Please help me XP help!!! Ok so I reinstalled but I don't think I reformated can you help me with this XP me

Question

ok so my computer went wacky, rebooting won't work and F8 safe mood didn't work "r"repair didn't work either so I reinstalled XP yep I used teh "esc" button:0(

I'm pretty darn sure all my stuff is still on the hard drive, I found a folder that contains all my old program file, but I haven't found my old documents, and pictures, strangly all the stuff I threw out garbage/ recycle bin, that was there before I reinstalled XP, is still in the bin!?!! But nothing is on the desktop like before, my documents folder appears to be empty, my pictures folder just has the sample photos.

So question is, how do I put everything back were it was? Were do I look for my documents and picture files, music files appear to be in my tunebute folder but my itunes seems to be jus the installation version and we all know what happens when you reconnect your ipod to a different computer, everything goes "poof".


Can you help me

Answer 1

if you can't find them assume they have been overwritten.

Answer 2

Try clicking on the Computer Icon on the Desktop to open Explorer, then go to Documents and Settings directory and see if there's any folder that's named .old or .1 . Remember, WinXP is designed for multiple users, and that means each person has a customized desktop, and each person has his/her own document folder. When you reinstalled, the process must have created a new user account, and your previoius account should have been saved somewhere under this Document and Settings. If you are not sure, try the right-click on the Start button, then choose Search, and then search for a file that you know that was in your previous folder such as mybudget.xls or something. Be sure to search all the local disks.

Answer 3

When saving your data, if you do not select SAVE AS, and then chose a location on a different drive or partition your data will be stored into c:\documents and settings\Your Profile Name\My Documents folder.

That location is in the middle of the operating system and when you reinstall or reformat C:, ALL OF YOU DATA/FILES ARE GONE!

Before reinstall/or reformat reinstall, you should copy the above MY Documents folder to either CD or DVD or a different disk or different partition. Your only hope now is a different drive to partition and install XP to and a recovery software like RESTORER2000. It can restore your data but it has to write to a different drive while restoring! Email me if you need help!
Computer Help Page

http://www.diskgenius.com/

http://www.pcbeginner.com/tools/pcdoctor.htm

http://www.pcguide.com/byop/index.htm

http://www.ntfs.com/boot-disk.htm

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Boot-Manager-Disk/

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Best/ntfs-boot-iso.html

http://www.disk-image.net/products.htm

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

http://www.winternals.com/

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,25181-order,1-page,1-c,alldownloads/description.html

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Boot-Manager-Disk/Windows-XP-PowerPacker.shtml

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,674406,00.asp

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
•http://www.bootdisk.com/utility.htm
•Chapter 1: Purchasing Components
•Chapter 2: Component Overview
•Chapter 3: Installing the CPU, Heatsink, and RAM On The Mainboard
•Chapter 4: Installing The Mainboard In The Case
•Chapter 5: Installing Drives
•Chapter 6: Connecting Components
•Chapter 7: Installing AGP and PCI Cards
•Chapter 8: Testing the System and Completing Assembly
•Chapter 9: Installing Windows XP
•Chapter 10: Configuring Windows XP
•Chapter 11: Installing A Dual Boot Operating System (Linux And Windows XP)
•Chapter 12: Home Video -- “So, You Want to Be the Next Steven Spielberg?”
•Chapter 13: What’s Next?

Answer 4

Before you reinstalled did you make a back-up of all your existing files and settings? If not, then they are probably gone.

*ALWAYS* make backups of your files (burn to CD or DVD, use a 2nd hard drive, whatever).

Answer 5

Check in your security program, via your recycle bin, to see if you can brink them back!

Good luck,

Nikolas S

Answer 6

Try to salvage them!