Ann, Your data from the old computer should be salvageable if you really want it. Meantime, congratulations on your new computer!!

Thanks P111og, I did keep the old computer with that though in mind. But other than my Outlook Contacts list, I think I saved everything else that I cared about. I'll probably take it in to an expert and see if they can recover it for me.

Ann

If it was the computer itself that died and not the hard drive, you could probably do it yourself if you have another operational old computer. Just plug in the drive in question. If the drive is damaged an expert still should be able to recover it. My business was all on an early notebook computer in the mid-'90's and it was one of those that caught fire from an aging battery before the word got around. Luckily I was right there and only the table got scorched, though the computer was a goner. It took six weeks, which is an eternity in business, but they were able to recover 100% of my data. With all that oily black burning plastic and corrosive battery juice I was sure it was a lost cause.

I'll keep a good thought that your data all comes through.

JC

Thanks for the advice P111og. My son Matt has the identical computer to the one that died. He doesn't use it any more, but it apparently still works. So, the next time he comes home he is going to bring it with him and hook my old computer up to his and see if he can transfer the data.

Sounds like you got lucky that they were able to recover 100% of your data.

Ann

You're lucky Ann that you didn't lose too much data. I'm just recovering from installing a new hard drive and all my programs after weeks of problems and working on Wolf's computer. Our router also went so we had to get a new one. I lost a lot of data and recipes from 2006 until now, but I think I can recover some from printed sheets and retype many of them.

I keep all my photos on an external drive as well but I will back them up onto discs when I have time.

I hope you can recover what you've lost. Here my computer shop doesn't have the latest sophisticated equipment so my lost data is gone.

But it's nice to start afresh again isn't it. Have to look on the bright side I guess. :-)

SharonCb

Oh, Sharon, I'm sorry you too have lost so much!!

It's been awhile since I've had to use a cleanroom service so can't recommend one, but you might be able to mail your old hardrive to a lab for recovery. What you've lost might not be worth it to you for the price (no clue what that is), but most of the data should be on the disk unless it was physically harmed.

Ann, it was indeed lucky! I was on pins and needles the whole time because there were about three day's worth of transactions that I couldn't restore from backups. These lab services do amazing work. It's also a testament to the good construction of these devices. The read/write arm might crash, but usually most of the data is still there, and it's just a matter of putting the disk itself into something that can read it.

I had to wipe my hard drive in Feb when a virus + Microsoft update made my computer crash. Lost everything. That's partly why I use a on line mail server and on line recipe storage site.
Things that I had transferred to a new laptop, mainly pictures, I was able to transfer back to the desktop. My Dell service contract was still good and they really helped.

But Ann, I lost all your recipes :(

Nancy

when you plug in your old hard drive, make sure that they are the same connector type.

New computers tend to have SATA connectors, and older ones have IDE connectors.

Also check out jumper settingd re. master and slave on your old drive.

data retrival costs from $90.00 to $200.00.

dcarch

Thanks Dcarch, I'm pretty sure that the old computer does have an SATA connector. So they should be compatible.

Nancy, I saved the three chapters to my external hard drive. I can send them to you again if you still want them.

Ann

Ann, I'd love to have them again. I used them a lot and it was nice to have them. This time I'll make sure they are on both computers.

Nancy

Nancy, I sent the three chapters via YouSendIT.com. Look for three separate emails.

Ann

Got them, thank you, such a treasure.

Nancy

Boy do I know that feeling, when mine crashed I lost both the hard drive and the motherboard, I gave up and just replaced the computer but I lost all my recipes (except the ones I had burned to disc, so I'm not completely without backup) and all the forum addresses I'd amassed over the many years I've been here.

It was a huge PIA too...sorry about yours.

Annie

I have a 500g ig external hard drive....now if I would just remember to back up more frequently.
A virus got my computer last February, and my son managed to save all data but for old emails....which he says is still on the drive and maybe he can save them...
The lesson in all this is back up....save save save!!

Linda, yup, I'm so glad that I backed up all my files to an external hard drive. The only thing I don't have is old emails and email address file. And many of the addresses I have in a separate data base I kept for Swap participants.

Annie, I'm sorry you lost all your recipes.

Ann

Sorry for everyone's computer issues!

Ann - While you have your recipes on you send it, mind me grabbing them? The ones I have are on my work computer and I don't know if I can transfer.

FOAS, I'm missing almost all my email addresses. Please email me and I will forward the download links.

Ann

Well, not all of them, Ann, I had about 800 of them burned on a CD, but I still regularly look for a recipe and realize that it's lost and then I sheepishly ask for it again....

Annie

I'm glad to hear you're up and running full speed again Ann. I'm still recovering from hard drive death too. I had all my biz stuff religiously backed up but lost a ton of recipes (thankfully I have your cookbook and updated chapters on another computer also). I'm now saving my recipes in Google Docs and the advantage is I can use them anywhere from any computer so no more having to connect to the network to get recipes from my desktop to the kitchen computer.

I bought an external hard drive that is supposed to do continuous automatic backup but I haven't checked it yet.

ARGH! Computers - it's a love/hate relationship.

Lee

Must take 'puter into shop for clean up.

Thanks for the reminder Ann, and sorry you had a hard time of it. My laptop had troubles several weeks ago but nothing lost. Now the PC and wireless router are acting up. For some odd reason I keep losing internet access and need to jump start the monster.

Ann, it is nice to start fresh!

I'm dealing with the same issue as we speak...looks like I may just have to get a new computer...just as I was getting used to the old one.

"Posted by pkramer ------Must take 'puter into shop for clean up-- Now the PC and wireless router are acting up. For some odd reason I keep losing internet access and need to jump start the monster."

Before you spend money to the repair shop, call up your ISP and ask them if they have had interuptions. Many times it's their problem, not yours.

dcarch