recovering files from computer prior to Vista install

[desperate for my photos]

I recently go a new PC and had geek squad install some virus/etc software on
it a remove gateway branded 'programs'...when I turned on the computer for
the first time it seemed as though GSquad had installed everything as I had
access to the internet, download photos from my camera, access Microsoft
programs etc. When I tried to open the backup hard drive that I had from my
laptop it said I needed to install Vista to proceed...so I started to,
following the prompts where it said that it would back up my previous files
that I had, and it took several hours. Now that I have Vista, I realize that
i don't have any of the picture files that I previously saved. I know I'm
foolish not to have backed up the computer myself before the install but I
didn't think it would erase everything. Normally I wouldn't be concerned but
I just got engaged and we captured the moment in those photos. I know there
may be no hope but I just thought someone out there might have a solution....

 

[peter]

Do you have a Windows.old folder??....if so look in there for your photos
peter

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"desperate for my photos" <desperate for my
(e-mail address removed)> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

 

[Kevin]

"desperate for my photos" <desperate for my
(e-mail address removed)> wrote in message

I recently go a new PC and had geek squad install some virus/etc software
on
it a remove gateway branded 'programs'...when I turned on the computer for
the first time it seemed as though GSquad had installed everything as I
had
access to the internet, download photos from my camera, access Microsoft
programs etc. When I tried to open the backup hard drive that I had from
my
laptop it said I needed to install Vista to proceed...so I started to,
following the prompts where it said that it would back up my previous
files
that I had, and it took several hours. Now that I have Vista, I realize
that
i don't have any of the picture files that I previously saved. I know I'm
foolish not to have backed up the computer myself before the install but I
didn't think it would erase everything. Normally I wouldn't be concerned
but
I just got engaged and we captured the moment in those photos. I know
there
may be no hope but I just thought someone out there might have a
solution....

Your first mistake was in contacting The Geek Squad, but that's water under
the bridge now. You had a hard drive from a laptop as a backup? I assume
you mean you put the laptop hard drive in an external enclosure. As you are
now aware, installing Vista on this drive was a (your second) mistake. The
type of install you performed is critical. If this was just an install of
the OS, with no format, your photos should be in the folder you left them
in.

If this install was a clean install, with a format of the drive, your
photos are gone. Since you mentioned that the installation prompts
indicated that it was backing up files, I guess this was simply an OS
installation over whatever (XP?) was the OS in place on the drive.

Double check that drive for folders. Make sure that you have enabled the
option to see all hidden folders and files, just in case. Look at the
amount of space taken up by this new install and see if some of that space
could possibly be your photos.

A hard drive doesn't need to have an operating system installed on it to
store data. It does need to be formatted. But it does not need to have an
OS installed on it. Good luck!

 

[Mick Murphy]

What did you use to install Vista, DVD?

 

[desperate for my photos]

a million thanks for your help peter. the new 'install' didn't have me set
up as the administrator so it took a little while to get access to the
windows.old files but i got there and i've got the pictures to prove it!
i've never asked for help on the internet but it sounds like this is the way
to go, you were very helpful, thanks again!

 

[desperate for my photos]

thanks for your help Kevin, i now realize that geek squad installed anti
virus ware in a similar manner to how my grandmother could (and she's
computer illiterate). my reference to my laptop was that the whole point of
this new desktop was because the laptop "broke" (screen is black, lights are
on but nobody's home) so yes, I bought an external enclosure for my laptop
harddrive which is how this nightmare began.... I still can't access any of
the data on the external hardrive, and I've never used one before and at this
point I don't dare do anything else that might 'clean' my computer! i did
find the photos just now, in the drive folders windows.old... the feedback
and help you all have given me has saved the day i am so pleased!!!! the
external drive has many more memories on it but i'm sure i'll figure out how
to extract the data eventually...unless you know how? perhaps that should be
my next question on this website! i truly appreciate your help, thanks again!

 

[desperate for my photos]

hi mick,

yes, i used the 'gateway microsoft windows vista operating system disc' to
be exact... I just recovered the files from the windows.old folder... i
initially didn't have access because I was coming up as an administrator for
some reason, just rectified that though so now it's just a matter of figuring
out how to get my other data off of this external hard drive (the one from my
laptop) but i've never used one before and i'm leary of repeating the scare
of losing my files!! i think just knowing they're in this little silver box
right next to my keyboard is enough to keep me going for a while!!!
thanks again for your response, i'm very appreciative for the support you
give to people like me!

 

[Malke]

hi mick,

yes, i used the 'gateway microsoft windows vista operating system disc' to
be exact... I just recovered the files from the windows.old folder... i
initially didn't have access because I was coming up as an administrator for
some reason, just rectified that though so now it's just a matter of figuring
out how to get my other data off of this external hard drive (the one from my
laptop) but i've never used one before and i'm leary of repeating the scare
of losing my files!! i think just knowing they're in this little silver box
right next to my keyboard is enough to keep me going for a while!!!
thanks again for your response, i'm very appreciative for the support you
give to people like me!

When you say that you can't get the data off the old laptop drive, what
happens when you try? You should be able to simply attach the external
drive enclosure (with the laptop drive in it) to your new computer via
USB. Then Windows should see it as a removable device and you can use it
the same way you'd use any other removable device. An icon for it will
appear in Computer and you can double-click it and copy (don't move!)
the files to your User account.

If you are getting "access denied" errors when you try and do that, you
simply need to take ownership of the files on the laptop drive.

Check the permissions of the file or folder the file is saved in and
take ownership:

1. Right-click the file or folder, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Security tab.
3. Under Group or user names, click your name to see the permissions you
have.

To open a file, you need to have read permission. For more information
on permissions, see What are permissions?

http://tinyurl.com/2j9vgr

To take ownership of a folder:

1. Right-click the folder that you want to take ownership of, and then
click Properties.
2. Click the Security tab, click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
3. Click Edit. Administrator permission required If you are prompted for
an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide
confirmation.
4. Click the name of the person you want to give ownership to.
5. If you want that person to be the owner of files and subfolders in
this folder, select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check
box.
6. Click OK


Malke