if the DVD is pirated - it's the Product Key that
> is the proof of licence. Now about whether a pirated DVD is full of
> malware and spyware, that's a different matter....<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

one can always boot to a Linux live-cd and see if one can access files
for rescue. also Microsoft provides a 'Windows Recovery Tool' (not quite
sure if that's the name) which I believe has similar functionality, it
can at least try to fix the disk.

too bad the OP didn't know of these options and of the hazards of a
reinstall. experience would be the best teacher if only class didn't
always meet so late!

Felmon