Posted on 12/15/2015 8:45:12 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj
Just a few minutes ago, I turned on my computer. Nothing seemed to be wrong, but as I clicked on my user name, got the strange message of something regarding my desktop (formatting or updating).
When the page finally loaded, I knew something was very wrong. The tab bar was in the wrong place, and when I clicked on it, all of my files, all of my webpages, everything was GONE.
It was like this was a brand new computer, with nothing in it. I'm in a panic as to what to do to recover my files and the like (as I have stupidly not backed them up en masse in awhile).
The computer was fine when I signed off this morning. My father apparently used it on his user name this morning, but swears he did nothing besides looking at AOL Mail and Drudge.
According to the System Restore (which I'm not comfortable operating without expert guidance), the last thing done was an update approximately 50 minutes ago (9:55pm) which was in between my having turned on the computer and discovering the wipe-out.
If anyone can help me here, I'd greatly appreciate it. This is a real computer emergency.
You need a simple, effective backup system for your files to prevent ever losing them, and to prevent the anxiety you're currently experiencing. If it's not simple, you won't bother with it.
There are numerous ways: the cloud, software, portable hard drive, etc. Here's all I do (and I have some files that are extremely important to me, but which I don't make frequent changes to): I have two thumb drives. One thumb drive I keep in my desk, on which I back up all my files monthly. But I could have a fire, so I keep my other in my safe deposit box. Every six months, I simply swap the thumb drives. Additionally, for files I do update often, every month I attach them to an email I send to myself. Simple and effective--best of all, anxiety-free.
Glad you recovered, but what was the update about? You apparently changed something by either creating a new profile or changing your father’s profile in some way when you logged on. You an your father need to have separate passwords and not share the same one, otherwise this could happen again.
Good that you seem to have resolved the problem.
Now, get a cheap USB drive to back up your data files occasionally.
Also, look into imaging. That can save you having to reinstall everything. One I use is the free home edition of Macrium Reflex:
http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
that's what they all say...he hit the sel-destruct button didn't he?...: )
I bought a new laptop over the weekend. Long story short, had MS problems I could not fix. I ended up talking to MS tech support (India), nice girl, great language skills.
She remotely took over my PC, saw her take most the steps I took, she got frustrated and went to Google and shortly thereafter fixed my problem.
Happy it worked out for you. :-)
Thank you.
I just updated with the thumb drive. I stupidly hadn’t done so since May. :-( Disaster averted.
It’d have to be fruit punch since I don’t drink (bad stomach) :-(
Thanks for the sentiments, though. ;-)
I have no idea what that update was, it was truly bizarre and in the 3 1/2 years I’ve had this computer, have never seen such a message logging in. I still don’t know how I even got logged into his account. He doesn’t use this computer much, he has his own in another room, but there’s an account set up for him on this one if he needs to use it.
Mine has my own password, as well, so he can’t accidentally log into mine. Anyway, I have my files backed up as of a few minutes ago, so if that burp happens again, I won’t freak out.
I cringe anytime someone calls here with an Indian accent, usually wanting to hijack my computer. “Ello ? These ees Bob vrom Microsoft Veendows.”
Thank you.
Thanks, fortunately I was able to fix things. How it happened still is a puzzlement.
Or in this case, how on earth and where on earth am I logged in ?
Might be. Of course, unless it’s Freida Pinto or Priyanka Chopra, I ain’t gonna talk to them. And if it is those two, they’ve got to come to my house to service my, uh, computer, personally. ;-D
Wow, good luck! Sucks. The W10 update scared me for months, because people I know online had the earlier free d/l f things u to no e, I finally did mine a couple weeks ago and it worked fine, some quirks, but it doesn’t have that stupid Radio Shack style tile screen for launching stuff as did 8.x.
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