All documents and personal setting lost

[Guest]

This morning I turned my three wekk old computer on and it started slowly. On
opening windows, it had replaced all setting with the default, ie desktop
theme, background etc. In addition, all my documents are gone all saved files
on programmes, for example, Pinnacles studio, a programme I installed it
there, but all my saved projects are gone. There was my Ozemail internet
connection set up but on opening outlook I had to create a new account, all
emails, contacts and explorer favourites are gone.

It is like someone has wiped everything except the basic programmes. Another
example, The sims game is still there, saved games have gone.

Can anyone tell me what may have caused this, and is there any way to
retrieve all the information that has gone.

Sorry if I havent explained this very technically, feel free to ask any
questions. Oh and anopther thing, I had system restore turned on and set to
create restore points, when I tried to go in it said System restore was off,
when I turned it on there was no recorded restore points. And if that is not
enough, I cannot start my computer in safe mode, it just doesn't give that
option, only a preference for which boot drive! So there is no option for
last known good configuration.

Having just bought this new computer to replace one that Windows SP2 had
caused to crash beyond repair you can imagine my frustration!

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Okay, just to add to that information, I have discovered through eventvwr.msc
that the disk has "IO_ERR_BAD_BLOCK. This appears about 10 times on the log
from this morning but not prior to today.

Can you tell me if this means the onfo is all gone. I shall contact the
manufacturers tomorrow but I would like to know if I can expect anything from
them.

Thanks!