XP SP2 installed - my profile was deleted, so all my data is gone!

[Guest]

ARRRRGGGHHHH! You will *not* believe this! Last night, I decided it was time
to (re)install Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP. The last time I did this
on my machine, I wasn't able to print to my USB printer and some other minor
problems, so I uninstalled SP2. I figured this time, I'll just work through
the issues, right? After all, SP2 is more secure. And security is a good
thing.

So, I installed it last night. Long story short: after rebooting, the PC
hung with a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) - seems something was screwed up with
the registry. According to Microsoft - KB885523
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;885523) - this is a
"known issue" if you have the T.V. Media adware installed (which I don't.)
So, after following all the recovery steps, I was able to get back into
Windows....but all my data is gone! That's right, my Windows profile - which
contains the My Documents folder, among other things - was completely gone.
I've tried everything, and it's just not coming back. And of course, I don't
have any backups (do as I say, not say as I do!) I lost all my Outlook
email...all my divorce court documents...all my Microsoft Money data
files...all my MP3 files...and tons of other stuff I can't even *begin* to
remember.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Does anyone have any ideas
about any possible way to get the data back? I've tried three different
system restores, none of which brought my original profile back.

Hans
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[CWatters]

ARRRRGGGHHHH!

I take it you can't find anything in C:\Documents and Settings?

 

[Rock]

ARRRRGGGHHHH! You will *not* believe this! Last night, I decided it was time
to (re)install Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP. The last time I did this
on my machine, I wasn't able to print to my USB printer and some other minor
problems, so I uninstalled SP2. I figured this time, I'll just work through
the issues, right? After all, SP2 is more secure. And security is a good
thing.

contains the My Documents folder, among other things - was completely gone.
I've tried everything, and it's just not coming back. And of course, I don't
have any backups

<snip>

Recover Deleted Files

Executive Software “Undelete”:
http://www.execsoft.com/undelete/undelete.asp

Also:

http://www.collina.us/files/REST2514.htm
http://www3.telus.net/mikebike/RESTORATION.html

Recover and Restore Deleted Files (Line 36)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

File Saver Pro - Recover Deleted Files
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_u.htm#xp_util

www.recovermyfiles.com

 

[Guest]

I take it you can't find anything in C:\Documents and Settings?

Unfortunately, it appears that my profile was deleted and "recreated", so
no, it's all gone. I've spent all weekend trying to recover any deleted
files, and nothing has worked. :-\

Looks like this may be the culprit, though the symptoms aren't *exactly* the
same, but the results are. Data on the drive is intact, it's just everything
that was in the "My Documents" folder is gone. :-(

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;312368