Where have my old files gone?

[Bill]

I've just updated from W98 to Home XP. I followed the 'simple' upgrade option - did not do any advance stuff. I now can't fin any of my old file (were in 'my documents'). Please don't say that I've deleted them in the the upgrade! I don't have back-up of t
he files. Help....please...

[Shenan Stanley]

Bill wrote:
> I've just updated from W98 to Home XP. I followed the 'simple'
> upgrade option - did not do any advance stuff. I now can't fin any of
> my old file (were in 'my documents'). Please don't say that I've
> deleted them in the the upgrade! I don't have back-up of the files.
> Help....please...

If you actually did an upgrade and not an installation where you erased the
partitions and started from scratch...
Data or Program Settings Are Missing After You Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313362

Try these articles:

Mail Folders, Address Book, and E-mail Messages Are Missing
After You Upgrade to Microsoft Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313055

Your Desktop Icons Are Missing in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330170

Also, do a hard drive search (advance options on) for your old files..

--
<- Shenan ->
--

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

They may be under an old user profile, or they may be gone. You should
never, ever upgrade without backing up first. Take a look here for them:

C:\Documents and Settings

Search under each user profile for them.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org

"Bill" > wrote in message
...
> I've just updated from W98 to Home XP. I followed the 'simple' upgrade
> option - did not do any advance stuff. I now can't fin any of my old file
> (were in 'my documents'). Please don't say that I've deleted them in the
> the upgrade! I don't have back-up of the files. Help....please...

[Bill]

Shenan, Rick,

thanks for the info - it looks as if I've lost all my old stuff.

I've looked at the XP box, folder & booklet - not a mention of backing up your files before doing an upgrade!

A painful way to learn a lesson.

[Nick]

you didn't make backups....relying only on your hard drive is
FOOLISH........everyone makes backups...guess you will from now on...


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.634 / Virus Database: 406 - Release Date: 3/18/2004

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Bill,

You may want to try a file recovery utility, though they may be overwritten
at this point. This one here works quite well for basic file recovery:
http://www.collina.us/files/REST2514.htm

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org

"Bill" > wrote in message
...
> Shenan, Rick,
>
> thanks for the info - it looks as if I've lost all my old stuff.
>
> I've looked at the XP box, folder & booklet - not a mention of backing up
> your files before doing an upgrade!
>
> A painful way to learn a lesson.

[Nick]

you didn't make backups....relying only on your hard drive is
FOOLISH........everyone makes backups...guess you will from now on...


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.634 / Virus Database: 406 - Release Date: 3/18/2004

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Bill,

You may want to try a file recovery utility, though they may be overwritten
at this point. This one here works quite well for basic file recovery:
http://www.collina.us/files/REST2514.htm

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org

"Bill" > wrote in message
...
> Shenan, Rick,
>
> thanks for the info - it looks as if I've lost all my old stuff.
>
> I've looked at the XP box, folder & booklet - not a mention of backing up
> your files before doing an upgrade!
>
> A painful way to learn a lesson.

[SRD]

On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 18:56:21 -0500, Nick > wrote:

> you didn't make backups....relying only on your hard drive is
> FOOLISH........everyone makes backups...guess you will from now on...
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.634 / Virus Database: 406 - Release Date: 3/18/2004
>
>


While it's true that everyone _should_ make backups, it isn't the case
that everyone or even most people do.

srdiamond

[Ron]

"Bill" > wrote in message
...
> I've just updated from W98 to Home XP. I followed the 'simple' upgrade
option - did not do any advance stuff. I now can't fin any of my old file
(were in 'my documents'). Please don't say that I've deleted them in the the
upgrade! I don't have back-up of the files. Help....please...

Have you tried to do a search from within Windows Explorer for *.doc ? I am
assuming here that your documents have a doc extension.

Like you, when going from 98 to XP I couldn't find my documents after
finishing (I did have a backup though). I did a search for documents using
*.doc as the criteria and I did find them though not in a spot that I would
have expected.

[Lil' Dave]

Have to agree. Regular backups are almost mandatory nowadays. Let alone,
prior to an OS upgrade. Yet, in reality, practically no one does.
"SRD" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 18:56:21 -0500, Nick > wrote:
>
> > you didn't make backups....relying only on your hard drive is
> > FOOLISH........everyone makes backups...guess you will from now on...
> >
> >
> > ---
> > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> > Version: 6.0.634 / Virus Database: 406 - Release Date: 3/18/2004
> >
> >
>
>
> While it's true that everyone _should_ make backups, it isn't the case
> that everyone or even most people do.
>
> srdiamond

[Bill]

Rick,

thanks for this - i managed to get back a couple of my important files plus lots of 'nice to have' stuff.

regards,

Bill

----- Rick \"Nutcase\" Rogers wrote: -----

Hi Bill,

You may want to try a file recovery utility, though they may be overwritten
at this point. This one here works quite well for basic file recovery:
http://www.collina.us/files/REST2514.htm

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org

"Bill" > wrote in message
...
> Shenan, Rick,
>> thanks for the info - it looks as if I've lost all my old stuff.
>> I've looked at the XP box, folder & booklet - not a mention of backing up
> your files before doing an upgrade!
>> A painful way to learn a lesson.

[Peter Hutchison]

On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 14:41:07 -0800, "Bill"
> wrote:

>I've just updated from W98 to Home XP. I followed the 'simple' upgrade option - did not do any advance stuff. I now can't fin any of my old file (were in 'my documents'). Please don't say that I've deleted them in the the upgrade! I don't have back-up of
the files. Help....please...

Your documents may have been MOVED. Check in C:\Documents and Settings
for documents. Use Windows search facility for your files e.g *.DOC
for work files, *.DBX for Mail messages.

ALWAYS do a backup of data files before making major changes to your
computer!

Peter Hutchison
Windows FAQ
http://www.pcguru.plus.com/