• Welcome to Tux Reports: Where Penguins Fly. We hope you find the topics varied, interesting, and worthy of your time. Please become a member and join in the discussions.

Windows XP

A

Amateur Geek

Flightless Bird
Please treat me like a total amateur here. I do not understand much computer
lingo and need the most straight forward, non-technical answer.

I moved this week. I set up my computer which is a 2003 Windows XP
(emachines). When I turned it on, it kept giving me a screen to select "Start
windows normally" or in "Safe Mode". Neither of these worked and I tried over
and over. I eventually hit either F10 or F11 and got a screen that offered to
do a system recovery in a "non-destructive" way. It said I would not lose
files.

However, after doing so, the computer came alive and I thought I was all
set. Unfortunately, the computer thinks I just purchased it. ALL of my
installed programs are gone (Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint - Quickbooks,
Adobe illustrator, etc).

In reviewing my hard drive (C), I see a folder on titled "Backup - 9/4/10".
It appears to have ALL my folders and files in it. If I click any of it, it
says "the command cannot be performed".

MY QUESTION, is there any way to restore all my files and programs back to
my computer without any of the original install disks or product-key codes
(as I can no longer find any of these things)?????
--
AmateurGeek
 
K

Kernel

Flightless Bird
"Amateur Geek" <AmateurGeek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:664CA0FF-CCFF-446C-8010-584FC61F7B8A@microsoft.com...
> Please treat me like a total amateur here. I do not understand much
> computer
> lingo and need the most straight forward, non-technical answer.
>
> I moved this week. I set up my computer which is a 2003 Windows XP
> (emachines). When I turned it on, it kept giving me a screen to select
> "Start
> windows normally" or in "Safe Mode". Neither of these worked and I tried
> over
> and over. I eventually hit either F10 or F11 and got a screen that offered
> to
> do a system recovery in a "non-destructive" way. It said I would not lose
> files.
>
> However, after doing so, the computer came alive and I thought I was all
> set. Unfortunately, the computer thinks I just purchased it. ALL of my
> installed programs are gone (Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint -
> Quickbooks,
> Adobe illustrator, etc).
>
> In reviewing my hard drive (C), I see a folder on titled "Backup -
> 9/4/10".
> It appears to have ALL my folders and files in it. If I click any of it,
> it
> says "the command cannot be performed".
>
> MY QUESTION, is there any way to restore all my files and programs back to
> my computer without any of the original install disks or product-key codes
> (as I can no longer find any of these things)?????
> --
> AmateurGeek


No.
 
P

philo

Flightless Bird
On 09/08/2010 09:08 PM, Amateur Geek wrote:
> Please treat me like a total amateur here. I do not understand much computer
> lingo and need the most straight forward, non-technical answer.
>
> I moved this week. I set up my computer which is a 2003 Windows XP
> (emachines). When I turned it on, it kept giving me a screen to select "Start
> windows normally" or in "Safe Mode". Neither of these worked and I tried over
> and over. I eventually hit either F10 or F11 and got a screen that offered to
> do a system recovery in a "non-destructive" way. It said I would not lose
> files.
>
> However, after doing so, the computer came alive and I thought I was all
> set. Unfortunately, the computer thinks I just purchased it. ALL of my
> installed programs are gone (Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint - Quickbooks,
> Adobe illustrator, etc).
>
> In reviewing my hard drive (C), I see a folder on titled "Backup - 9/4/10".
> It appears to have ALL my folders and files in it. If I click any of it, it
> says "the command cannot be performed".
>
> MY QUESTION, is there any way to restore all my files and programs back to
> my computer without any of the original install disks or product-key codes
> (as I can no longer find any of these things)?????




You will have to reinstall your apps

but you should at least be able to retrieve your data


If you do not have access to the folders where you had your data...

you may have to take ownership


Google for help if you need it
 
M

Mark Adams

Flightless Bird
"Amateur Geek" wrote:

> Please treat me like a total amateur here. I do not understand much computer
> lingo and need the most straight forward, non-technical answer.
>
> I moved this week. I set up my computer which is a 2003 Windows XP
> (emachines). When I turned it on, it kept giving me a screen to select "Start
> windows normally" or in "Safe Mode". Neither of these worked and I tried over
> and over. I eventually hit either F10 or F11 and got a screen that offered to
> do a system recovery in a "non-destructive" way. It said I would not lose
> files.
>
> However, after doing so, the computer came alive and I thought I was all
> set. Unfortunately, the computer thinks I just purchased it. ALL of my
> installed programs are gone (Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint - Quickbooks,
> Adobe illustrator, etc).
>
> In reviewing my hard drive (C), I see a folder on titled "Backup - 9/4/10".
> It appears to have ALL my folders and files in it. If I click any of it, it
> says "the command cannot be performed".
>
> MY QUESTION, is there any way to restore all my files and programs back to
> my computer without any of the original install disks or product-key codes
> (as I can no longer find any of these things)?????
> --
> AmateurGeek


Since Emachines has provided a non-destructive recovery that apparently
saves your data to a "Backup" file; they also provide a way to restore the
backup. Afterall, what would be the point of creating the backup in the first
place if there was no way to restore it? Kind of pointless, huh? Read your
owner's manual.
 
G

Greg Russell

Flightless Bird
In news:4784664C-A24C-4DB0-A049-C34C02A58426@microsoft.com,
Mark Adams <MarkAdams@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:

> ... Afterall, what would be the point of creating the backup in the
> first place if there was no way to restore it? Kind of pointless,
> huh?


Far too many people feel justified in making backups that they have no idea
whatsoever how to restore. They don't even know if the backup is validated
or verified as containing reliable data, but they sure feel good just having
it.

It's amazing that people would scrabble for such information when the
manufacturer makes it available.
http://www.emachines.com/faq/vista/7515418su30.html pertains to Vista (one
of "The Top 10 Technological Disasters of the 21st Century - So Far") but
the same steps generically apply to XP.
 
P

PA Bear [MS MVP]

Flightless Bird
Before you executed the "non-destructive" recovery (AKA Repair Install):

1. Was SP3 already installed?

2. Had IE7 and/or IE8 been installed?
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002


Amateur Geek wrote:
> Please treat me like a total amateur here. I do not understand much
> computer
> lingo and need the most straight forward, non-technical answer.
>
> I moved this week. I set up my computer which is a 2003 Windows XP
> (emachines). When I turned it on, it kept giving me a screen to select
> "Start windows normally" or in "Safe Mode". Neither of these worked and I
> tried over and over. I eventually hit either F10 or F11 and got a screen
> that offered to do a system recovery in a "non-destructive" way. It said I
> would not lose files.
>
> However, after doing so, the computer came alive and I thought I was all
> set. Unfortunately, the computer thinks I just purchased it. ALL of my
> installed programs are gone (Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint -
> Quickbooks,
> Adobe illustrator, etc).
>
> In reviewing my hard drive (C), I see a folder on titled "Backup -
> 9/4/10".
> It appears to have ALL my folders and files in it. If I click any of it,
> it
> says "the command cannot be performed".
>
> MY QUESTION, is there any way to restore all my files and programs back to
> my computer without any of the original install disks or product-key codes
> (as I can no longer find any of these things)?????
 
M

Mark Adams

Flightless Bird
"Greg Russell" wrote:

> In news:4784664C-A24C-4DB0-A049-C34C02A58426@microsoft.com,
> Mark Adams <MarkAdams@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:
>
> > ... Afterall, what would be the point of creating the backup in the
> > first place if there was no way to restore it? Kind of pointless,
> > huh?

>
> Far too many people feel justified in making backups that they have no idea
> whatsoever how to restore. They don't even know if the backup is validated
> or verified as containing reliable data, but they sure feel good just having
> it.
>
> It's amazing that people would scrabble for such information when the
> manufacturer makes it available.
> http://www.emachines.com/faq/vista/7515418su30.html pertains to Vista (one
> of "The Top 10 Technological Disasters of the 21st Century - So Far") but
> the same steps generically apply to XP.
>
>


Well, Acronis ain't failed me yet!
 
Top