PLEASE BARE WITH ME, I AM NOT VERY TECHNICAL MINDED
A few days ago, my anti virus software run out, so i went and bought new software to put on my laptop. In order for me to install the new software,i was prompted to remove the old, so using Add and remove programs, i removed the old anti virus software, which then seemed to have removed a lot of functions from my computer. Even though the computer still had everything on there, i just could not access them, eg. When this happened, i went to do system restore, but the folder said empty to where the option should have been.
I then restarted my computer in Safe mode, in the hope that i could access the System restore function, but no joy. I then started up my computer as normal to try and run the Restore function through the RUN option on my start menu. Again no joy.
Reading through my computer manuel, i then saw a page about how, my laptop has a partitioned hard drive because all the system recovery stuff is stored on the computer, so i started up computer using the F11 button on start up as it said in my manual, and the one thing it did emphasise is that it recovers the system to its original factory settings but it WONT DELETE OR REMOVE DATA files that the user would have created. Now System Recovery seems to have allow me my normal functions again, my wifi access is working again etc, but all my original documents is not accessible. All the software must be still on the computer but just not accessible, I say they must still be on there because the same amount of memory remains on the computer as to what i was left with before all this trouble started, i created a new user on the recovery procedure using the same name. Now i am searching all my computer for these files, when i click on whats labellled as Pams Documents when i go through the options of My Computer, Local Disk C, Documents And Settings, I then end up with a selection of all the users that would have been registered to my laptop. So when i click on Pam which would have been the original folder before all this trouble started it says ACCESS DENIED.
I am at a loss, as i really need these documents. I BEG YOU, PLEASE HELP, or give me some idea of where i may be able to get the answers.
Just a few things. Its a COMPAQ Prescario 300 series Laptop running with Intel Celeron M off WINDOWS XP MEDIA CENTER
