[w8n4daGreatDay]

My mom is really p.o.'d with my dad right now because he seems to have lost all her files on the computer. The computer was running extremely slow and he got frustrated with it and decided that he would reinstall Windows XP. However he stuck in the old Win98 cd and began to install it. Now when you boot up the computer all you get is the Windows 98 setup Wizard screen. Is there some way that I could still get her files from the harddrive? Mom says that she made dad take it to a tech in which the tech told dad that was a stupid move and he shouldn't have done that. He apparently tried to fix it. However, when dad went to pick it up today from the shop the guy wasn't there and someother guy said that they tried to fix it but weren't sure if they did yet. Dad brought the computer home today anyway and it's still doing the same thing. I know I could format the drive and reinstall XP but then wouldn't I lose any chance of getting the old files back before dad's absent-minded quick fix attempt? Mom would love to have her files back and I would appreciate any help someone could give so that I could make mom very happy. Thank you.

Edited by w8n4daGreatDay, 25 July 2008 - 09:30 PM.

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Hello

This is quite a common issue. To be honest with you, it sounds like XP isn't on your hard drive anymore - but I may be wrong.

1. When you boot up the computer take out the Setup CD in the drive (assuming there is one in there). Be sure to take it out as soon as the computer turns it on to avoid booting the CD. Now see if Windows XP loads as normal. If not continue to step 2.

2. With the CD out of the drive restart the computer and straight at the first screen at boot up (where it lists the drives connected into your PC and where you can enter the BIOS by pressing delete), wait until this screen goes black then hold F8. You should be on a black screen - if it says Windows XP Home Edition, press enter on it and see if it boots as usual

If there is nothing or it heads to the Windows 98 setup, then I am afraid you would have wiped your OS form the Hard Drive.

If so, take it into a Tech Store and ask them if they can recover the files off the drive - if the hard drive hasn't been formatted, sometimes you can recover deleted files.

Your in a grim situation and I don't think it's going to work for you - but I am hoping for the best

[TechSabre]

Hello

This is quite a common issue. To be honest with you, it sounds like XP isn't on your hard drive anymore - but I may be wrong.

1. When you boot up the computer take out the Setup CD in the drive (assuming there is one in there). Be sure to take it out as soon as the computer turns it on to avoid booting the CD. Now see if Windows XP loads as normal. If not continue to step 2.

2. With the CD out of the drive restart the computer and straight at the first screen at boot up (where it lists the drives connected into your PC and where you can enter the BIOS by pressing delete), wait until this screen goes black then hold F8. You should be on a black screen - if it says Windows XP Home Edition, press enter on it and see if it boots as usual

If there is nothing or it heads to the Windows 98 setup, then I am afraid you would have wiped your OS form the Hard Drive.

If so, take it into a Tech Store and ask them if they can recover the files off the drive - if the hard drive hasn't been formatted, sometimes you can recover deleted files.

Your in a grim situation and I don't think it's going to work for you - but I am hoping for the best

[w8n4daGreatDay]

Thank you TechSabre. Unfortunately when following your directions it in fact loaded the Windows 98 Startup Menu. I will tell my mom to take it back to those techs and see if they can at least recover some of her files. I think that she is more concerned with all the pictures she had on the drive then most of the other stuff but I know that she had lots of them and that's the main reason she is mad at my dad right now. Maybe they can at least get some back for her. Thanks again.

[TechSabre]

Your quite welcome

I can guarantee you that you will not get 100% of the files back - every time a file is deleted it just disapeers from your view but remains on teh hard drive, then eventually it gets overwritten with new data.

I hope that you can atleats get some back though