Help!!

Yesterday my (Vista 32) system crashed so hard that it took some system
files with it, necessitating a complete re-install with all the
headaches and thoughtless wreckage it does to one's file system.

I'm desperately in need of many of my old "My Documents" files, etc.
and have searched around for them, to no avail. I've been trying to
access the old Users/Account folder I used in my previous installation
(where I presume most of these files are located). I need to grand
admin permissions to do this, and I do, but then a new window opens up
and it's literally nothing but a *black* (not blank) empty space. I
get no further explanation or access.

a) Where are my old files? Have they been deleted??
b) How do I access this folder? I've seen in other forums things that
tell me this users/account folder may just be a sort of 'pointer' used
for legacy purposes. What's going on?




--
B-Guy

"B-Guy" <B-Guy.51d49d3@vistabanter.com> wrote in message
news:B-Guy.51d49d3@vistabanter.com...[color=blue]
>
> Help!!
>
> Yesterday my (Vista 32) system crashed so hard that it took some system
> files with it, necessitating a complete re-install with all the
> headaches and thoughtless wreckage it does to one's file system.
>
> I'm desperately in need of many of my old "My Documents" files, etc.
> and have searched around for them, to no avail. I've been trying to
> access the old Users/Account folder I used in my previous installation
> (where I presume most of these files are located). I need to grand
> admin permissions to do this, and I do, but then a new window opens up
> and it's literally nothing but a *black* (not blank) empty space. I
> get no further explanation or access.
>
> a) Where are my old files? Have they been deleted??
> b) How do I access this folder? I've seen in other forums things that
> tell me this users/account folder may just be a sort of 'pointer' used
> for legacy purposes. What's going on?
>[/color]

How did you do the re-install? Was it from a Vendor-supplied Recovery DVD?

Always but always back up your data . Lesson learned the hard way

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"B-Guy" <B-Guy.51d49d3@vistabanter.com> wrote in message
news:B-Guy.51d49d3@vistabanter.com...[color=blue]
>
> Help!!
>
> Yesterday my (Vista 32) system crashed so hard that it took some system
> files with it, necessitating a complete re-install with all the
> headaches and thoughtless wreckage it does to one's file system.
>
> I'm desperately in need of many of my old "My Documents" files, etc.
> and have searched around for them, to no avail. I've been trying to
> access the old Users/Account folder I used in my previous installation
> (where I presume most of these files are located). I need to grand
> admin permissions to do this, and I do, but then a new window opens up
> and it's literally nothing but a *black* (not blank) empty space. I
> get no further explanation or access.
>
> a) Where are my old files? Have they been deleted??
> b) How do I access this folder? I've seen in other forums things that
> tell me this users/account folder may just be a sort of 'pointer' used
> for legacy purposes. What's going on?
>
>
>
>
> --
> B-Guy[/color]

Try Iolo's Search and Recover: [url]http://www.iolo.com/sr/5/[/url]

B-Guy wrote:[color=blue]
> Help!!
>
> Yesterday my (Vista 32) system crashed so hard that it took some system
> files with it, necessitating a complete re-install with all the
> headaches and thoughtless wreckage it does to one's file system.
>
> I'm desperately in need of many of my old "My Documents" files, etc.
> and have searched around for them, to no avail. I've been trying to
> access the old Users/Account folder I used in my previous installation
> (where I presume most of these files are located). I need to grand
> admin permissions to do this, and I do, but then a new window opens up
> and it's literally nothing but a *black* (not blank) empty space. I
> get no further explanation or access.
>
> a) Where are my old files? Have they been deleted??
> b) How do I access this folder? I've seen in other forums things that
> tell me this users/account folder may just be a sort of 'pointer' used
> for legacy purposes. What's going on?
>
>
>
>[/color]

B-Guy wrote:
[color=blue]
> What's going on?[/color]

I'm afraid I can tell you. I learned it hard way, that due to
MicroSoft's policies the OEM who sells you your Vista machine does not
include a "real" recovery or install DVD with "regular" OS image (one
has to buy it boxed for ~$200 directly from the chair-thrower or his
retail shills), but rather some gimmicky "reinstall" one, which wipes
_all_ the data on the hard drive. "Real" recovery DVD would have allowed
you to reinstall the OS without killing your private data.

I, for obvious legal and ethical reasons, do not suggest anybody to
download and use counterfeit copies of "real" Vista DVDs, when such a
situation happens.

WTF. Why was my post deleted. I answered the OP as to his\her issue and then my post
is deleted. What for.

Here is a copy below of my complete post. Deleted for what ???
[color=blue]
>B-Guy[/color]
[color=blue]
>Did you use script when you set it up. How did you set it up. How did you tell the
>and which command did you use.[/color]



--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"B-Guy" <B-Guy.51d49d3@vistabanter.com> wrote in message
news:B-Guy.51d49d3@vistabanter.com...[color=blue]
>
> Help!!
>
> Yesterday my (Vista 32) system crashed so hard that it took some system
> files with it, necessitating a complete re-install with all the
> headaches and thoughtless wreckage it does to one's file system.
>
> I'm desperately in need of many of my old "My Documents" files, etc.
> and have searched around for them, to no avail. I've been trying to
> access the old Users/Account folder I used in my previous installation
> (where I presume most of these files are located). I need to grand
> admin permissions to do this, and I do, but then a new window opens up
> and it's literally nothing but a *black* (not blank) empty space. I
> get no further explanation or access.
>
> a) Where are my old files? Have they been deleted??
> b) How do I access this folder? I've seen in other forums things that
> tell me this users/account folder may just be a sort of 'pointer' used
> for legacy purposes. What's going on?
>
>
>
>
> --
> B-Guy[/color]

"Vadim Igorev" <jhRcME@SMkdCb.edu> wrote in message
news:hb8ehv$rj9$1@aioe.org...[color=blue]
>
> I, for obvious legal and ethical reasons, do not suggest anybody to
> download and use counterfeit copies of "real" Vista DVDs, when such a
> situation happens.[/color]

Doesn't matter legally if the DVD is pirated - it's the Product Key that is
the proof of licence. Now about whether a pirated DVD is full of malware and
spyware, that's a different matter....

On Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:08:42 +0100, Gordon wrote:
[color=blue]
> "Vadim Igorev" <jhRcME@SMkdCb.edu> wrote in message
> news:hb8ehv$rj9$1@aioe.org...[color=green]
>>
>> I, for obvious legal and ethical reasons, do not suggest anybody to
>> download and use counterfeit copies of "real" Vista DVDs, when such a
>> situation happens.[/color]
>
> Doesn't matter legally if the DVD is pirated - it's the Product Key that
> is the proof of licence. Now about whether a pirated DVD is full of
> malware and spyware, that's a different matter....[/color]

one can always boot to a Linux live-cd and see if one can access files
for rescue. also Microsoft provides a 'Windows Recovery Tool' (not quite
sure if that's the name) which I believe has similar functionality, it
can at least try to fix the disk.

too bad the OP didn't know of these options and of the hazards of a
reinstall. experience would be the best teacher if only class didn't
always meet so late!

Felmon