Lost files...maybe in (locked) System Recovery D: drive?!

[flowers]

Hi, I have a serious problem in that I have apparently lost ALL my files on my PC! I had to do a System Recovery on my PC (or I thought I did) as it just wouldn't start - no idea why but since turning it off yesterday (it was working fine) it kept giving me the same black screen saying something about Windows failing to start/not shut down properly/something. Anyway, in the past I am certain I have used this System Recovery but, after searching desperately on the internet for how to get my files back it looks like I may have done a System Restore in the past rather than Recovery. I have searched all of C: and used the Search on my computer to look for files and had no success. And I'm worried I now have lost all my work for good!! But I realised that the D: file called Recovery has a padlock on and, although I can't get into it, it has a lot of disk space used up so I want to hope that my files are in there somewhere. But how do I get them i they are?!?! Help!!

Thanks in advance for any info!

[Allan]

1) EXACTLY what did you do?
2) What was the EXACT error message you were getting?

What OS are you using (so I can move this thread to the correct forum)?

[flowers]

Hi, I am using Windows XP and I have an HP dv2054ea laptop.

My PC has been working fine - it has had a few glitches in the past and I have had to do System Restore (or Recovery?! I don't know which) in the past once. This was fine and all my files remained intact etc.

This time I have no idea what happened. There is a black screen I have seen several times before which says something along the lines of "An error occurred" and/or "Windows was not shut down properly", and there are 5 options I believe: Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, Safe Mode with Command Prompts (or something similar), Last known good configuration and Start Windows normally. I tried all of these several times and they always got me back to this same screen. So after a few attempts I restarted and clicked F10 to look at Setup. I had a look through and think I tried to put everything back to Defaults but this didn't help. Then I restarted again and pressed F12 I believe, which I now realise is System Recovery and is maybe not what I used successfully in the past! This took me through all the initial stuff that you get when you are starting using a computer from scratch (as it did last time I had to do this).

Now when I start my computer it is like it is brand new, which it did last time, except that at that time all my files were still there which is why I thought it was safe! After searching extensively for my files with no luck this time, I am wondering if they are in this HP_RECOVERY drive which is using up a fair bit of disk space but I cannot access.

Many thanks!

[Allan]

There are data recovery utilities available but I have very little experience with them. You can either check into them yourself or just wait and someone who is more familiar with them than I will probably post soon.

[flowers]

Ok thank you anyway. Please if anyone else can help then I would be massively grateful!!!

[talontromper]

I have used a few recovery utilities. The question is did you format the hard drive when you did the recovery?  Because if you did the link that i posted at the bottom is of no use to you. The program is called recuva, its a recovery program it searches that hard drive for files that have been erased. if the files have been written over the part that was written over is lost. recuva is free, if you paid to have the data recovered you would most likely have better results, but this is the best free recovery program i've used to date.

http://www.filehippo.com/download_recuva/

[BC_Programmer]

Why do people so often insist on providing download links to Filehippo when said program has a perfectly good company website with a perfectly good download page?

http://www.piriform.com/recuva

[patio]

Couldn't agree more....go to the source.

[talontromper]

I post links to filehippo because i use the site frequently to download updates for freeware that i use.  Your right it is annoying to get links to other sites to download, but i think that it is only bad if the link doesn't work. As long as its a reputable site, not sure why it would matter.

[BC_Programmer]

Your right it is annoying to get links to other sites to download

I never said it was annoying. Don't put words in my mouth.

As long as its a reputable site, not sure why it would matter.

I have seen FAR too many sites like filehippo suddenly shut down. And guess what shows up in it's place? a squatter site. Guess where all the links to filehippo across the internet would then go to? The squatter site. Let's hear it for free ad revenue.

The only good use for filehippo (in particular) would be if you needed a specific old version of a piece of software, and that old version is not available from the manufacturer.

[ALAN_BR]

I suspect that you were not supplied with Windows Installation Discs,
and instead you could have a "HP_Recovery" partition D:\ for restoring the Operating System when it breaks down.

If this is the case then D:\ has no chance of holding any copies of your documents and emails etc.

Alan

[talontromper]

I wasn't trying to put words into your mouth BC. I thought that was what you meant, its hard to tell sometimes what inflection is used when reading forums, unless people are blatant about their word usage toward another. I thought that you were annoyed at the file share site post since you posted the author's site below what you had said.

[tearjecker0510]

Great forum!!! Thanks for sharing guys!! I have learned a lot here. Now I know what to do now. Keep up the good work.

[Quantos]

Great forum!!! Thanks for sharing guys!! I have learned a lot here. Now I know what to do now. Keep up the good work.

Umm, OK.  Welcome to Computer Hope.