Hey!!
I hope I can find some ideas on how to recover some personal photos and files from my HP computer. I was attempting to watch a DVD from EUROPE and finally decided that it wasn't going to happen. The next day my husband kept getting a program popping up (Windows Media Player?.....can you tell I don't have a clue??!!) The computer eventually crashed and we have not been able to restore it to any point before the 'crash'. Its like it's life has started over after it purged all my photos, resumes...personal files. We run Windows XP and the computer is an HP Pavilion 1626N, with the Windows XP Media Edition (that's what the label says). Help!! I just really want my photos back....any ideas??What happens when you use System Restore?
How far into Windows are you able to boot? Does it stop at some point?
Are you able to get into Safe Mode?The safest way to try and retrieve that data would be to pull the drive from that machine and hook it up to a working machine as a SLAVE drive. Then thru Windows Explorer you should be able to copy any files you need and burn them to a CD/DVD...

This would be a good time to start considering a regular backup strategy for your important data.I have tried to restore to a point just before the crash however the computer will only restore to when it re-started AFTER it went down in flames. Is there something I am not doing WITH the command to restore, like picking an ACTUAL date? The suggestion of removing the drive and running it through a computer that works is a good one that I could try, or am I missing something with the restore points?
Do not be worried about talking to me like I'm 5...I have already mucked it up and deserve to be patronised!!
I am going to try the restore point again...wish me luck!!
patio's way maybe be the only way, but before you go there...
Tell us more about that European DVD. Did you MAKE any computer tricking in order to watch it.
How did your computer crash? What happened?
Did you try to look for your files in some other locations?
Does your computer work OK, lost files aside?It appears my husband has done a system restore which set everything back to factory settings...sigh...oh well. At least I have learned what not to do ever again!! Thanks for all your help
Computer works better than ever!! Windows Media Player kept trying to install, but it looked really weird (very large grainy font) when I had the DVD in. Then it just went to black screen then blue at which pint the husband person hit F10 and apparantly we lost it all (at least thats what the HP tech says on - line help)
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It appears my husband has done a system restore which set everything back to factory settings

the husband person hit F10